Chapter 5 - The Legal Massacre
Mark Vance stood up calmly. He didn't shout. He didn't offer a theatrical performance. He simply adjusted his glasses and opened a folder.
"Your Honor, the opposition paints a moving picture of a devoted father. However, evidence speaks louder than rhetoric. We submit to the court the financial and digital logs of Mr. Ryan Collins over the past four months—the exact lifespan of the twins."
Mark presented a series of verified documents onto the court screens.
"While my client, Mrs. Vance-Rothschild, was recovering from a traumatic emergency C-section and caring for two newborns alone, Mr. Collins' financial records show he spent eighty percent of his evenings at high-end gentlemen's clubs, luxury spas, and fine dining establishments—all billed under the guise of 'corporate entertainment.' We have the GPS logs from his company vehicle showing he was never home before 2:00 AM."
Ryan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his lawyer whispering harshly to him.
"Furthermore," Mark continued, his voice hardening, "we have sub-poenaed the text messages from Mr. Collins' personal phone. On the night the twins were born, when my client was in the operating room hemorrhaging, Mr. Collins was texting his associates, complaining that—and I quote—'the medical drama is ruining my golf weekend plans.'"
A collective gasp echoed through the courtroom. The journalists looked at Ryan with profound disgust.
"That's a lie! Those are fabricated!" Clara Collins screamed from the gallery, ignoring the judge's warning gavel.
"Silence!" Judge Montgomery bellowed. "One more outburst from the gallery and you will be removed."
Elle stood up, stepping forward to speak for herself. She looked directly at the judge. "Your Honor, I have never denied Ryan the right to be a father. The truth is, he never wanted to be one. He saw our children as accessories for his public image, and he saw me as a servant to maintain that image. I do not ask for his money; I have my own. I ask only for the safety and peace of my children."
Richard Fox tried to salvage the situation. "Your Honor, even if my client was focused on his demanding job, he is still entitled to his share of the marital property! The penthouse, the vehicles, and a share of Vertex Dynamics!"
Mark Vance smiled. It was the smile of a trap snapping shut.
"Ah, the marital property," Mark said. "We have submitted the prenuptial agreement signed by Mr. Collins three years ago, before their marriage. It explicitly states that any assets acquired through independent family trusts prior to or during the marriage remain the sole property of the original holder. Vertex Dynamics and all associated real estate belong exclusively to Ms. Vance-Rothschild’s private family trust. Mr. Collins signed away any right to them."
Ryan’s jaw dropped. He remembered signing a stack of papers before their wedding, but he had been so arrogant, believing Elle was just a simple girl with a small inheritance, that he hadn't bother to read the fine print.
Judge Montgomery reviewed the documents quickly, her face hardening into lines of absolute disapproval. She banged her gavel.
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"The court finds the opposition's motion for custody and financial injunction entirely without merit," the judge ruled. "Temporary full custody is awarded exclusively to the mother. Mr. Collins is granted supervised visitation for exactly two hours a week at a state-certified facility, contingent upon a full psychological evaluation. No spousal support is awarded. This court adjourned."
Ryan slumped into his chair, his world completely destroyed. He looked across the room at Elle, but she didn't even look back. She walked out of the courtroom, surrounded by her team, leaving him in the dust of his own making.
