Chapter 5 - The War for Lucia
Serena’s world spun. "No... no! They can't take her! Julian doesn't care about her! He just wants to hurt me!"
She sprinted inside the playroom, pulling Lucia into her arms and holding her so tight the little girl gasped. The quadruplets instantly stood up, sensing the sudden surge of danger, surrounding Serena like four little guardians.
"What's happening?" Marco demanded, his fists balling up. "Is someone trying to hurt Serena?"
Victor walked into the room, his eyes dark, radiating pure, lethal power. He looked at Frankie.
"Call our legal chief, Dominic Senior," Victor commanded. "Tell him to wake up the presiding Chief Justice of the New York Appellate Division. I want an immediate stay of execution on that warrant based on jurisdictional fraud."
"Boss, the marshals are already at the outer gate," Frankie reported. "They have lights and sirens. If we refuse entry, they’ll charge the estate with federal obstruction."
Serena stepped forward, tears spilling down her cheeks, holding Lucia tightly against her hip. "Victor... I can't let them take her to a shelter. Julian will take her from the state system before I can even file an appeal."
Victor walked over to Serena. He reached out, his large hand gently cupping the back of her head, pulling her face close to his.
"Look at me, Serena," Victor said, his voice low, steady, and unshakeable. "No one is taking your daughter."
He turned to Frankie. "Open the gate. Let the marshals in."
"Victor, no!" Serena cried out.
"Trust me," Victor said, his dark eyes locking onto hers with absolute certainty. "Frankie, bring Julian Vance and his lawyers into the main parlor. Tell them I am personally escorting Miss Valente and her child down."
Ten minutes later, the grand parlor of the Rinaldi estate was filled with tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
Three NYPD officers and two court marshals stood near the entrance, looking visibly uncomfortable in the presence of Victor Rinaldi.
Standing in the center of the room was Julian Vance. He wore an expensive suit bought with Moretti money, a smug, triumphant smirk plastered across his face. Beside him were two sharp-faced attorneys holding court documents.
"Serena," Julian said, stepping forward with fake concern. "Thank God you're safe. I couldn't let you keep our daughter in a place like this."
Serena felt a wave of pure revulsion. "You disgusting coward. You never wanted Lucia. You’re doing this for Moretti!"
"Careful, Serena," Julian’s lead attorney interrupted smoothly. "Accusations without proof won't look good at your custody hearing in two weeks. Officer, execute the warrant. Secure the child."
One of the court marshals stepped forward toward Serena.
STEP.
Victor Rinaldi moved into the space between the marshal and Serena. He didn't draw a weapon. He didn't raise his voice. He simply stood there—a six-foot-three wall of absolute authority.
"Read the bottom of that warrant, Marshal," Victor said calmly.
The marshal paused, frowning. "Mr. Rinaldi, this is a legal order signed by Judge Miller—"
"Judge Miller was suspended from the bench at eight forty-five tonight by the State Ethics Committee," a smooth, cultured voice announced from the hallway entrance.
An elderly man in an immaculate navy suit walked into the room, carrying a leather briefcase. It was Dominic Senior, the premier corporate and criminal defense attorney in New York, who charged two thousand dollars an hour and answered only to Victor.
Dominic Senior handed a fresh, stamped document to the lead marshal.
"This is a emergency injunction issued twenty minutes ago by the Chief Justice of the Appellate Division," Dominic Senior stated crisply. "Judge Miller’s warrant has been voided due to undisclosed financial conflicts of interest—specifically, three hundred thousand dollars transferred to his offshore account in the Cayman Islands from a shell company owned by Dominic Moretti."
Julian’s face drained of color. "What?!"
"Furthermore," Dominic Senior continued, pulling another file from his case, "we have submitted evidence of Mr. Vance’s active involvement in illegal gambling debts, wire fraud, and his employment under a known criminal syndicate. If Mr. Vance takes one step toward that child, NYPD internal affairs officers waiting outside will arrest him for perjury and judicial corruption."
The NYPD officers in the room looked at Julian, their attitudes instantly shifting from enforcement to suspicion.
Julian backed away, his hands shaking. "This... this is absurd! You bought the judge!"
Victor walked slowly toward Julian. Each step was heavy, deliberate, and terrifying. He stopped inches from Julian’s face, towering over the sniveling man.
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"You brought the police to my home," Victor whispered, his voice dark as the grave. "You used a child as a piece on a chessboard. If I ever see your face on Long Island again, Julian, not even the Moretti family will be able to find enough of you to bury."
Julian turned and fled the mansion, his lawyers scrambling after him like rats leaving a sinking ship.
