Chapter 8 - The Legal Battle
Though Nathan had the truth, the battle for Eliza’s future was far from over.
News of the billionaire's "secret daughter" had leaked to the press, and the media descended upon Silver Ridge like vultures. Paparazzi camped outside the gates, their long lenses pointing through the iron bars.
Worse, the State Department of Child Services had launched an investigation. Because Eliza’s birth had never been legally registered, and because of the criminal nature of her abandonment, the state was hesitant to simply hand her over to Nathan, despite the DNA evidence.
"They want to put her in a temporary foster home while they investigate," Marcus Vance told Nathan during an emergency meeting in the library. "The bureaucratic red tape is thick, Nathan. They are arguing that since you were married to the woman who abandoned her, you might have been complicit."
"I knew nothing about it!" Nathan roared, pacing the floor. "I was in Singapore for three months during the birth! I have the travel logs, the business records!"
"We know that, but the court has to follow procedure," Marcus said. "The hearing is tomorrow morning. Judge Vance is presiding. He’s known for being extremely strict about child welfare."
That evening, Nathan walked up to Eliza’s room. She was sitting on her bed, surrounded by dozens of paper cranes. She had folded over two hundred now, in every color of the rainbow.
She looked up, her eyes wide with anxiety. "Am I going to have to leave tomorrow?"
Nathan sat beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I won't lie to you, Eliza. Tomorrow we have to go to a courtroom. Some people are going to ask questions. They might want you to stay somewhere else for a little while."
Eliza’s chest heaved. "But I don't want to go anywhere else! I want to stay with you. You're my dad."
Hearing her call him "dad" for the first time shattered something inside Nathan, replacing it with a fierce, unbreakable resolve.
"I will not let them take you, Eliza," he said, his voice ringing with absolute certainty. "I will spend every penny I have. I will fight them in every court in this country. You are my daughter, and you are staying here."
Eliza reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, golden paper crane. It was the most beautiful one she had made.
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"Take this," she said, pressing it into his hand. "Sister Agnes said the golden crane is the most powerful. It brings courage."
Nathan closed his hand over the tiny gold bird. "Thank you, my sweet girl. We will need it."
