Chapter 5 - The Legal War Begins
The next morning, the townhouse was filled with activity.
A private medical team arrived at 8:00 AM, equipped with mobile diagnostic tools. Dr. Evelyn Cho, a trusted family pediatrician and a close friend of Alexander’s, spent two hours examining both Sophia and Lauren.
When she walked out of the master suite, her face was grave. She pulled Alexander into the study, closing the door behind her.
"Alexander, what happened to them?" Dr. Cho asked, her voice tight with professional anger. "Sophia is severely malnourished. She has vitamin D deficiency, early signs of anemia, and her bone density is lower than it should be for a child her age. She’s also showing signs of chronic stress—her cortisol levels are through the roof."
Alexander rubbed his face, his voice heavy with guilt. "She’s been living in a damp basement with barely enough food for three years, Evelyn. My mother... she cut off their support."
Dr. Cho gasped, shaking her head. "Victoria did this? It's a miracle the child didn't develop a severe infection. Lauren isn't much better. She’s suffering from extreme exhaustion, severe caloric deficit, and a minor heart murmur brought on by chronic malnutrition and stress. I’ve prescribed a strict diet, supplements, and total bed rest for both of them for the next month."
"Thank you, Evelyn," Alexander said, his hand tightening on the edge of his desk. "Do whatever it takes. I don't care about the cost."
"I know you don't," Dr. Cho said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "They are safe now, Alex. Their bodies will heal. But the emotional scars will take time."
As Dr. Cho left, Marcus Vance, Alexander’s chief legal counsel, entered the study. He carried a thick leather briefcase, his expression solemn.
"Marcus," Alexander said, pouring two cups of black coffee. "Tell me we have enough to put her away."
Marcus sat down, sighing deeply. "We have the audio recording from tonight’s gala—Arthur’s testimony is incredibly powerful, and several guests have already leaked the audio to the press. The media is having a field day. 'Billionaire’s Mother Starves Granddaughter while Hosting Luxury Gala' is the top headline on every news outlet in the country. The Sterling Group’s stock dropped twelve percent this morning at the opening bell."
"Good," Alexander said coldly. "Let it burn. What about the criminal charges?"
"That’s where it gets complicated," Marcus admitted. "Technically, Victoria didn't kidnap Lauren or Sophia. She didn't physically harm them. The eviction was handled by a private security company she hired, using a loophole in the estate’s trust agreement which granted her authority over the primary residence. However, the five thousand dollars a month you sent is our primary weapon."
Marcus pulled out a stack of financial documents. "We’ve traced the wire transfers. You sent sixty monthly payments of five thousand dollars, totaling three hundred thousand dollars, intended for Sophia’s care. Victoria intercepted those funds, routed them through a shell company, and used them for personal luxury expenses. That is wire fraud, grand larceny, and embezzlement of trust funds. Because the victim is a minor, the penalties are severe. The federal prosecutors are already interested."
"I don't want a settlement, Marcus," Alexander said, leaning forward. "I want her in a cell. I want her to feel the cold, damp walls that my daughter lived in for three years."
Before Marcus could answer, Alexander’s phone rang. It was an unknown number, but he recognized the prefix. It was his mother’s private line.
He answered it, putting it on speakerphone.
"Alexander," Victoria’s voice came through, cold, sharp, and completely devoid of remorse. "I hope you’ve had your little tantrum and are ready to be sensible. The board is in a panic. The stock is crashing. You need to release a statement immediately claiming that tonight was a performance art piece, or a private family dispute that has been resolved."
"A performance art piece?" Alexander let out a dry, dangerous laugh. "You starved my daughter, Victoria. You used her food money to buy orchids for your birthday. And you think I’m going to help you save your stock price?"
"Listen to me, you ungrateful boy!" Victoria snarled. "I built you! I built this company! You are nothing without the Sterling name! If you proceed with this ridiculous legal threat, I will unleash a smear campaign against your precious Lauren that will make her look like a gold-digging manipulator who kept the child in poverty just to extort more money from us! I have the resources to drag this through the courts for a decade!"
Alexander looked at Marcus, who nodded grimly, recording the conversation.
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"Do your worst, Victoria," Alexander said, his voice dropping to a whisper that carried a promise of absolute destruction. "Because by the time I am done with you, you won't have enough money left to hire a public defender. I am coming for your crown, and I am going to take every single thing you own."
He hung up the phone, looking at Marcus. "Let's begin."
