Chapter 16 - The Emergency Hearing
The emergency family court hearing took place less than forty-eight hours after the gala. The media circus outside the courthouse was unprecedented. News vans blocked the streets, and reporters screamed questions as the Del Valle family arrived.
Doña Rebeca wore dark sunglasses, her face set in a tight, furious grimace. Paola kept her head down, completely terrified by the screaming crowds. Emilio looked pale and sickly, sweating profusely in his expensive suit. Mauricio was brought in through the back entrance, wearing orange county jail scrubs and heavy iron handcuffs.
Inside the courtroom, the atmosphere was thick with tension. The corrupt judge who had initially ruled against Raquel had been swiftly removed from the case, replaced by a strict, no-nonsense female magistrate.
The heavy wooden doors at the back of the courtroom opened.
Raquel walked in. She was not wearing a designer dress or attempting to look perfect. She wore a high-collared, pale blue medical gown, a visible neck brace, and walked with a slow, painful limp. Every bruise on her face and arms was fully exposed for the court to see.
Guillermo walked beside her, his hand gently supporting her elbow. He was not there as a tech titan; he was there as a father who had finally realized the true cost of his absence.
Jimena Robles, Raquel’s court-appointed lawyer, stood tall at the defense table. She had never abandoned Raquel, despite Emilio's constant threats to her career. Today, Jimena wasn't fighting a defensive battle. She was holding a loaded gun.
"All rise," the bailiff called out.
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The magistrate sat down, glaring at the Del Valle legal team.
"This is an emergency hearing to review the preliminary custody injunction," the magistrate announced. "Counselor Robles, you requested this hearing. You may proceed."
