Chapter 13 - The Morning After
|
By 9:00 AM the following morning, the storm had passed, leaving behind a brilliant, crisp blue sky over Lake Forest.
The mansion was quiet. The broken glass in the hallway had been cleaned away by a professional restoration crew. The main breaker had been fixed, and warm morning sunlight flooded through the high floor-to-ceiling windows.
At the kitchen island sat Sarah Jenkins, wearing a cozy yellow sweater, carefully spreading strawberry jam onto a slice of toast for Maddie.
Maddie sat on a high barstool, her bandaged arms resting on the granite counter, watching Sarah with a cautious, hopeful smile.
"Here you go, sweetie," Sarah said gently, sliding the plate over. "Extra jam, just the way you like it."
Maddie looked at the toast, then looked up at Ethan, who was leaning against the doorway holding a mug of coffee.
"Can I eat it, Daddy?" Maddie asked quietly.
Ethan walked over, kissed the top of her head, and smiled. "You can eat whatever you want, Maddie. Every single day."
Maddie took a small bite, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in eighteen months.
Eleanor Vance walked into the kitchen from the foyer, holding a thick leather briefcase.
"Ethan," Eleanor said, nodding toward his study. "We have the preliminary court filings ready."
Ethan followed his attorney down the hall into his office.
Eleanor opened her briefcase and laid out three legal documents on his desk.
"Claire is currently being held without bail at the county jail," Eleanor reported. "The evidence provided by the hidden cameras and Frank’s financial audit was overwhelming. The prosecutor is filing formal indictment charges this afternoon."
"What about the prenuptial agreement?" Ethan asked.
"Voided under the criminal fraud clause," Eleanor replied with a sharp, victorious smile. "She gets nothing. In fact, her family’s assets are being frozen to recover the funds she stole from your trust."
Ethan looked out the window at the quiet estate grounds.
"And custody?"
"Full, sole physical and legal custody rests entirely with you," Eleanor stated. "Her parental rights as stepmother are completely terminated."
Ethan breathed a long, deep sigh of relief. The heavy weight that had rested on his chest for days finally began to lift.
May you like
"Thank you, Eleanor," Ethan said softly.
"Don't thank me, Ethan," she said gently, placing a hand on his arm. "Thank yourself for opening your eyes before it was too late."
