Chapter 8 - The Legal Mask
Within an hour, the grand library of the estate had transformed into a war room. Three of the most prominent, expensive defense attorneys in the Mid-Atlantic sat around the oval table, their briefcases open, reviewing the documents Ethan had filed.
"It’s an aggressive move, Dominic," said Charles Vance—no relation to Ethan, but rather the senior partner of the city's most prestigious law firm. "Legally speaking, it’s flimsy. The divorce was finalized in a separate county six months ago, and paternity presumptions favor the current spouse under state statutes. But that’s not Ethan’s goal here."
"His goal is public exposure," Dominic stated, leaning against the marble fireplace, his arms crossed over his chest. "He wants to force Clara into open court. He wants cameras, headlines, and a drawn-out paternity battle that paints me as a monster who stole a fragile woman away from her innocent husband."
"Precisely," Vance agreed. "And looking at the attorney of record on this filing... this isn't a legal aid lawyer. This is Harrison Sterling. Sterling charges twelve hundred dollars an hour. Ethan Vance works in mid-level logistics; he couldn't afford Sterling's retainer if he sold both his kidneys."
"The Corbans are footing the bill," Matteo interjected from the door, his phone clutched in his hand. "We just tracked a wire transfer from a Cayman account linked to Julian Corban’s brother into Sterling’s escrow account. They’re using Ethan as a battering ram to drag Dominic’s private life into the press and trigger a federal inquiry into his domestic holdings."
I sat in an armchair by the window, clutching a mug of chamomile tea that had long gone cold. The thought of standing in a courtroom, being cross-examined about my body, my intimacy, my marriage to Ethan, and the conception of my baby made bile rise in the back of my throat.
"I can't do it, Dominic," I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. All eyes in the room turned to me. "I can't stand in a room with him while he tears my dignity to shreds in front of the press. He did that to me for three years behind closed doors. If he does it publicly... I won't survive it."
Dominic moved immediately. He ignored the lawyers, ignored Matteo, and knelt right beside my chair. He took the cold mug from my hands, set it aside, and gathered both of my shaking hands into his.
"Look at me, Clara," he commanded, his eyes burning with an unshakeable fire. "You will never set foot in that courthouse. You will never have to look into his face again. You will never answer a single question from any man who seeks to humiliate you."
"Dominic, the judge signed an order for an initial appearance next Tuesday," Charles Vance warned cautiously. "If she fails to appear, she could be held in contempt—"
Dominic’s head snapped toward the attorney, his glare sharp enough to sever steel. "Then make it go away, Charles. Buy the judge. Buy the court clerk. Expose Sterling’s offshore funding. If that petition isn't permanently dismissed, sealed, and expunged by Friday noon, you will no longer represent my interests—or anyone else's in this city."
Charles swallowed hard and nodded quickly. "We’ll handle it immediately."
May you like
"Good," Dominic said, turning back to me, his thumbs brushing across my knuckles. "Now, get some air, Clara. Matteo, have the terrace cleared. I have a business matter to settle at the docks."
***
