Chapter 3 - A Mother's Vow
Three weeks passed. Under the world-class care funded by the Vance Group, baby Jonah and baby Elise grew stronger every day. Finally, they were cleared to leave the NICU.
Callie stood in her private suite at the Vance Manor, a breathtaking estate overlooking the rugged Maine coastline. Sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating the beautifully decorated nursery. She held Jonah close to her chest, while Elise slept peacefully in a bassinet nearby.
Colonel Whitaker stood by the doorway, watching them with a warm, rare smile.
"They look just like your mother, Callie," he said softly.
"They are my entire world, Uncle Arthur," Callie replied, kissing Jonah’s soft forehead. "I will never let anyone hurt them again."
"Russell is desperate," the Colonel warned, his tone turning serious. "The forensic audit has uncovered millions of dollars in illegal offshore accounts he tried to hide from you. He’s facing prison time. But a cornered rat is always the most dangerous. He’s trying to file for joint custody of the twins to use them as leverage to force you to drop the lawsuits."
Callie’s eyes hardened. The gentle mother vanished, replaced by the fierce matriarch of the Vance family.
"He wants to use my children as bargaining chips?" Callie laughed, a cold, humorless sound. "Let him try. We have the court hearing tomorrow. I want the press there. I want the entire world to see exactly who Russell Harlan is."
Meanwhile, in a dingy, cheap motel room on the outskirts of the city, Russell was drinking heavily. The luxury condo had been seized. His luxury cars were gone. Tessa had abandoned him the moment his bank accounts were frozen, taking whatever expensive jewelry she could steal from his safe.
His lawyer, a sleazy man he could barely afford, sat on the edge of the unmade bed.
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"This custody angle is our only shot, Russell," the lawyer said. "If we can convince the judge that Callie is mentally unstable due to postpartum depression and that you deserve joint custody, she’ll have to negotiate. She’ll give you back your company to protect those kids."
Russell stared at a framed photo of Callie and the babies he had taken from the hospital room. His face twisted with rage. "She took everything from me. I built that company! I will make her crawl on her knees to give it back."
