Chapter 3 - The Ghost of the Past
By Friday afternoon, the first real paycheck hadn't even arrived, but the fragile peace Claire had built was violently shattered.
She was at her new desk, learning the complex medical coding software, when her phone rang. It was the daycare center where she had finally been able to enroll Sophie using the corporate voucher Ethan had provided.
"Ms. Morgan, you need to come down here immediately," the daycare director said, her voice strained. "There's a man here claiming to be Sophie's father. He has a copy of the birth certificate, and he’s causing a significant disruption in the lobby."
Claire’s blood ran cold. Derek.
Derek Vance had vanished the exact week the pregnancy test turned positive. He had blocked her number, changed his apartment, and left a note saying he "wasn't built for the domestic trap." For seven months, while Sophie fought for her life in the hospital, he hadn't sent a single dollar or a single text.
When Claire arrived at the daycare, she found Derek standing near the front desk, wearing an expensive leather jacket, his face flushed with anger. Next to him stood a man in a sharp grey suit holding a legal briefcase.
"Claire, finally," Derek sneered as she walked through the doors. "You thought you could just cut me out? I found out about the new job. I know you're rubbing shoulders with the Vanguard CEO now."
"Get away from my daughter, Derek," Claire said, her voice trembling as she stepped between him and the secured door leading to the classrooms.
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The man in the suit stepped forward, extending a professional card. "Ms. Morgan, my name is Arthur Pendelton, representing Mr. Vance. My client has filed an emergency motion for retroactive paternity recognition and full joint physical custody. We are also filing for a court-ordered financial audit of your living conditions, alleging that you are unable to provide a stable environment for the child, given your recent history of housing instability and medical debt."
Derek grinned, leaning in close so only she could hear. "I hear the billionaire CEO likes to play savior, Claire. Let's see how much he likes it when his name is dragged into a custody battle in the local tabloids. If you want me to drop this, it’s going to cost fifty thousand dollars. Consider it back pay for my absence."
