Chapter 4 - The Strike of the TigerBy noon the following day, the financial world was in total chaos.
The downfall of Vance Tech was being broadcast on every major news network across the globe. News anchors speculated wildly about the mysterious “Sovereign Entity” that had crushed the rising tech powerhouse in under twenty-four hours.
Inside the grand courtroom of the Supreme Judicial Center, the air was cold and formal.
Julian, Victoria, and Genevieve sat at the defense table. They looked like ghosts. Victoria’s high-society friends had completely abandoned her; Genevieve’s luxury credit cards had been revoked; and Julian’s defense attorneys were three low-cost public defenders because no private law firm in the city dared to go against the Sovereign legal coalition.
I sat at the prosecutor's bench, flanked by six of the highest-paid trial attorneys in the country.
The heavy doors at the back of the courtroom swung open, and a tall, majestic elderly man walked in, supported by a polished obsidian cane. He wore a crisp dark suit decorated with state medals.
It was my father, Grand Duke Alexander Romanov.
Every person in the courtroom stood up instinctively. The presiding judge, an honorable magistrate who rarely bowed to anyone, inclined his head in deep respect as my father took his seat beside me in the gallery.
“My sweet daughter,” my father whispered, wrapping his large, warm hand over mine. “You endured too much for the sake of a foolish trial. The Romanov family does not suffer insults.”
“It’s over now, Father,” I replied softly, squeezing his hand back.
The judge cleared his throat and slammed the gavel down onto the wooden block.
“We are gathered for the emergency hearing regarding the protective custody of Maya Vance and the civil asset freeze against Vance Tech,” the judge declared.
Julian’s public defender stood up weakly. “Your Honor... my clients wish to request a settlement. Mr. Vance is willing to sign the divorce agreements and surrender all corporate shares in exchange for the dismissal of criminal assault charges.”
Genevieve suddenly panicked, jumping up from her chair. “What?! No! Julian, you promised you would protect me! You told me your lawyers would handle everything!”
“Shut up, you idiot!” Victoria screamed at Genevieve, her composure completely shattered. “You’re the one who hit the kid! You brought this curse onto our house!”
“Me? You were the one who told me to put the orphan girl in her place!” Genevieve shrieked back, lunging across the table to grab Victoria’s collar.
“Order in the court!” the judge shouted, slamming his gavel repeatedly. “Bailiffs, secure the defense table!”
Three bailiffs rushed forward, separating the two screaming women while Julian buried his face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
I watched the spectacle with quiet disgust. This was the "elite high-society family" that had treated my daughter like trash. They were nothing more than venomous snakes who turned on each other the moment the sun went down.
Once order was restored, my lead attorney stepped forward, holding a sleek black glass drive.
“Your Honor,” my attorney stated calmly. “We do not accept any settlement requests. Furthermore, we present to the court high-definition, multi-angle security footage retrieved from the Vance residence servers—footage that Mr. Vance thought he had deleted last night.”
Julian snapped his head up, his eyes widening in pure terror.
The video played on the large screens mounted throughout the courtroom.
The footage was crystal clear. It showed Genevieve deliberately slapping five-year-old Maya across the face. It showed Maya falling onto the floor, bleeding. It showed Victoria charging forward to strike the child again. And most damningly, it showed Julian standing by, casually sipping his scotch, before threatening me when I stepped in to defend my child.
Gasps of horror echoed through the gallery. Even the bailiffs looked at the defense table with disgust.
The judge’s face turned thunderous. He stared down at Julian, Victoria, and Genevieve with absolute condemnation.
“The evidence is undeniable,” the judge ruled, his voice booming like thunder. “This court hereby grants full, sole physical and legal custody of Maya Vance to Mrs. Elena Romanov. A permanent restraining order is issued against the defense party.”
The judge slammed his gavel down. “Furthermore, regarding the criminal charges: Genevieve Miller is remanded into immediate custody for felony child abuse. Victoria Vance is remanded for felony assault. And Julian Vance is remanded for child endangerment and corporate fraud.”
“No! NO!” Genevieve screamed as hand-cuffs snapped around her wrists. “Julian! Save me! JULIAN!”
Victoria fainted on the spot, falling onto the floor in a heap.
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Julian looked toward me one last time as two officers yanked him out of his chair. “Elena! Please! I’m her father! Let me see Maya one last time! ELENA!”
I stood up, holding my father’s arm, and turned my back on them completely as they were dragged away into the dark hallway of justice.
