Chapter 5 - The Legal WarThe media storm erupted by noon.
News channels across New York were broadcasting live from the steps of the New York State Supreme Court building in Manhattan. Richard Carter—a slick, arrogant attorney in a six-thousand-dollar suit—stood before dozens of microphones, flanked by three junior partners.
"My brother, Mark Carter, is an innocent man!" Richard declared to the cameras, his voice echoing over the speakers. "He is the victim of a coordinated extortion plot by the Moretti crime family! They abducted his wife, Lena Carter, held her against her will, and manufactured fake evidence to frame my brother! We demand her immediate release and the arrest of Vincent Moretti!"
Inside the private office of the Moretti estate, I sat watching the television screen, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"He's lying!" I cried out, standing up from the sofa. "Mark broke my arm! Richard knows he did it! He's just trying to save his family's reputation!"
Vincent sat at his executive desk, calmly sipping an espresso while a team of five elite defense attorneys—men who charged a thousand dollars an hour—sat in leather chairs around the room.
"Calm down, Lena," Vincent said gently, gesturing for me to sit beside him. "Richard Carter is playing a very old, very desperate game. He thinks because he wears a expensive suit and knows a few judges, he can bully the truth."
"What are we going to do?" I asked, my hands shaking. "If I have to go to court... if I have to testify..."
"You won't have to do anything you aren't ready for," Vincent assured me. He looked over at his lead attorney, a sharp woman named Victoria Sterling. "Victoria, is the counter-filing ready?"
"Ready and verified, Mr. Moretti," Victoria smiled thinly, tapping a thick legal folder. "We have the original medical records, the forensic analysis of the bathroom door splinters, the satellite GPS tracking from Mr. Carter’s car showing his movements that night, and most importantly... the complete financial audit of Carter & Sterling."
I blinked in confusion. "Financial audit?"
Vincent turned to me, a dark spark of amusement in his eyes. "Richard Carter thought he could attack me, Lena. He forgot to check his own backyard first. My financial intelligence team spent the last forty-eight hours digging into his firm's offshore accounts."
"And?" I asked.
"Richard Carter has been laundering money for a fraudulent real estate syndicate in Jersey for six years," Vincent stated flatly. "Totaling nearly fourteen million dollars."
Victoria stood up, buttoning her blazer. "I am heading to the courthouse now, Mr. Moretti. By 3:00 p.m., Richard Carter won't be holding press conferences. He will be sitting in the cell right next to his brother."
May you like
Vincent stood up, walking around the desk to stand beside my chair. He looked down at me with an expression so warm it took my breath away.
"I told you, Lena," Vincent murmured, brushing his thumb against my jawline. "Nobody touches what is mine. I am going to tear their entire world down piece by piece until there is nothing left of the men who hurt you."
