Chapter 3 - The Threat in the Ranks
The next morning, the fragile peace of the estate was shattered.
Vincent, the house manager, walked into Lorenzo’s study with a tablet. His face was unusually grim. "Sir, we have a breach. The Moretti family has just filed a petition with the family court, demanding an emergency welfare check on Sophia."
Lorenzo looked up, his eyes narrowing into deadly slits. "The Morettis? My wife’s rival cousins? On what grounds?"
"They are claiming that Sophia is being neglected, kept in isolation, and that you are mentally unfit to care for her due to your grief," Vincent explained. "They’ve hired a high-profile child psychologist, Dr. Ronald Burke. He’s arriving with a court order in two hours."
Daniel’s fists clenched. The Morettis didn't care about Sophia. They wanted control of the Pellegrini shipping ports, and using a child's custody battle was the easiest way to freeze Lorenzo's corporate assets and strip him of his legal authority.
"Get the lawyers," Lorenzo growled.
"The lawyers say the court order is airtight, sir," Vincent said quietly. "If we refuse entry, the state will deploy US Marshals to remove Sophia from the premises immediately. And given her medical port, a forced removal could be fatal."
Emma, who had been preparing Sophia's morning medications in the adjoining room, stepped into the study. "Let them come."
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Lorenzo glared at her. "Are you insane? They will see she doesn't speak. They will use her silence as proof that she is traumatized by my lifestyle."
"They will see whatever we show them," Emma said, her voice steady and calculating. "Dr. Burke is a bureaucrat. He looks at charts, behaviors, and indicators. Sophia isn't unresponsive because of neglect; she’s unresponsive because she’s fighting for her life. Let me prepare her. And Lorenzo... you need to be in that room with her. Not as a don. As her father."
