Chapter 10 - THE CUSTODY TRAP
Richard withdrew his request for emergency custody.
Then he filed a new one.
This time, the allegations were more sophisticated.
He claimed Maya had become obsessed with a delusion that she belonged to a billionaire family.
He claimed wealthy strangers were manipulating her.
He claimed she was removing Lily from her stable environment.
He even attached photographs of Maya entering Vale House.
Naomi read the filing slowly.
“He’s trying to make your identity look like evidence of instability.”
Maya stared at her husband’s signature.
“Can that work?”
“Not after the DNA evidence is authenticated.”
“But that isn’t the dangerous part.”
Naomi pointed to another section.
Richard was asking the court to prevent Lily from traveling outside New York State.
Then Maya understood.
“He wants to keep us where he can reach us.”
“Possibly.”
Grant wanted private security around Maya immediately.
She resisted.
“I don’t want Lily growing up surrounded by guards.”
Julian replied, “For now, she needs to grow up.”
That ended the argument.
Two security professionals began accompanying Maya discreetly.
The decision proved necessary the next day.
Maya left her attorney’s office and found Olivia waiting near the garage.
The older woman approached with tears in her eyes.
“Maya, please.”
Maya kept walking.
“You knew my mother.”
Olivia stopped.
Maya turned.
“I asked you a question.”
Olivia lowered her voice.
“I knew of her.”
“You worked for Adrian Vale.”
“It was a job.”
“You received money after my mother disappeared.”
Olivia’s face changed.
Only slightly.
Maya saw it.
“Why?”
“I was paid severance.”
“Ninety thousand dollars?”
“You don’t understand how those people lived.”
“Those people?”
Olivia glanced toward Grant’s security officer.
Then she stepped closer.
“You think because some laboratory says you’re a Vale, they’re going to love you?”
Maya said nothing.
“They will use you.”
“They’ll dress you up.”
“They’ll put you in front of cameras.”
“And when they’re done, they’ll remind you that you were raised in cheap apartments by a frightened woman who ran away.”
Maya smiled faintly.
“You really hate my mother.”
Olivia’s mouth tightened.
“I barely knew her.”
“That wasn’t what I said.”
For the first time, Olivia lost control.
“Catherine thought she was better than everyone.”
Maya felt the pieces move into place.
“You did know her.”
Olivia realized her mistake.
She stepped backward.
Maya continued.
“And she knew something about you.”
Olivia turned and walked away.
That evening, Naomi obtained a temporary protective order based on Richard’s behavior and Olivia’s unwanted confrontation.
Richard responded by sending Maya one final message.
You are making a mistake you can’t undo.
Maya typed back.
The mistake was staying six years.
Then she blocked him.
Across Manhattan, Adrian Vale received a different message from Olivia.
She knows my name is in the records.
Adrian stared at the screen.
Then he called his attorney.
“Move tomorrow’s board meeting forward.”
His attorney frowned.
“Why?”
May you like
“Because by next week, I may not control the company anymore.”
—
