Chapter 7: The Court Order That Almost Stole My Daughters
"Nobody opens that door.""
My voice echoed through the security room.
James was already calling the district attorney.
Elise ran upstairs.
I watched the monitor.
Victoria stood beneath the entrance arch, holding an expensive leather folder.
Eleanor stood beside her.
The two officers looked uncomfortable.
My mother pressed the doorbell again.
"Dominic!"" she called.
"Open the door.""
I walked toward the entrance.
James caught my arm.
"Wait.""
"She's trying to take my children.""
"Let me speak first.""
I stopped.
James straightened his jacket and opened the door.
"Mrs. Caruso.""
Victoria smiled.
"James. How nice to see you.""
"What's this about?""
She handed him the court order.
"Emergency guardianship. The judge signed it twenty minutes ago.""
James read the first page.
His expression hardened.
"This order is temporary.""
"Naturally.""
"It doesn't authorize removal without a formal handover.""
Victoria tilted her head.
"That's exactly what it authorizes.""
One of the officers stepped forward.
"Mr. Caruso, we need to verify the children's location.""
I appeared behind James.
"They're upstairs.""
My mother smiled at me.
"Dominic, darling.""
"Don't call me that.""
Her smile faded.
"You're embarrassing yourself.""
I pointed toward Eleanor.
"Who is she?""
Victoria turned slightly.
"This is Eleanor Whitmore. She has been appointed the girls' temporary guardian.""
"By whom?""
"By the court.""
"On what grounds?""
"Your emotional instability.""
I laughed.
"You're the one who filed a false death certificate for my wife.""
Eleanor shifted her handbag.
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
"That's enough.""
"No. We're just getting started.""
James stepped between us.
"Mrs. Caruso, the court was not given the complete medical record. We have evidence that Isabella Caruso was alive after the date of her reported death.""
Eleanor's face went pale.
My mother didn't move.
"That is a serious accusation.""
"It's supported by hospital records.""
"Which can be fabricated.""
James held up the transfer authorization.
"Your signature is on this document.""
Victoria looked at it.
Then she looked at me.
"You're being manipulated.""
I stepped closer.
"Where is my wife?""
She leaned toward me.
"You should have let her go.""
My chest tightened.
"What did you do to her?""
Victoria straightened.
"Officers, please proceed.""
The officers exchanged a glance.
James raised his voice.
"Before you do anything, I want you to know that a formal complaint has been filed regarding the falsification of medical records and the unlawful transfer of a patient.""
One officer stopped.
"Do you have documentation?""
James handed him a folder.
"Everything you need is inside.""
My mother snapped.
"This is a family matter.""
The officer looked at her.
"Ma'am, please step back.""
For the first time, Victoria looked genuinely uncertain.
Then Eleanor moved.
She reached into her handbag and removed a small bottle.
I recognized the shape immediately.
"Don't touch that!""
She froze.
The officer grabbed her wrist.
A glass vial fell from her hand and shattered against the marble floor.
The smell was sharp and medicinal.
"What is that?"" James asked.
Eleanor struggled.
"Let go of me!""
Victoria shouted.
"She has medication! She's authorized to administer it!""
I stared at my mother.
"To whom?""
Nobody answered.
The officer picked up the broken vial's label.
It read:
*Sedative — Emergency Pediatric Administration.*
My blood turned cold.
"You brought sedatives into my house?""
Victoria's expression hardened.
"They were prescribed.""
"To my four-month-old daughters?""
"Only if necessary.""
I stepped toward her.
"You are never going near them again.""
She slapped me.
The sound cracked through the entrance hall.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then James quietly said:
"That was a mistake, Victoria.""
My mother stared at him.
"What?""
He held up his phone.
"Your entire statement was recorded.""
The officers separated everyone.
Eleanor was taken outside for questioning.
Victoria remained standing in the entrance hall, her diamond earrings trembling slightly.
Then she looked at me.
"You think you've won?""
I said nothing.
She leaned closer.
"You don't understand the trust. You don't understand your father's arrangement. And you certainly don't understand what Isabella signed.""
"What did she sign?""
Victoria smiled.
"Ask your wife.""
She walked out.
The officers followed.
I stood there, shaking.
James closed the door.
"Dominic, we need to get the girls somewhere safe.""
"Agreed.""
"Not another room in this house. A secure location.""
I nodded.
But as we climbed the stairs, we heard a scream.
Elise.
I ran toward the nursery.
The door was open.
Maisie's crib was empty.
Rosie's blanket lay on the floor.
Elise stood near the window, holding Rosie.
"Where is Maisie?""
Her face was white.
"I put her down for a moment. Someone came through the connecting door.""
I looked toward the narrow passage leading to the old nursery bathroom.
It was open.
I rushed inside.
A small ventilation panel had been removed.
Beyond it was a maintenance corridor.
Someone had used it to enter the room.
"Security!""
Footsteps thundered below.
I turned to Elise.
"Stay with Rosie.""
She nodded.
I followed the corridor.
At the end was a service staircase leading toward the garage.
A door slammed.
I reached the bottom just in time to see a black vehicle pulling away.
A baby seat was visible through the rear window.
Maisie.
I ran outside.
"STOP!""
The car accelerated.
Our security guard jumped into the driveway and fired a warning shot into the air.
The vehicle swerved but didn't stop.
Within seconds, it disappeared beyond the gates.
I stood in the driveway, unable to breathe.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
"Dominic, don't panic.""
"Who is this?""
"It's Isabella.""
My legs nearly collapsed.
"Where are you?""
"Listen to me. They have Maisie.""
"I know. I'm going after her.""
"No. You need to listen. Victoria wants you to follow the car.""
"What?""
"She's setting a trap.""
"Where are you?""
"At the Maine property. Your father is with me.""
I closed my eyes.
"Isabella, are you hurt?""
"I'm okay.""
"Are you really okay?""
A soft sob came through the phone.
"No, Dominic. But I'm alive.""
I pressed the phone against my ear.
"I've missed you every day.""
"I know.""
"Come home.""
"I can't. Not until you understand what your mother has done.""
"Tell me.""
She took a shaky breath.
"Dominic, Maisie wasn't the only child your mother planned to take.""
My stomach dropped.
"What do you mean?""
"The second trust has another condition. If one of the twins is removed from your custody, the remaining child becomes the sole beneficiary.""
I looked toward the house.
Rosie was still inside.
My mother had deliberately taken one baby to trigger the trust.
"Why?""
"Because she wants the money released.""
"How much?""
"One hundred and twenty million dollars.""
I went cold.
"Where does it go?""
"To Eleanor Whitmore.""
Then Isabella whispered:
"But that's not the worst part.""
I gripped the phone.
"What?""
"Your mother isn't trying to steal the girls' inheritance.""
A pause.
"She's trying to hide what happened to the original beneficiaries.""
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone.
Behind me, James came running.
"Dominic! The security team traced the vehicle.""
"Where?""
He looked at me.
"An airfield.""
I looked toward the sky.
May you like
A helicopter was already rising above the trees.
And inside it was my daughter.
