Chapter 8 - THE DIVORCE TABLE
Nathan’s lawyers served Claire at the hospital.
The petition accused her of emotional abuse, financial manipulation, and conduct that endangered an unborn child. It demanded her removal from the Moretti trust and a temporary restraining order.
Claire read every page without crying.
Then she signed the acknowledgment of service.
“Tell Nathan I’ll see him in court.”
The next morning, Moretti Global’s emergency board meeting began in Manhattan.
Victor sat at the head of the table. Vanessa appeared by video, pale and wrapped in black. Nathan avoided Claire’s eyes.
Victor spoke first. “For the stability of this company, Claire must resign from the foundation and surrender her proxy rights.”
Claire placed a small plastic evidence bag on the table.
Inside was the silver pin.
Vanessa stopped breathing.
Claire displayed the recovered garage footage on the wall screen. Vanessa appeared without the prosthetic. Mercer handed her the blood bag. Julian cut Claire’s brake wire.
Board members erupted.
Victor stood. “This recording is fabricated.”
Ethan connected Dana’s forensic report, server authentication logs, and chain-of-custody documents.
Then Rachel entered with federal agents.
Doctor Mercer had been arrested at a private airfield. He was carrying cash, false passports, and forged birth certificates.
Vanessa ended her video call.
Nathan finally looked at Claire. “I can explain.”
“No,” she said. “You can testify.”
Federal agents moved toward Victor, but the chairman smiled.
“You still do not understand the trust,” he said. “Scandal does not change blood.”
He opened a sealed envelope.
Inside was a DNA report identifying Vanessa as pregnant with Nathan’s child.
The board fell silent.
Ethan examined the laboratory name.
Then he saw the signature at the bottom.
It belonged to Claire’s late father.
May you like
A man who had been dead for nine years.
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