Chapter 2
“Well, Serena,” he said with quiet amusement flickering in his dark eyes. “It looks like I was completely right about you all along. Before you met me, you were absolutely nothing. A pathetic charity case, and now the court has officially confirmed it.”
He bent down close enough for only me to hear his harsh whisper.
“Let us see how you and that bastard baby manage without my money. My best guess? You will last a week before you are living on the street and begging me on your knees for help.”
CHAPTER 2
09/10/2026
His cruel smile widened as he waited for my reaction.
I could not find the strength to give him any answer.
A single heavy tear slipped down my pale cheek.
Then a deafening sound shattered the quiet courtroom.
BANG!
The massive wooden doors flew open with explosive force as if a storm had just struck them.
The heavy wood slammed violently against the stone walls, creating an echo that shook the entire room.
The bailiff jerked in complete surprise, reaching instinctively toward his sidearm before freezing totally in place.
A powerful figure entered the space with an unmistakable aura of command.
Every single eye in the courtroom turned toward him instantly.
Gavin Rochester.
The legendary billionaire founder and chief executive officer of Vanguard Global Corporation.
His unexpected arrival seemed to drain every bit of oxygen from the spacious courtroom.
The polished silver-headed cane in his hand struck the marble floor rhythmically as he advanced down the center aisle. Four elite private security professionals secured the exits while an entire team of senior corporate lawyers followed right behind him.
The heavy atmosphere became intensely charged and icy cold.
Gavin never looked up at the startled judge sitting on the bench.
He never acknowledged Patrick standing near the table.
His intense attention remained focused entirely on my face.
Then he positioned himself directly between Patrick and me like an unbreakable shield.
A solid wall of absolute protection.
“Without your money?” Gavin repeated, his deep voice resonating with authority throughout the high-ceilinged room. “My daughter and my grandchild will live like absolute royalty. As for you…”
His icy gaze shifted slowly toward Patrick’s pale face.
“By the end of this current fiscal quarter, your entire financial existence will be nothing more than a distant memory.”
Patrick visibly recoiled as if he had been struck hard across the face.