Chapter 4 - The Mother-In-Law's Gambit
I didn't have to wait long for Vivian to make her move. On Thursday afternoon, I was at my PR firm's office when my receptionist buzzed me.
"Eleanor, there's a Vivian Thorne here to see you. She doesn't have an appointment, and she looks incredibly agitated."
"Send her in," I said, folding my hands neatly on my desk.
Vivian stormed into my office looking like a hurricane dressed in Chanel. Her face was tight with fury, and she slammed a thick manila envelope onto my glass desk.
"You think you are so clever, don't you?" Vivian hissed, refusing to sit down. "Freezing my son's money. Throwing him out like garbage. He is living in a cheap motel, Eleanor! A motel!"
"He's lucky I didn't have him arrested for theft, Vivian," I replied, not breaking eye contact. "What is the envelope?"
"It’s a draft for a lawsuit," she said with a smug, venomous smile. "We are suing for full custody of that child the second it is born, as well as immediate spousal support for Marcus. You tricked my son. You used a donor without his full, sober consent. We are going to claim you mentally manipulated him, and that you are an unfit mother."
I stared at the envelope, feeling a brief, terrifying spike of maternal panic before cold logic took over. I let out a sharp, genuine laugh.
"You're laughing?" Vivian snarled. "This will ruin your reputation!"
"Vivian, did you actually read the paperwork Marcus signed at the fertility clinic, or did you just listen to his panicked lies?" I opened a drawer and pulled out my own thick file, dropping it heavily onto the desk next to hers. "Marcus went through three rounds of psychological evaluations. He signed an ironclad, notarized legal affidavit acknowledging the donor embryo, waiving all rights to contest paternity, and legally establishing himself as the father. The state recognizes him as the parent, which means he is on the hook for child support for the next eighteen years."
Vivian blanched, the smugness completely wiped from her face.
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"But here's the best part," I continued, leaning forward. "Since he is legally the father, and he committed marital fraud by funneling our assets to his mistress, the judge is going to award me sole physical and legal custody. If you try to sue me, Vivian, I will counter-sue for legal fees, and I will release the complete audit of Marcus's embezzlement to every single investor at your country club."
Vivian’s mouth opened and closed like a fish on dry land. Without a word, she snatched her envelope off my desk and practically ran out of the office.
