Chapter 5
Court felt colder than the Rinaldi marble.
Evan stood outside the courtroom in a navy suit he definitely could not afford, smiling like a man who had already won.
His new girlfriend, Vanessa, stood beside him with one hand on his arm.
She wore white.
I hated that.
Lucia held my hand so tightly her fingers felt like ice.
Victor stood behind us with Helena, his attorney, and Rosa.
The quadruplets had not been allowed inside the hearing room.
They were furious.
Marco had told the security guard, “This is an injustice.”
He was not wrong.
Evan’s smile widened when he saw Victor.
“Serena,” he said. “I see you brought your employer.”
I did not answer.
Vanessa tilted her head.
“This is all so sad. Lucia needs stability.”
Lucia pressed closer to me.
Victor’s voice dropped.
“Do not address the child.”
Evan’s smile faltered.
“Careful. Threatening me in court won’t help her.”
Helena stepped forward.
“No one threatened you, Mr. Chase. Yet.”
I liked her immediately.
Inside, Evan’s lawyer painted me exactly how I feared.
Broke.
Unstable.
Living in a crime boss’s house.
No permanent address.
A desperate mother making reckless choices.
Every word was a knife sharpened on half-truth.
Then Helena stood.
She did not yell.
She did not perform.
She placed photographs of my destroyed apartment on the table.
Police report.
Neighbor statement.
Text messages from Evan.
Bank records showing unpaid child support.
Screenshots of him threatening to “take Lucia if I didn’t learn humility.”
Evan’s face changed.
Vanessa stopped smiling.
Helena turned to the judge.
“Mr. Chase created the instability he now cites.”
My lungs opened.
Then Evan made his mistake.
He leaned forward and said, “Serena always exaggerates. Ask anyone. She’s emotional.”
Lucia flinched.
The judge saw it.
Victor saw it too.
His hands curled at his sides.
Helena glanced at me.
I nodded.
She called Mrs. Alvarez.
My neighbor testified by video.
She told the judge Evan had come asking about my schedule.
She said Lucia cried when he visited.
She said I worked double shifts and still made every school meeting.
Then Rosa testified.
I did not expect that.
She walked to the stand like a queen in a gray dress.
The judge asked her role.
“I am housekeeper to Mr. Rinaldi and, apparently, emotional support to five children and one stubborn woman.”
The judge blinked.
Helena asked if Lucia was safe at the estate.
Rosa said, “Safer than with a man who breaks homes and calls it concern.”
Evan’s lawyer objected.
Sustained.
But the judge heard it.
Finally, the judge asked Lucia one question in chambers.
I was terrified.
When she came back, her cheeks were wet.
But she walked straight to me.
The judge returned to the bench.
“Temporary custody remains with Ms. Valente. Mr. Chase will have supervised visitation pending investigation into harassment, property damage, and child support violations.”
I almost fell.
Lucia threw herself into my arms.
Evan stood.
“This is ridiculous.”
The judge’s voice sharpened.
“Sit down, Mr. Chase.”
He sat.
For the first time, my ex looked scared.
Not of me.
Of consequences.
Outside, the quadruplets burst from the waiting area.
Marco shouted, “Did we win?”
Lucia nodded.
Nico punched the air.
Alessandro declared, “Courtroom victory snacks!”
Tommy hugged Lucia silently.
Victor stood beside me.
“You did it,” he said.
“No,” I whispered. “We did.”
His eyes held mine for a moment too long.
Then Evan’s voice cut through.
“This isn’t over, Serena.”
Victor turned.
He did not move closer.
He did not raise his voice.
But the hallway emptied of warmth.
“It is for today,” he said. “And tomorrow, she will be stronger.”
Evan sneered.
“Because of you?”
May you like
Victor looked at me.
“No. Because she already was.”
