Chapter 6 - The Courtroom ConfrontationTuesday morning arrived under a heavy grey Chicago sky.
The Cook County Probate Courthouse was surrounded by local reporters and news cameras. The Vance name was royalty in Chicago real estate, and news of the battle over Arthur Vance’s sixty-two million dollar estate had leaked to the press late Monday evening.
I stepped out of Marcus's armored sedan wearing a tailored dark navy suit, my hair pulled back into a sleek, professional bun. I wore zero jewelry except for a simple silver watch. I carried myself with absolute, unyielding poise.
Beside me, Marcus carried a heavy leather briefcase containing our evidence.
As we walked up the stone steps of the courthouse, a black limousine pulled up to the curb.
Victoria Vance stepped out, draped in a mink coat, wearing dark sunglasses, flanked by Julian and four high-powered attorneys from Sterling & Croft. Right behind them walked my mother, Eleanor, wearing an expensive new tweed suit—paid for, no doubt, with her fifty thousand dollar bribe.
When Eleanor saw me, she had the audacity to put on a sad, pitying expression and step toward me.
"Clara, sweetie," Eleanor said, her voice dripping with performative sorrow for the gathered reporters. "Please, stop this madness. Let us help you. You're out of your depth."
I stopped on the steps, looking down at my mother with an expression so cold it made her freeze mid-step.
"Save it for the judge, Eleanor," I said, my voice carrying clearly over the flashing cameras. "Your wire transfer receipts are already on the clerk's desk."
Eleanor’s face went bone-white. She stumbled back a step, clutching Victoria’s arm.
Victoria removed her sunglasses, her cold blue eyes locking onto mine with pure hatred. "You think you're clever, Clara? You're a nobody. A broke, divorced girl playing with forces you can't possibly comprehend. By noon today, my lawyers will have custody of my granddaughter, and you'll be back in your tiny apartment where you belong."
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I didn't yell. I didn't get angry. I simply gave her a slow, terrifying smile.
"See you inside, Victoria."
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