He thought I was heading to the local hospital down the street, but my sister was waiting at the end of the block to smuggle me two hundred miles away.

By 9:00 a.m. the following morning, the news had begun to spread through the offices of Vance, Holbrook & Myers.

It wasn't a public press release, but in high-end corporate law firms, bad news travels like grease through a pipe. The associates whispered in the breakroom. The senior paralegals exchanged knowing looks near the copier.

Arthur Vance sat behind his massive mahogany desk on the thirty-second floor, staring at a faxed document that had just arrived from the Ohio County Circuit Court in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Sitting across from him was Derek, wearing the same clothes he had worn the day before, his eyes bloodshot, his face covered in dark stubble.

"Read it," Arthur said, sliding the parchment across the desk.

Derek grabbed the paper with trembling hands.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF OHIO COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA IN RE: THE CUSTODY OF EMILY ROSE VANCE (A MINOR) CLARA ROSE VANCE, PETITIONER VS. DEREK ARTHUR VANCE, RESPONDENT

TEMPORARY EX-PARTE PROTECTIVE ORDER AND EMERGENCY CUSTODY DECLARATION

Derek’s eyes scanned down the page until they hit a specific paragraph printed in bold black text:

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Petitioner Clara Rose Vance is granted sole legal and physical custody of the minor child, Emily Rose Vance (Born September 14, 2026). Respondent Derek Arthur Vance is restrained from coming within 1,000 feet of Petitioner, the minor child, or any temporary residence established by Petitioner in the State of West Virginia...

"She had the baby," Derek whispered, his fingers crushing the edges of the paper. "She had my daughter yesterday morning in West Virginia."

"And she filed for custody before you even finished your coffee this morning," Arthur said, his voice dripping with cold contempt. "Her sister’s friend is Sarah Jenkins—one of the sharpest family law practitioners in the Tri-State area. They set a legal trap, Derek, and you walked right into it."

"We can fight this!" Derek shouted, slamming his hand onto the mahogany desk. "We can file a counter-suit in Franklin County! We can claim jurisdictional fraud! We can serve her with a mandatory return order!"

"Listen to me, you fool," Arthur barked, leaning forward, his eyes burning with fury. "We cannot do anything in Franklin County! The child was born in West Virginia! Under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, the child's home state is the state where she was born! Ohio has zero jurisdiction!"

"Then hire a firm in Wheeling!" Derek pleaded. "Use our corporate retainers! We have millions of dollars behind us, Arthur!"

Arthur stood up from his chair, buttoning his jacket with slow, cold precision.

" I have millions of dollars behind me, Derek," Arthur said softly. "The firm has retainers. You are a junior associate whose personal life has just become a massive, toxic liability."

Derek froze. "Arthur... what are you saying?"

"Arthur Vance from the regional advisory board called me thirty minutes ago," Arthur said, staring out the floor-to-ceiling window at the city below. "The Vance account—the three-hundred-thousand-dollar account you were supposed to secure—has requested a reassignment of lead counsel."

"Why?" Derek gasped.

"Because Arthur Vance’s wife is on the board of the Columbus Women's Shelter," Arthur said coldly. "And word has already reached her that you left your nine-month-pregnant wife on the kitchen floor with fifteen dollars while you came to eat ribeye steaks with us."

"That's a lie!" Derek yelled. "I gave her money for a cab!"

"Fifteen dollars, Derek?" Arthur asked, turning his head slowly, looking at his nephew with pure disgust. "A cab to Riverside costs twenty-five. You couldn't even give her enough money to cover the fare."

He walked toward the door of his office and opened it wide.

"You are on administrative leave, Derek," Arthur said. "Effective immediately. Clear your desk by twelve o'clock. And do not use the firm's name, stationery, or legal resources for your personal custody battle."