Chapter 8: What the Court Decided
The arrest came on a Thursday.
Catherine called while Victor was in a meeting.
He stepped into the hallway to take it.
"They executed the warrant this morning," she said.
"Both Serena and her mother.
The Cayman account has been fully frozen.
The forged power of attorney has been formally entered into evidence."
"What are the charges?"
"Fraud.
Forgery.
Misappropriation of a minor's trust assets.
The prosecutor's office is also reviewing the child endangerment footage — that may carry separate charges depending on the medical assessment of Ethan's injuries." A pause.
"Victor, the Geneva case and the Dubai case have both been reopened.
Interpol is involved."
He looked through the glass at his colleagues waiting inside the conference room.
"The money," he said.
"Can it be recovered?"
"Most of it.
The Cayman account was frozen before significant disbursements were made.
The forensic accountant estimates recovery of approximately three point eight million.
The remainder is being traced."
"And Daines?"
"He's cooperating.
In exchange for reduced charges, he's provided a full account of every conversation he had with Serena regarding Lily.
It corroborates everything Rosa and Lily told you." Another pause.
"He knew about the financial transfers too.
She had told him it was a legitimate arrangement.
He chose not to ask further questions."
Victor was quiet.
"Tell me when she's formally charged," he said.
"She already has been," Catherine said.
"This morning.
Her lawyer entered a not-guilty plea.
The trial date will be set within the month."
He looked through the glass again.
Then he went back into the meeting.
That evening, he came home to find Lily in the nursery, sitting in the low chair by the window, reading to Ethan from the board book.
Ethan was in her lap, one hand gripping the page, the other pressed flat against her arm.
Victor stood in the doorway and watched.
Lily looked up.
"He had a good day," she said quietly.
"He laughed at breakfast.
Proper laughing — not just smiling."
Victor nodded.
"He's going to be all right," Lily said.
"Children are — they're more resilient than we think.
As long as they feel safe."
Victor looked at his son.
Ethan looked back at him with the calm, open attention of a child who has decided that the person in the doorway is safe.
"I owe you an apology," Victor said.
Lily shook her head.
"You don't."
"I hired Daines.
I trusted the wrong people to protect him." He paused.
"You protected him when I wasn't here.
With a cracked phone and no guarantee that anyone would believe you."
Lily was quiet for a moment.
"He's easy to protect," she said.
"He's a good boy."
Victor crossed the room and sat on the floor beside the chair, the way Ethan seemed to prefer — everyone at his level, everyone close.
Ethan immediately reached over and put his hand on Victor's knee.
May you like
Victor put his hand over his son's.
They stayed like that while Lily finished the book.
