Chapter 7: The Last Lie in Court
The next morning, Vivian entered the hearing with two new attorneys.
Roman sat beside Elena, while Milo waited with Sophia and Rosa in a private room nearby.
Vivian looked at Elena.
“You appear healthier than your letter suggested.”
Elena stood.
“You had me confined under a false name.”
“You entered St.
Agnes voluntarily.”
“You told me Roman had been found de@d overseas.”
Roman’s hands tightened on the table.
Vivian’s attorney rose.
“There is no proof my client made that statement.”
“I heard her,” Dr.
Hale said from the rear of the courtroom.
Vivian turned sharply.
The physician walked forward carrying a patient file.
“You were paid to maintain confidentiality,” Vivian said.
“I was required to report unlawful confinement once I discovered the consent form was forged.”
Dr.
Hale handed the file to the clerk.
Vivian pointed toward Roman.
“This man runs a crjminal syndicate.
Whatever mistakes I made, I acted to protect Milo.”
Roman rose.
“Then play the full dining-room recording.”
The screen showed Milo beneath the table.
Vivian’s recorded voice ordered Rosa not to feed him.
Caroline removed his plate, and Vivian positioned the dog bowl before telling someone to start the camera again.
The judge leaned forward.
“Mrs.
Valenti, did you submit an edited version of this footage to obtain guardianship?”
Vivian’s attorney whispered to her.
“Yes,” Vivian finally said.
“Because Roman’s reaction proved my point.”
Elena faced her.
“You frightened my son, confined me, forged Roman’s signature, and stole from Milo’s trust.”
“I built this family before you entered it.”
“You tried to break it because you could no longer control it.”
Vivian opened her handbag and removed a ledger.
“If I lose, Roman loses too.
This contains every payment his organization concealed.”
One of her attorneys pulled his chair away.
“We were not informed about that document.”
Vivian smiled at Roman.
“Withdraw your complaint.
Give me the trust, and this disappears.”
Roman took the ledger from her and handed it to a federal investigator seated behind him.
Vivian’s smile faded.
“What are you doing?”
“Ending the fear attached to my name.”
The investigator opened the ledger.
“These accounts do not belong to Roman Valenti.”
Vivian stood too quickly.
“Of course they do.”
Julian approached with certified banking records.
“The authorization codes belong to Vivian and Caroline.
Roman ordered an audit before returning home.”
Roman looked at his mother.
“That was why I was away.
I was closing every illegal account you hid inside my companies.”
“You would destroy your father’s legacy?”
“My father’s final amendment removed you for using the family trust as your private treasury.”
The clerk opened the document box recovered from the lake house.
The original amendment carried two witness signatures and a raised court seal.
Vivian backed away.
“Caroline did the transfers.”
Caroline appeared at the side door with an officer.
“Mother ordered them.”
“You ungrateful coward,” Vivian said.
“You promised I would inherit everything.”
The judge struck the bench once.
“Enough.”
An investigator stepped toward Vivian.
“Vivian Valenti, you are being taken into custody for fraud, unlawful confinement, evidence tampering, and child cruelty.”
Vivian looked at Roman as the restraints closed.
“You will come crawling back when this family collapses.”
Roman placed his arm around Elena.
“No,” he said.
“My family is standing beside me.”
Vivian was led toward the door, but the judge had not finished.
May you like
“Bring her back tomorrow,” he said.
“Milo Valenti deserves to be present when this court decides who controls his future.”
