Chapter 42
[Chapter 42: The Legal Void]
Forty-eight hours later, Ethan sat in the glass-walled conference room of Rebecca Vance’s law office. The morning sun was bright, but Ethan felt like he was trapped in a perpetual midnight.
Noah was temporarily placed in safe custody with Child Protective Services (CPS) due to the extreme nature of the airfield incident. It was killing Ethan inside.
“Ethan,” Rebecca said, her voice softer than usual, devoid of her typical aggressive legal tone. She slid a folder across the desk. “The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the crash. The wreckage of your father’s jet was located in a remote ravine in the Ozarks. There were no survivors. DNA matching is underway, but Richard and Lauren are gone.”
Ethan didn't blink. He felt entirely numb. “And the birth certificate?”
Rebecca sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. “It’s authentic. We checked the Chicago hospital records. Richard and Lauren registered the birth under fake names initially, but the DNA profiles attached to the medical file are a match. Noah is your father’s biological son. Lauren’s affair with Richard started almost five years ago, right around the time your father’s firm began running out of money.”
“So the whole marriage... the whole life we built... it was a scam from day one,” Ethan whispered, his chest tightening until it ached.
“Not entirely,” Rebecca countered gently. “Lauren’s panic in the cockpit video was real. She knew Richard was going to kill her or dump her once they reached international waters. But legally, Ethan, we have a massive problem. Patricia’s defense team is already filing for emergency custody of Noah from her jail cell. Because she is Richard’s legal spouse and the asset fraud is still tied up in corporate litigation, she has a valid claim under Iowa law. You, as a non-biological brother with no legal adoption papers, have zero standing.”
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Ethan slammed his hands on the table, standing up. “She shot at me, Rebecca! She tried to kill us!”
“She’s claiming temporary insanity brought on by trauma,” Rebecca said grimly. “And with her high-priced corporate lawyers funded by the hidden offshore accounts Melissa didn't find... she might just win bail.”
