Chapter 2: The Viper's Retaliation
Chapter 2: The Viper's Retaliation
The news of the hospital incident didn't leak to the press immediately, thanks to the hospital’s strict NDA protocols, but behind closed doors, the Vance mansion was in a state of absolute warfare.
Evelyn Vance paced across her lavish marble living room, a glass of scotch trembling in her hand. Mark sat on the velvet sofa, staring blankly at the floor. He had spent the last twenty-four hours receiving frantic calls from his family's lawyers.
"A federal judge!" Evelyn slammed her glass onto the mahogany table. "How could you be so utterly incompetent, Mark? You slept in the same bed as that woman for two years and you didn't know she held the power to dismantle our entire corporate empire with a single pen stroke?!"
"She kept her life completely separate, Mom!" Mark yelled back, finally snapping. "She used her maiden name, Julia Rios, in our personal life. I didn't know her legal professional name was registered under her maternal grandmother's estate! And you're the one who pushed for the adoption! You said we needed an heir for Sarah because her husband was threatening divorce!"
"Sarah is your sister, and she deserves a child from our bloodline!" Evelyn hissed. "Julia had twins. It was the perfect solution. Who knew the quiet, submissive girl from the charity gala was a shark in a robe?"
Evelyn’s phone buzzed. It was Arthur Vance, her husband and the CEO of Vance Global Logistics. His voice over the speakerphone was panicked.
"Evelyn, we have a massive problem," Arthur said, his voice shaking. "Two of our major shipping contracts with the federal government have just been put on an 'administrative hold' pending a compliance review. The notice came directly from the regional magistrate's oversight committee."
Evelyn's blood ran cold. "Julia..."
"She’s not suing us for divorce yet," Arthur groaned. "She’s doing something worse. She’s suffocating us financially. If those contracts are canceled, Vance Global goes under within sixty days. You need to fix this. Apologize, bribe her, do whatever it takes!"
"I will never apologize to that orphan!" Evelyn snarled, hanging up the phone. She turned to Mark, a sinister gleam returning to her eyes. "If she wants to play dirty, we play dirty. A judge must maintain an immaculate public image. Let’s see how the Federal Judiciary feels about a mother who abandons her marital duties and hides her true identity from her husband."
Meanwhile, back at a secure, private luxury clinic where she had transferred herself and her babies, Julia was nursing her son, Leo, while her daughter, Maya, slept soundly beside her. Sitting across from her was her closest friend and top-tier family attorney, Diana Vance (no relation to Mark’s family).
"They’re going to hit back hard, Julia," Diana warned, handing her a tablet filled with financial assets. "I’ve already filed for an emergency restraining order against Evelyn and Mark. The judge granted it instantly based on the hospital footage. But Evelyn is a cornered rat. She will try to destroy your reputation to force a settlement."
"Let her try," Julia said, her voice calm but fierce. "I spent my entire childhood being pushed around by people who thought wealth gave them the right to own others. I survived the foster system, Diana. I survived law school on a diet of instant noodles and pure spite. Evelyn Vance thinks she’s a predator, but she’s just a parasite living off old money."
Suddenly, Julia’s phone flashed with an alert. A massive smear campaign had just launched on social media.
A popular anonymous tabloid page had posted a video titled: “The Dark Secret of the City’s Newest Judge.” The video featured heavily edited audio clips of Julia speaking strictly in court, spliced with fabricated testimonies from fake "sources" claiming she was emotionally abusive, had trapped Mark into marriage using a fake identity, and was currently suffering from severe postpartum psychosis, keeping her children isolated from their loving father.
The comment section was exploding. “Wow, she looks so sweet but she’s a monster!” “Abusing her power as a judge to keep a father from his twins? Disgusting!” “#JusticeForMarkVance!”
Diana looked at the screen, horrified. "Julia, this is bad. It’s trending on Facebook and Twitter. The court of public opinion moves faster than the legal system."
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Julia looked at the fabricated lies, her eyes narrowing. Instead of crying, she felt a cold wave of clarity. "Evelyn thinks Facebook is her playground because she buys ad space. She forgets that the internet leaves a digital footprint. Diana, call the cyber-crimes division of the state police. I happen to know the director. Let's trace the IP address of the agency that uploaded this video."
Julia looked at her sleeping babies. "They wanted a drama? I'll give them a masterclass in cross-examination."
