Chapter 14 - The Lie They Took to Court
Maya appeared at the emergency hearing by video from her hospital room.
Trent’s attorney described him as a frightened husband protecting his unborn child.
He claimed the bat had been taken from the wall only because Maya threatened to hurt herself.
Then Agent Brooks submitted the emergency recording.
The courtroom heard Trent say, “No one is coming for you.”
It heard Celeste say, “Teach her again.”
It heard Maya begging them to protect the baby.
Trent’s attorney stopped calling him a frightened husband.
The judge denied the guardianship request.
He issued a permanent protective order and suspended Trent’s parental rights pending a criminal investigation.
The forged psychiatric report was sent to the state medical board.
The doctor whose name appeared on it was arrested later that afternoon.
For the first time, Maya believed the Holloways might truly lose.
Then Alex entered her hospital room carrying another document.
Carter Sentinel’s board had placed Maya on temporary leave.
Richard’s allies claimed the family scandal threatened the company’s value.
They scheduled an emergency vote to sell Carter Sentinel to a private investment group.
The buyer was registered in the Cayman Islands.
Alex recognized the address.
“It belongs to one of Richard’s shell companies.”
“They’re selling my father’s company to themselves?”
“In forty-eight hours.”
Maya looked toward the fetal monitor beside her bed.
She was tired.
Her ribs hurt.
Every part of her wanted to stay beneath the hospital blankets and allow Alex to fight for her.
But that was exactly what Trent had always expected.
He expected someone else to speak for her.
Someone else to manage her.
Someone else to decide when she was strong enough.
Maya sat upright.
“Get my lawyer.”
“You need rest.”
May you like
“I’ll rest after they lose.”
👉 The Holloways had failed to take Maya’s baby, so they made one final attempt to steal everything her father died protecting.
