Chapter 5 - The Attorney Who Closed Every Door
The family attorney was named Leonard Price.
He had represented Maris for nearly thirty years.
Victor trusted him because his late father had trusted him.
Leonard prepared the supposed divorce papers.
He confirmed Catherine wanted no contact.
He told Victor that appearing at Catherine’s new address could be interpreted as harassment.
“Respect her wishes,” Leonard advised.
Victor did.
Now Brian produced courier receipts showing every letter from Catherine had been delivered to Leonard’s office.
None reached Victor.
Brian also had a copy of an email Maris sent Leonard.
DO NOT LET VICTOR SEE HER LETTER. HE WILL RUIN EVERYTHING.
Victor read it twice.
Then he called Leonard from the ballroom.
The attorney answered cheerfully.
“Victor, I hope the celebration is going well.”
“Did Catherine ever file for divorce?”
Silence.
“Victor, this is not the time—”
“Answer me.”
Leonard lowered his voice.
“There were preliminary documents.”
“Did she file?”
“No.”
Victor’s grip tightened around the phone.
“Did she ask for no contact?”
Another silence.
“Your mother believed distance was best for everyone.”
Victor ended the call.
Maris tried to speak.
He raised one hand.
“Not yet.”
Annie trembled in his arms.
Victor looked at the guests surrounding them.
Many had known the Williams family for decades.
They had attended his wedding.
They had celebrated Annie’s birth.
Now they watched Maris’s carefully constructed reputation fracture beside the cake.
A blonde guest removed her hand from her mouth.
“Maris told us Catherine stole money from Victor.”
Another guest said, “She said Catherine abandoned the child with relatives.”
Annie raised her head.
“I live with my mom.”
Every lie contradicted another.
Maris tried to regain control.
“This is a private family misunderstanding.”
Victor’s voice hardened.
“My daughter was eating garbage outside your party.”
“I did not put her there.”
“You told her to eat what was left.”
Annie’s fingers tightened around the crushed bread.
Maris looked at the child.
For one second, open hatred crossed her face.
Victor saw it.
So did the man filming near the cake.
Maris noticed the phone.
“Stop recording!”
The man lowered it slightly but did not delete anything.
Brian handed Victor the folded letter.
“This is the one Catherine tried to send you the day she left.”
Victor unfolded it.
Only the first lines were visible.
Victor, I am not leaving because I stopped loving you.
May you like
His vision blurred.
👉 Catherine’s real letter did not accuse Victor of cruelty—it warned him that Maris had already begun stealing in Annie’s name.
