Chapter 18 - THE UNEXPECTED LEGAL SUMMONS
On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, a process server walked up the driveway of Sterling Manor carrying a thick white envelope.
Julian met the man at the front door, accepting the legal documents with a growing sense of suspicion.
Opening the papers in his private study, Julian felt his blood boil as he read the bold headline across the top page.
"PETITION FOR EMERGENCY CUSTODY AND TRUSTEE AUDIT – FILED BY ARTHUR MONTGOMERY."
Julian immediately dialed his chief attorney, Arthur Pendelton, instructing him to get to the estate within thirty minutes.
"Arthur Montgomery disappeared to South America five years ago after stealing from his sister's estate!" Julian roared into the phone.
"He has financial backing from someone big, Julian," Pendelton warned over the speakerphone. "A court filing of this scale costs millions in legal retainers."
"I don't care if he has the entire Bank of America backing him," Julian vowed, clenching his fist tightly. "He will never lay a single finger on my daughter."
In her bedroom upstairs, Lily was drawing pictures of her puppy, blissfully unaware of the new threat looming outside.
May you like
Mrs. Gable stood near the doorway, noticing the sudden tension returning to Julian's face as he paced the lower hallway.
***
