Chapter 21 - THE ENVELOPE FROM CHICAGO
The peaceful autumn air along the shores of Lake Michigan was suddenly shattered by the sharp rumble of a heavy motorcycle.
A courier dressed in a dark uniform dismounted near the wooden gate of Lily’s small cottage, holding a thick yellow envelope stamped with federal seals.
Lily stepped onto the front porch, her protective instincts instantly flaring as she sheltered three-year-old Ethan behind her skirt.
Victor emerged from his neighboring house, his sharp eyes scanning the courier with the practiced vigilance of a man who knew how danger traveled.
"Package for Miss Lily Vance and Mr. Victor Blackwood," the courier announced, requiring two signatures before handing over the heavy document.
The return address on the envelope belonged to the United States District Court in downtown Chicago.
Victor sliced open the top seal, pulling out a set of formal legal notices printed on heavy cream paper.
The lead document was a emergency motion filed by an elite law firm representing the Montigue Estate in Boston.
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"They are challenging the legal guardianship of Ethan," Victor stated, his voice dropping into an icy, dangerous register.
Attached to the motion was a certified birth record claiming Serena had an unacknowledged elder sister living in New England who was claiming full custody of the Blackwood heir.
