Chapter 7 - The Lockout
By noon the following day, the story of the Drake Gala had evolved from a high-society scandal into a corporate war.
Victoria DeLuca arrived at the Lake Forest estate at two o'clock in her silver Bentley, intending to retrieve her personal legal files from the master study before driving to her lawyer’s office in the city.
When her car reached the heavy wrought-iron gates at the entrance of the driveway, the gates did not open.
Two new security vehicles—blacked-out SUVs carrying four men in tactical uniforms—were parked across the cobblestones, blocking the path.
Victoria rolled down her window, her eyes flashing with anger. "Open the gate immediately! I am Victoria DeLuca!"
A tall, muscular man with graying hair walked up to her window. It was not Frank. It was Thomas, Roman’s personal head of tactical operations, a man who had served ten years in Navy SEAL Team Six before joining Roman’s private detail.
"Mrs. DeLuca," Thomas said politely, holding a clipboard. "You no longer have access to this property."
Victoria froze. "What did you say?"
"By order of Roman DeLuca, your security clearance has been permanently revoked," Thomas explained smoothly. "Your personal belongings from the guest wing have been packed into four suitcases and placed in the trunk of the secondary vehicle behind us. Your accounts at Mid-City Bank have been frozen pending a forensic audit of the family foundation."
"This is ridiculous!" Victoria shouted, her calm mask shattering completely. "I am the director of the foundation! I built this estate with my husband! Tell Roman to come down here right now!"
"Mr. DeLuca is not here, ma'am," Thomas said. "He is currently at the Cook County Courthouse with his legal team."
"Courthouse?" Victoria’s voice cracked. "For what?"
Thomas pulled a legal document from his clipboard and handed it through the open window.
"An emergency protective order," Thomas said. "Along with a formal criminal complaint filed with the State's Attorney for illegal medical battery, unauthorized pharmaceutical administration, and conspiracy to commit human trafficking."
Victoria stared at the white paper in her hands.
The legal language was precise, lethal, and backed by sworn affidavits signed by Dr. Sarah Lin, the clinical director of the Zurich reproductive institute, and the technician who had taken two million dollars to transfer the genetic material to Chicago.
Roman had not just defended his wife; he had systematically dismantled his mother’s entire legal and financial protection within twenty-four hours.
"He wouldn't do this to his own mother," Victoria whispered, her face going pale as paper. "He wouldn't destroy our family for an outsider."
"Mr. DeLuca left a message for you, ma'am," Thomas added, his voice completely devoid of emotion.
Victoria looked up, her hands shaking so hard the paper rattled. "What message?"
"He said," Thomas quoted quietly, "'You wanted an heir to protect the DeLuca name. Now you have one. But you will never see her face, you will never hear her name, and you will spend the rest of your life watching this family run without you.'"
Thomas stepped back from the window and gestured to the driver behind her.
"Have a safe trip to your apartment in Gold Coast, Mrs. DeLuca," Thomas said. "If your car crosses this gate again, my men have orders to arrest you for criminal trespass."
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The black SUVs did not move.
Victoria sat in the back of her silver Bentley, surrounded by the cold timberland of Lake Forest, listening to the quiet hum of her engine, realizing for the first time in her life that the cold, ruthless monster she had raised had finally turned his teeth toward her.
