Chapter 5 - Rebuilding the Foundation
With Wendy gone, the atmosphere in the house underwent a radical transformation. The heavy, oppressive tension that had hung in the air for years evaporated, replaced by the quiet, comforting hum of normalcy.
Jessi was recovering remarkably fast under Dr. Vance’s care. Within two weeks, she had regained five pounds of the weight she had lost, her color had returned, and the bruises on her arms had faded to a faint, yellowish hue. She spent her afternoons sitting in the sunroom, tending to her orchids—a hobby Wendy had forbidden because she claimed the dirt “attracted bugs” to the modern minimalist interior.
I made it a point to work from home three days a week, setting up my laptop at the dining table so I could check in on her every few hours. We talked about things we hadn't been able to discuss in years: my childhood, my father’s old workshop, recipes she used to make when I was small.
“You know, Luca, you don't need to stay home so much,” Jessi said one afternoon as I brought her a cup of chamomile tea. “I’m not an invalid anymore.”
“I know you’re not, Mom,” I smiled, sitting down across from her. “Besides, my team handles the heavy lifting in Chicago. I just prefer the view here.”
She looked around the sunroom, her eyes lingering on the blooming purple orchids resting on the windowsill. A soft, serene smile touched her lips. “It feels like home again,” she murmured. “For a long time, I felt like a ghost haunting someone else’s house.”
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“That house belonged to you long before Wendy ever stepped foot in it,” I said firmly. “And it’s going to stay that way.”
The legal battle, however, was far from over. Wendy’s defense attorney tried every procedural trick in the book to delay the proceedings, filing motions for asset distribution, claiming financial hardship, and attempting to schedule mediation sessions. Every single motion was systematically dismantled by Marcus and his team. We didn't offer a single concession. When someone commits fraud and abuse, you don't negotiate a settlement; you enforce the full penalty of the law.
