Chapter 5 - The Sister’s Betrayal
Before Miriam could pack up the files to return to Courtroom 6C, Claire’s phone buzzed on the table. The caller ID flashed a name Claire hadn't seen in nearly a year: *Helena Mercer.*
Daniel’s older sister. A corporate attorney in Chicago who had gone low-contact with Daniel after their grandfather’s funeral.
Claire picked up, sliding the speaker on. “Helena?”
“Claire, thank God you answered,” Helena’s sharp, authoritative voice came through clearly. “My paralegal just flagged a court docket alert in your county. Tell me Daniel didn't do what I think he’s doing.”
Claire swallowed hard. “He’s fighting for full physical custody. He brought Lauren. She just blurted out the existence of Arthur’s trust in open court.”
A bitter, humorless laugh sounded on the other end. “That greedy, narcissistic idiot. Claire, listen to me. I’m sending your attorney a digital packet right now. Daniel thinks I didn't keep records of what happened when Grandfather drew up that will. He tried to have Grandfather declared mentally incompetent two weeks before he died so he could strip the custody clause out.”
Miriam’s head snapped up. “Mrs. Cole here, Helena. Are those medical evaluations signed by an independent board?”
“Signed, notarized, and sealed,” Helena replied crisply. “Grandfather specifically added that clause because he knew what Daniel was. Daniel abandoned his college girlfriend after forcing her to sign an NDA, and Grandfather swore that no child with Mercer blood would ever be treated like disposable trash. Grandfather’s personal attorney left me as the co-trustee of the oversight board.”
Helena paused, her tone softening into genuine warmth. “Claire, you carried those babies through hell. Daniel didn't even visit Sophie when her oxygen dropped in the NICU because he was in the Hamptons with that grifter. Put the screws to him. Destroy him in that courtroom.”
Miriam smiled, watching three large PDF files land in her inbox. “Helena, you just handed us the sledgehammer.”
Claire tightened her hold on Sophie, kissing her warm forehead. “Thank you, Helena.”
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“Don’t thank me yet,” Helena said. “Make sure Evelyn Harrow sees every single page. She knew my grandfather. She won't let Daniel breathe.”
***
