Chapter 4 - The Secret Trust Fund
The next morning, the mansion was eerily quiet. Victoria had left in the middle of the night, taking two massive suitcases with her. But Elena couldn’t sleep. She sat in the nursery, rocking Leo, jumping at every shadow. Nathan walked in, carrying two mugs of hot coffee. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes. “I’ve hired private security,” Nathan said gently, handing her a mug. “There are guards at the gate. She can't get in.” “Nathan... why is she so obsessed with Leo?” Elena asked. “She hates me. She never even wanted us to have children.” “Why the sudden desperation to take him away from me?” Nathan sighed, pulling a folded document from his jacket pocket. “Because of this.” He unfolded the papers and laid them on the small table next to the rocking chair. “My father’s will,” Nathan explained. “I found it in the safe last night while I was locking down her office.” Elena frowned, looking at the complex legal jargon. “I don't understand. I thought everything went to you and your mother.” Nathan shook his head, a bitter smile crossing his lips. “My father knew how manipulative my mother was.” “He created a secret contingency clause.” “The vast majority of the Sterling empire—the real estate, the overseas accounts, the voting shares...” “They don't belong to my mother.” “They were placed in a blind trust.” Elena’s eyes widened. “For who?” “For the firstborn grandchild,” Nathan said, looking at baby Leo. “But there’s a catch.” “The trust only activates if the child is raised under the primary guardianship of its biological mother.” The room spun around Elena. It suddenly all made sense. “If I leave...” Elena whispered. “If she proves I'm an unfit mother...” “Exactly,” Nathan nodded grimly. “If she takes custody of Leo, she gains control of the trust as his legal guardian.” “She doesn't love our son, Elena.” “To her, Leo is just a three-billion-dollar paycheck.”
