Tania smiled down at Grace as they strolled through the garden. It was a warm, breezy weekend afternoon, and the sound of Grace’s laughter filled the air. Her tiny hands reached for the colorful flowers around them, her innocent joy radiating through the yard. For a moment, Tania felt a twinge of something she hadn’t felt in a long time contentment. But it was fleeting. Behind her smile, Tania’s mind was already scheming.
“Look, Mommy!” Grace squealed, pointing at a butterfly flitting nearby.
Tania crouched beside her, her eyes softening. “It’s beautiful, sweetheart. Just like you.” She brushed a hand through Grace’s hair, but her smile was calculating. Tania had other motives for this sweet mother-daughter bonding. She slipped her phone from her pocket, snapping a picture of Grace as she ran after the butterfly, her innocent face beaming.
The images weren’t just for her memories they were for Fabian, sending Fabian pictures of the child to remind him what was at stake if he didn’t locate Ella and the twins. If Fabian failed her, she’d show him just how much he had to lose. Grace was her insurance, her last card to play.
Tania texted the pictures to Fabian, the message brief but laced with a veiled threat: “Don’t forget what you’re fighting for.”
Grace came running back, her arms wide open, and Tania scooped her into a hug. As she held her daughter, her eyes flickered with a cold determination. Grace was unaware of the dangerous game being played around her, but she would serve as Tania’s ultimate pawn if necessary.
Meanwhile, across town, Ethan sat at his desk, fingers under his chin. His mind had been spinning for days. He needed to secure Grace’s future, protect her from Tania’s manipulations, but the legal avenues were tricky. Filing for custody outright might provoke Tania, making her fight back harder, and Grace would be caught in the middle.
His phone buzzed, breaking his train of thought. It was Victor
“Hey, Victor,” Ethan answered, sounding weary.
“Ethan, I need to talk to you,” Victor’s voice was firm. “Meet me in your office. This can’t wait.”
Ethan agreed and hung up, feeling the weight of the conversation before it even began. He needed advice, and Victor was one of the few people who understood the complexities of his situation and he knew Victor wouldn’t sugarcoat anything either.
Victor arrived at Ethan’s office within the hour. He wasted no time, getting straight to the point.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Ethan,” Victor said, sitting across from him, his expression grave. “you seem to have forgotten that she still holds ten percent of the company shares.”
Ethan blinked, caught off guard. “The shares…”
Victor nodded. “Exactly. You’re so focused on getting Grace away from her that you’ve lost sight of the bigger picture. If you don’t play this right, she could ruin you not just as a father, but as a businessman too.”
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling up. “I’ve been so wrapped up in everything with Ella and the kids that I…”
“That’s where you’re going wrong,” Victor interrupted, his voice calm but firm. “You’re thinking with your heart instead of your head. You need to be smarter than that. If you want to get Grace away from Tania, you have to outmaneuver her, not just legally but financially.”
Victor reached into his briefcase, pulling out a folder. “That’s why I brought this.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow, curious but cautious. “What is it?”
“Share transfer papers,” Victor explained, sliding the folder across the desk. “If Tania is too busy fighting for her life on one front, she won’t notice you pulling the rug out from under her on another. You trick her into signing these, and the ten percent she holds in the company? It’s yours.”
Ethan opened the folder, scanning the documents. The plan was simple, yet brilliant. If he could get Tania to sign without her realizing the true nature of the papers, it would weaken her position, both personally and financially.
Victor leaned back, watching Ethan’s expression shift. “You need to think ahead, Ethan. If you want custody of Grace and to keep your empire intact, this is how you do it. But you have to be careful. One wrong move, and Tania could retaliate in ways you don’t expect.”
Ethan nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of Victor’s words. He didn’t want to destroy Tania for the sake of it he was doing this for Grace, for the twins, and for the life he once dreamed of building with Ella. But he knew Victor was right. To protect his family, he had to be smart, not just emotional.
“Thanks, Victor,” Ethan said finally, his voice steadying with resolve. “I’ll make sure I’m ready for whatever comes next.”