Chapter 7
In the ambulance, I held Clara’s hand tightly.
Father sat beside me, calm but focused, giving instructions to the driver and the security team.
“Everything is secure,” he kept saying. “You and the baby will be safe.”
But my mind raced.
Helen knew I was close to giving birth.
Would she try something desperate?
We arrived at the private hospital, and I was taken straight to the delivery suite.
Only Father, Clara, and my doctor were allowed inside.
All entrances were locked and guarded.
Hours passed.
The pain was intense, but I kept repeating one thought in my head — I am doing this for her.
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, I heard it.
A loud, clear cry.
My daughter was born.
When they placed her in my arms, all fear, all anger, all exhaustion melted away.
She was perfect — small, warm, and alive.
I looked up at Father.
His eyes were wet.
“Welcome to the world, little one,” he whispered.
We named her Lila.
For the next two days, I focused only on her.
But the outside world didn’t stop.
Daniel and Helen tried to visit the hospital, but security turned them away.
They then filed an emergency court order demanding access to see “their granddaughter.”
Our legal team responded immediately, submitting the medical reports, the witness statements, and now the first pieces of the evidence from Carter.
The judge reviewed the papers and issued a clear ruling: Until the custody case was fully resolved, Daniel and Helen would have no contact with Lila.
It was a victory, but it made them angrier.
On the third day after Lila’s birth, Marcus arrived at the hospital room.
He looked pale and shaken.
“Elena,” he said. “Helen just told me something. She says she has a private investigator who took photos of Father’s business meetings with Carter. She claims he is bribing witnesses.”
I frowned.
“Carter came to us voluntarily. There is no bribe.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s true or not,” Marcus said. “If she releases those photos with the right story, it will look terrible. It could delay everything.”
Father stepped forward.
“Let her release them. We have copies of every conversation, every email, every agreement. We have proof that Carter approached us first. Every lie she tells will be matched by a truth that is even stronger.”
Marcus shook his head.
“You don’t understand how the media works. Truth doesn’t always win immediately.”
“Maybe not immediately,” Father replied. “But it always wins in the end.”
That afternoon, as predicted, the story broke.
*Is the Witness Being Bought?*
*Langford Group Accuses Opponents of Tampering with Evidence.*
Social media exploded.
People took sides.
Some called us corrupt.
Others said it was just another distraction from Helen’s own crimes.
But the worst moment came when I checked my phone.
There was a video message from Helen.
She was sitting in her office, looking composed and grieving.
“Elena,” she said, her voice sounding sincere. “I am heartbroken that my grandson or granddaughter is being kept from me. But I am more worried about the kind of environment this child will grow up in — surrounded by lies, manipulation, and dirty business deals. I will do whatever it takes to protect this baby from your family’s influence.”
She ended the video, and I felt my blood boil.
She was twisting the truth to make herself look like the victim.
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I looked down at Lila, sleeping peacefully in my arms.
I whispered to her, “Don’t worry, my love. We will show everyone who the real monsters are.”
