Chapter 5 - The Snake in the Grass
Two weeks later, I was officially discharged from the hospital and moved into Maya’s secure, gated residence in Denver.
My injuries were healing, though my ribs still ached whenever I took a deep breath. But my baby girl was growing stronger every day. The doctors confirmed she had suffered no long-term trauma from the attack.
However, Julian was not the only snake in his family.
On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, while Maya was at work and I was sitting on the porch drinking tea, a black luxury sedan pulled up to the security gate outside the house.
Out stepped Victoria Vance—Julian’s mother.
Victoria was an icy, sharp-tongued woman who had always treated me like a low-class outsider who wasn't good enough for her precious son. She had ignored every bruise she had ever seen on my arms during holiday dinners, pretending not to notice her son's explosive temper.
I pressed the intercom button on the porch wall. "You need to leave, Victoria. You're violating my protective order."
Victoria stepped up to the metal gate, holding an umbrella, her face contorted in haughty disdain.
"Elena, don't be ridiculous!" Victoria shouted through the speaker. "Open this gate right now! We need to talk like civilized adults!"
"We have nothing to talk about," I replied coldly. "Your son is in jail where he belongs."
"He is the father of your child!" Victoria hissed, pressing her face closer to the bars. "You are ruining his career! You are ruining his life over a stupid domestic dispute! He was stressed! You drove him to it with your constant nagging and trying to run off to your sister!"
I stared at her through the security monitor, feeling no fear—only a profound, boiling disgust.
"He buried me in mud, Victoria," I said into the microphone, my voice dead calm. "He beat my pregnant stomach with a wooden stick while I begged him to stop."
"He was angry!" Victoria dismissed with a wave of her gloved hand. "People make mistakes! Look, I brought a legal agreement prepared by our family lawyer. If you drop the criminal charges and sign an affidavit stating you exaggerated the event, I will give you $500,000 in cash right now. You can take the money, raise the baby, and go live your quiet little life."
I pushed the record button on the home security system, capturing every word coming out of her mouth.
"Are you attempting to bribe a state witness, Victoria?" I asked softly.
Victoria’s face paled slightly, realizing she had walked directly into a trap. "I... I am offering a family settlement!"
"Get off my property," I stated flatly. "If your car is still in this driveway in two minutes, my security team will have you arrested for witness tampering and harassment."
May you like
Victoria sneered, clutching her designer handbag against her chest. "You think you're so smart, Elena! But Julian's family has deep pockets! We will drag this trial out until you are bankrupt and broken! You will never see a dime of his money!"
"I don't need his money," I replied, looking down at my swollen, beautiful stomach. "I have everything I need right here."
