Chapter 327 Fighting for Custodial Rights
Hernandez went to pick Jolly and Samuel up in the afternoon. As soon as they arrived, she sent Samuel to wait in his room. “Chris, Justin took Charlotte with him.
Rachel was sitting on the sofa and playing with her tea set. “He is going on a business trip. Furthermore, he suddenly learned that I plan to fight him for Charlotte’s custodial rights. He must be worried that I will take Charlotte away when he isn’t around, so he took countermeasures in advance.”
“Does he think that everybody is as despicable as him? We had plenty of opportunities to secretly take Charlotte away if we wanted to. Why would we wait until today?” Jolly plopped herself down on the sofa. “Just because he himself is shameless, he thinks that everybody else is shameless too.”
“Hernandez, how high are our chances of winning this lawsuit?” Rachel handed a cup of tea to Hernandez.
Hernandez replied, “50-50.”
“Only 50-50?” Jolly raised an eyebrow at those words. “Hernandez, that’s not what you told me previously.”
“First of all, as the incident from five years ago had occurred too long ago, there’s not enough evidence. That’s why we planned to target the fact that Justin has a tendency for violence, but it might be a little difficult. Not to mention that there’s no way to build concrete evidence around the fact that he visits a psychologist. If the other party provides a medical report, then it won’t work if we accuse him of having psychological issues… There’s one more point and the most important one at that.”
“What is it?” She was a little anxious. “Don’t keep us hanging. Just tell us.”
Hernandez continued, “The issue regarding Samuel. This is not an absolute stipulation. Nevertheless, the local divorce laws generally state that each parent would obtain custody of one child in situations where there are two children and no issues with the parents’ respective economic power.”
“Samuel is not Chris’ child, though.”
“As long as he is her child in the legal sense, then that’s enough.”
Jolly furrowed her eyebrows. “In the worst case scenario…”
“There’s no need for that.” Rachel suddenly interrupted Jolly. “I know what you’re thinking. There won’t be any problems with Samuel to be registered under my name as I’ve already thought of a way.”
“What way?”
“We might not have concrete evidence for the incident five years ago, but what about now?”
She unlocked her phone and placed it on the table. Justin’s thunderous roar sounded from the recording. It was what she had recorded when he came to her room to question her after he discovered the lawsuit papers earlier this morning.
Hernandez stood up abruptly and shouted furiously. “This beast! How dare he treat you like that! I’m going to sue him for rape!”
“Calm down, Hernandez. We need to focus on the big picture here.”
He clenched his fists tightly and revealed a rare menacing expression. “Chris, I will definitely win this lawsuit for you. This man is neither deserving of you nor a daughter.”
“Thank you.” Rachel nodded lightly.
“I didn’t even know anything. I was asleep at the time.” Jolly held Rachel’s hand. “Did you get hurt?”
“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”
Ever since returning to the country, Rachel had already mentally prepared herself to face everything. A leopard could not change its spots. Even if Justin had lost his memories, the selfish and cruel nature that was etched into his very bones would never change. As he could not tolerate betrayal and schemes, she was not surprised by how today’s incident had played out.
Hernandez affirmed her words. “It’s true that this recording can serve as part of the evidence.”
“However, this is not enough. The Burton Family has deep roots in Riverdale. Unless we have an overwhelming advantage, even I lack the confidence to win the lawsuit.”
He was slightly taken aback by those words. As he looked into her eyes, he asked, “Chris, what do you plan to do?”
“If there is no evidence, then we can always create it.”
The look in Rachel’s eyes was unexpectedly cold and fierce. It was a huge difference from her usual gentle and quiet appearance. She slowly tightened her hand around her teacup until even her knuckles had turned white.
Ever since I was young, my grandmother taught me to be considerate and righteous. She taught me to be kind to others. However, society is a place governed by natural selection and the survival of the fittest. If I don’t deal with other people decisively, then those people will turn on me instead.
Late at night in Cred Valley.
“I don’t want to stay here! I want to go back to Riverdale! I want my mommy!”
“Miss Charlotte, please don’t make things difficult for me. President Burton is in a meeting right now and has informed us to take care of you. We can get you anything you want.”
“I don’t want anything! I want to go home!”
“Miss Charlotte, please behave. Eat something first. After you finish eating, President Burton will bring you home once he is done with his work.” While speaking, the servant walked over with a plate of food.
Crash. Charlotte unceremoniously knocked the plate over, which caused the food to scatter all over the ground.
The five-year-old girl did not hold back at all when she screamed. Her eyes blazed with rage as she yelled with great authority, “Who are you trying to fool?! Don’t think I don’t know that Daddy didn’t ask you to take care of me! He asked you to lock me up instead!”
When she woke up this morning, she found herself in a hotel. In her drowsy state, she originally thought that it was just a dream. It was not until she saw the two servants in front of her that she understood—she had been brought along on one of her father’s business trips.
The two servants knew that this spoiled child was not easy to serve. One of them knelt on the floor to clean up the mess while the other blocked the door to prevent Charlotte from leaving. “Miss Charlotte, you cannot leave. Please don’t make things difficult for us.”
“Move aside!” A childish voice echoed throughout the room. “I told you to move aside!”
The sound of a door opening came from the living room, to which the two servants reacted like salvation had come for them. “President Burton, you’re back!”
Justin immediately knew that Charlotte was being difficult when he saw the mess in the room.
“What’s wrong?” He entered the room patiently and waved his hand to dismiss the two servants. “Is the food not to your liking?”
“I don’t want to eat! I want Mommy!” Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking extremely angry. “Why did you bring me here?”
He responded without batting an eye. “Didn’t you always say that I spend so much time on business trips that I don’t have time to take care of you? That’s why I brought you along with me this time. I’ll bring you back once I’m done with my work.”
“When will you be done with your work?”
“I don’t know.”
“Daddy! You’re lying to me!”
“What did I lie to you about?”
“Did you fight with Mommy again?” Charlotte hit the nail on the head. “I want to call Mommy. Give me your phone.”
Justin frowned. Looking at his daughter who was nearly six years old, he suddenly felt as though time had passed very quickly. Back then, she was just a baby with big and innocent eyes swaddled tightly in cloth. The child who used to know nothing and only knew how to cry was now able to eloquently argue and rebel against him. In fact, she often caused so much trouble that he didn’t know what to do.
There were some questions that he needed to ask clearly. “Charlotte, come here.”
“Why?” She was still angry at him, so she walked over to him unwillingly. “Don’t even think about trying to coax me. I want to see Mommy. Why don’t you bring Mommy here? Don’t forget Samuel, Godmother, and Aunt Gloria. Bring them all here.”
He crouched down and asked in all seriousness, “Charlotte, what if your mommy and I will never be together again? Who will you follow?”
She was stunned by those words. Her furious expression immediately collapsed and she burst into tears with a loud wail.
