Chapter 5 - The Custody Trap

Sarah read the first paragraph twice.

Mark was asking the court for temporary sole custody.

His filing claimed Sarah had become "emotionally unstable, physically aggressive, and increasingly dangerous in public settings."

The birthday party was listed as Exhibit A.

The slap.

It had been planned.

Sarah looked up.

Vanessa no longer bothered pretending.

"You hit me in front of two hundred witnesses," she said.

Sarah's stomach turned.

"You assaulted my daughter to provoke me."

"I pushed cake."

"Into a five-year-old's face."

Mark stepped forward. "The judge will see a video of you striking someone twice."

Daniel held up his phone. "And the judge will see what happened first."

Mark's eyes flicked toward him.

Sarah understood immediately.

"You want his phone."

"I want everyone to calm down."

"No. You want evidence gone."

She took the red ledger and flash drive.

Mark's voice sharpened. "Those are company property."

"So am I, according to you?"

"Don't do this."

"You already did."

Daniel moved closer. "Sarah, we need a lawyer tonight."

"I know one."

Her father's old attorney, Helen Ward, had retired two years earlier but still answered Sarah's calls.

Sarah dialed.

Helen picked up on the second ring.

"Sarah?"

"I need help. Now."

Twenty minutes later, Helen was on speakerphone instructing Sarah not to remain in the house, not to surrender the ledger, and not to communicate with Mark except in writing.

Then Helen asked one question.

"Sarah, is there any chance Mark has access to Lily's medical records?"

Sarah frowned. "Yes. Why?"

"Because the petition says Lily has been treated for anxiety caused by you."

Sarah went cold.

Lily had never been diagnosed with anxiety.

"That's false."

Helen's voice hardened.

"Then someone may have created false medical documentation."

Mark backed toward the doorway.

Sarah saw it.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm done with this."

He turned.

Daniel blocked the hall again.

At that exact moment, Sarah's phone buzzed.

A new email had arrived from Lily's pediatric clinic.

SUBJECT: RECORD ACCESS CONFIRMATION.

The attached log showed that Lily's chart had been accessed six times in the past month.

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Every access came from the same outside account.

Vanessa Cole, RN.