In court, my stepmother swore and said, “She can’t handle this. She needs a guardian.” I remained calm. The judge took off her glasses and said, “You really don’t know who she is?” Her lawyer turned pale. My stepmother was speechless…

To everyone watching, I appeared twenty-six, quiet, fatherless, and trapped.

Exactly the image Vivian wanted.

“My husband left behind an extremely complicated estate,” she continued. “Eleanor has always been… emotionally sensitive. After the accident, she withdrew from everyone. She stopped taking family calls. She even refused medical support.”

“You mean I refused the doctor you paid for,” I replied softly.

Her eyes sharpened for half a second before melting back into sorrow. “See? Paranoia.”

Her attorney, Mr. Bell, stood smoothly. “Your Honor, we have financial records showing Miss Vale has made erratic withdrawals from company accounts. We believe she is vulnerable to manipulation and incapable of responsibly handling her late father’s holdings.”

My father’s holdings.

Not “family business.” Not “legacy.”

Holdings.