Chapter 6 - The Emergency Order
The morning light crept across the hotel room, exposing every stain on the worn carpet and every tear-stained shadow on Chloe’s face. Robert did not hesitate. He stood in the doorway, buttoning his wool overcoat, his eyes locked onto mine with a sharp, iron resolve.
"Do not answer his calls," Robert instructed, pointing a firm finger toward Chloe’s buzzing phone on the nightstand. "Do not reply to his messages. Whatever he threatens, it is smoke and mirrors designed to exploit your fear. By eleven o'clock this morning, he will no longer have the standing to demand a single thing from you."
"What are you going to do, Robert?" I asked, keeping my arm wrapped firmly around Chloe’s trembling shoulders.
"I am meeting Judge Harris at the Fulton County Superior Court," Robert said calmly. "We are filing an emergency petition for a temporary protective order, an immediate freeze on all joint financial accounts, and an injunction preventing him from liquidating or damaging any personal property belonging to Chloe. Furthermore, I am delivering copies of his corporate tax filings and forged bank guarantees directly to the district attorney’s economic crimes unit."
He looked at Chloe, his voice softening slightly. "Hold fast, Chloe. The monster in the dark is only scary until someone turns on the lights."
With a nod, Robert slipped out into the chilly hallway, leaving behind a silence that felt heavier, yet far less suffocating than before.
For the next three hours, Damian’s calls came like a rhythmic barrage. Every fifteen minutes, the phone would vibrate against the wood.
10:15 AM: "You think your mother can save you? You're ruining your life." 10:45 AM: "I'm calling my lawyer right now. You’ll be served by dinner." 11:15 AM: "Last chance, Chloe. Get to the kitchen or everything you own goes into the dumpster."
Chloe sat on the edge of the bed, her thumb rubbing raw red circles onto her ring finger out of sheer habit. Every time the screen lit up, she flinched. But she didn't pick it up.
At 11:42 AM, her phone vibrated once more. This time, it wasn't a text from Damian.
It was a call from Robert.
I tapped the speaker button instantly. "Robert?"
"It's done," Robert’s voice rang out crisp and clear over the speaker. "Judge Harris signed the temporary protective order. Damian Prescott is legally barred from coming within five hundred feet of Chloe, her mother, or any temporary residence she occupies. The court has also granted an emergency order for law enforcement to assist in retrieving her personal property from his home and restaurant."
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Chloe let out a ragged breath, her hands flying up to cover her face.
"And there's more," Robert added, a quiet note of triumph in his voice. "The DA’s office reviewed the forged bank guarantees I brought them. A magistrate judge has just issued a search warrant for The Hearth and his residence regarding suspected financial fraud and labor exploitation. The police are on their way to the restaurant right now."
