Chapter 5 - The Injunction at the Gate
The heavy iron security gates of the Harrington estate were rattled aggressively by two county deputies as Celeste stood behind them, her face twisted in an expression of desperate, cold fury.
Adrian and Elena watched from the second-floor library window as the security team hesitated to open the gates.
“She’s trying a local court maneuver,” Adrian said, pulling his phone from his pocket. “She thinks she can get a friendly local judge to freeze the estate assets before the federal marshals arrive.”
“She’s too late,” Elena replied, tapping a screen on her tablet. “The federal injunction was filed an hour before her local motion. The moment her attorneys step foot on this property, they’ll be served with contempt of federal court.”
Down on the driveway, the black town car carrying Celeste’s legal team rolled through as the gates finally buzzed open—not by local orders, but by federal mandate. Two unmarked federal vehicles flanked the driveway, cutting off the town car’s exit before it could reach the main fountain.
Federal agents stepped out, ignoring the local deputies entirely, and handed Celeste’s chief attorney a thick packet of federal subpoenas.
Celeste rolled down her window, her face pale with shock. “You can’t do this! I am Celeste Harrington! This is a family dispute!”
“This is a federal wire fraud and interstate asset manipulation case, Mrs. Harrington,” the lead federal marshal announced calmly, his voice carrying clearly up to the library window. “You’re required to surrender all corporate keys and electronic devices immediately.”
Elena watched from behind the glass, her reflection blending with the sprawling gardens outside. The house that had once cast her out into the cold was now dismantling the very architecture of deceit that built it.
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Adrian placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I’m better than okay,” Elena whispered, watching Celeste step out of her car in defeat. “I’m finally home.”
