Chapter 6 - The Temporary OrderBrooke did not call the police claiming Sabrina was a drug dealer based only on Nolan’s statement.
Claire made sure of that.
Instead they gave the information to Nolan’s attorney and encouraged him to seek independent criminal counsel and cooperate lawfully.
Meanwhile, Brooke focused on Ethan.
Her divorce attorney filed for temporary orders.
Exclusive possession of the mansion.
Temporary sole physical custody.
Supervised visitation for Nolan until he demonstrated sobriety and treatment compliance.
Nolan fought it.
His lawyer argued he had never physically hurt Ethan.
Brooke’s attorney presented photographs of the shattered piggy bank.
Bank records.
The rehab discharge.
A written statement from Brooke describing the intoxication and violence.
Brooke also admitted she slapped Nolan first.
Claire insisted.
“We do not hide facts.”
Brooke nodded.
“I shouldn’t have hit him.”
That mattered to the judge.
So did Nolan’s reciprocal violence.
The court ordered that Nolan’s visits with Ethan be supervised at a family visitation center temporarily.
No substance use.
Random testing.
Treatment assessment.
Nolan was furious.
“You made me look like a monster.”
Brooke answered through lawyers.
No private calls.
No emotional arguments.
She was finished negotiating in hallways.
Ethan reacted differently.
“Do I have to see Dad?”
Brooke sat beside him.
“You don’t have to pretend you’re happy.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Brooke swallowed.
“The judge wants you to have contact with him safely.”
Ethan looked down.
“What if he takes my stuff?”
“He won’t.”
“What if he gets mad?”
“There will be another adult there.”
Ethan’s eyes filled.
“What if he says it’s my fault?”
Brooke’s heart broke.
She took his hands.
“It is not your fault.”
This time the sentence fit.
Ethan nodded.
His first supervised visit lasted forty minutes.
Nolan arrived sober.
He brought a new piggy bank.
Ethan stared at it.
“I don’t want it.”
Nolan’s face fell.
“I thought—”
“I want mine.”
Nolan looked at the supervisor.
Then Ethan.
“I broke it.”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
Ethan said nothing.
Nolan took an envelope from his pocket.
Eight hundred forty-three dollars.
Exactly what Ethan said he had saved.
“I replaced everything.”
Ethan looked at the money.
Then asked:
“Did you count the birthday twenty from Grandpa?”
Nolan’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Ethan took the envelope.
Not the new piggy bank.
He placed it in his backpack.
Nolan whispered:
“I’m trying to get better.”
Ethan looked at him.
“You always say that.”
The words came without cruelty.
That made them worse.
Nolan cried after Ethan left.
The supervisor documented it.
Brooke read the report that night.
For the first time, she felt compassion for Nolan.
Then she remembered compassion did not require access.
A person could be sick and dangerous at the same time.
Marcus called later.
“We found something in BWN Holdings.”
“What?”
“The LLC wasn’t created by Nolan alone.”
Brooke sat straighter.
“Who else?”
“Victor Kane.”
Her pulse changed.
“How?”
“Victor was listed as an initial manager.”
Brooke stared.
“Then Nolan didn’t just invest in Victor’s development.”
“No.”
Marcus paused.
“They built the borrowing structure together.”
That meant the lake-house transfer had not merely become a bad investment.
It might have been designed from the beginning to unlock collateral.
May you like
And if Nolan had forged or manipulated Brooke’s signature to accomplish it, addiction would no longer explain everything.
Some of this had required planning while sober.
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