Chapter 6 - I Cannot Ban Victoria From Her Own Daughter
My first major mistake came on day three.
Daniel and I met with counsel.
I said:
“Victoria is not seeing Sophie.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Excuse me?”
“She manipulated her.”
“She’s Sophie’s mother.”
“I know.”
“Apparently not enough.”
I stopped.
Daniel leaned back.
“You can decide who sees Noah.”
“Yes.”
“You cannot decide who sees my daughter.”
I hated how quickly I had become my grandfather.
One sentence.
My instinct:
Protect all children by extending my authority.
Daniel’s authority existed too.
So did Victoria’s legal rights.
So did family court.
I said:
“You’re right.”
Daniel blinked.
Maybe he expected argument.
“I am.”
Then:
“I don’t want her alone with Sophie yet.”
“Neither do I.”
That was different.
“We seek temporary terms.”
“Yes.”
“Through court if needed.”
“Yes.”
No Marconi security officer enforcing a custody arrangement.
No gate list substituting for judicial authority.
We did the boring thing.
Daniel’s attorney filed an emergency application based on:
Coaching Sophie to conduct a loyalty test involving another child.
Unilateral school-transfer planning.
Current emotional distress.
Victoria’s counsel appeared.
The judge ordered temporary safeguards.
Primary residence with Daniel pending evaluation.
Victoria supervised visits twice weekly for the first month.
No discussion of the litigation or Raffaele/Noah arrangements with Sophie.
No school changes without both parents’ written agreement or court order.
Review after assessment.
Not termination of parental rights.
Not permanent exile.
When I heard the order, I felt relief.
Then embarrassment.
Because I had tried to declare the same result from my office.
Same practical direction.
Wrong authority.
My lawyer Miriam Conti said:
“That difference is the entire point.”
I disliked her.
May you like
Paid her anyway.
────────────────────
