Chapter 8 - The DepositionThe conference room in my lawyer’s office smelled like lemon polish and impending doom.
Julian sat across the long oak table, looking completely unraveled. His custom suits didn't fit him right anymore. He had lost weight, and his hands were trembling as he gripped his pen. His high-priced divorce attorney, a shark named Vance, looked bored and confident.
"Let's make this quick, Elena," Vance said, opening his binder. "Julian is willing to offer you the house, in exchange for a clean 50/50 split of the liquid assets and the retirement accounts. We will waive alimony on both sides. Sign it, and we can all go home."
My attorney, a sharp woman named Diane, smiled sweetly.
"We counter your offer," Diane said, pulling a thick stack of bound documents from her briefcase. "Elena retains 100% of the house, 100% of her retirement accounts, and 100% of the joint brokerage."
Vance laughed out loud. "That's cute. We'll see you in court. No judge in the state will grant that."
"They will when they see Exhibit A," Diane slid the first folder across the table. "A forensic audit detailing Julian's fraudulent transfer of $140,000 in marital funds to his mistress, Chloe."
Julian went completely rigid.
"Exhibit B," Diane continued, sliding a second folder. "Documentation proving Julian utilized a shell LLC to hide these assets, committing federal wire fraud. We have already drafted a letter to the US Attorney's Office, though we haven't hit 'send' yet."
Vance stopped laughing. He looked at the documents, then shot a furious glare at Julian. "You told me the accounts were clean, you idiot."
"And finally, Exhibit C," Diane slid the final folder. "A signed affidavit from Mark, Chloe’s husband, confirming that Chloe is willing to testify against Julian regarding the fraud to save herself from federal prosecution."
Julian looked like he had been physically struck. He stared at me, his eyes pleading. "Elena... please. If you take the money, I'll have nothing. I'm already on unpaid leave. I'll be ruined."
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"Sign the paperwork, Julian," I said, my voice cold as ice. "Or I hit send on the email to the feds, and you can negotiate your asset split from a prison cell."
Julian picked up his pen, his hand shaking violently, and signed his entire life away.
