Chapter 3 - The Asset Drop
The heat inside the spa room was becoming unbearable for them.
I knew the room was designed to vent eventually—they weren't in mortal danger, just absolute, humiliating discomfort.
David looked at me, completely torn between helping his brother and being disgusted by him.
“Clara, you have to let them out. This is insane,” David pleaded.
“I will let them out,” I promised smoothly. “But first, we have some paperwork to handle.”
Right on cue, the heavy front doors opened again.
Arthur Vance, my ruthless divorce attorney, walked down the hallway carrying a thick leather briefcase.
He looked entirely out of place in his sharp midnight-blue suit, flanked by a uniformed process server.
“Good evening, everyone,” Arthur said, his tone incredibly polite and terrifyingly professional.
He didn't even flinch at the sight of the steamed-up glass or the naked shadows banging against it.
“Mr. Sterling,” Arthur called out toward the glass. “Can you hear me?”
“Who the hell is that?!” Marcus coughed aggressively.
“My name is Arthur Vance. I am your wife’s legal counsel.”
Arthur snapped his briefcase open on a nearby hallway console table.
“I am here to inform you that Clara Sterling has officially filed for an at-fault divorce, citing extreme infidelity and financial conspiracy.”
Eleanor staggered backward, clutching her pearls. “You can't do this! You have no proof of a conspiracy!”
Arthur smiled a predatory smile.
He pulled out a sleek, silver flash drive and held it up.
“We have high-definition audio and video recordings of your entire conversation in this house, Mrs. Sterling.”
Eleanor let out a sharp cry and collapsed against the hallway wall.
“Furthermore,” Arthur continued, “we have successfully frozen all joint financial accounts pending forensic investigation.”
Marcus stopped coughing. The silence from behind the glass was profound.
“My credit cards?” Marcus asked weakly.
“Frozen,” Arthur confirmed.
“My checking account?”
“Empty. The funds were legally transferred to a secure holding company to prevent dissipation of marital assets.”
Arthur pulled out a thick stack of papers and slid them under the small gap beneath the glass door.
“These are the divorce filings, Mr. Sterling. Along with a thirty-day eviction notice for this property.”
“I’m on the deed!” Marcus screamed, his voice cracking.
“Yes,” Arthur nodded. “But since you purchased it using funds exclusively generated by Ms. Sterling’s LLC prior to the marriage, we are filing a claim of equitable fraud.”
I stepped forward, looking at the pathetic, blurry shadow of my soon-to-be ex-husband.
May you like
“You have nothing, Marcus,” I said, my voice completely devoid of emotion.
“You came into this marriage with a mattress on the floor, and that is exactly how you are going to leave it.”
