Chapter 5 - The Deposition
Before I could reach out to Olivia about Carter, the date for our legal deposition arrived.
We met in the sterile, cold conference room of Mr. Sterling’s law firm.
My mother sat across the heavy wooden table, glaring at me with unfiltered hatred.
Olivia sat beside her, checking her reflection in her phone screen, looking completely unbothered.
Their lawyer began the proceedings by asking aggressive questions about my relationship with my grandmother.
He tried to paint me as a manipulative, greedy grandchild who isolated an old woman.
I answered every question calmly, truthfully, and without emotion.
Then, it was Mr. Sterling’s turn.
He did not ask questions; instead, he placed a tablet on the center of the table.
“For the record, I am playing Exhibit A,” Mr. Sterling announced.
He tapped the screen, and my grandmother’s face appeared.
She looked frail but her eyes were sharp, bright, and full of life.
In the video, she clearly stated her name, the date, and her full medical awareness.
Then, she addressed the camera directly.
“I am leaving the vineyard entirely to Sarah,” my grandmother’s voice echoed in the silent room.
“My daughter has spent her entire life squandering money and enabling Olivia’s worst traits.”
My mother’s face turned the color of chalk.
“If I leave them this land, they will sell it within a year to buy luxury goods,” the video continued.
“Sarah is the only one who understands the value of hard work, and she is the only one who truly loved this land.”
The video ended, leaving a deafening silence in its wake.
Their lawyer looked at my mother with deep frustration.
“You told me she was suffering from severe dementia,” their lawyer hissed under his breath.
My mother had lied to her own legal counsel.
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The lawsuit was completely dead in the water.
Olivia finally looked up from her phone, panic setting in as she realized there would be no settlement money.
