Chapter 10 - The Deposition
Two weeks later, the civil deposition for the divorce took place in the sterile conference room of the county courthouse. Julian was brought in wearing handcuffs, flanked by a guard. He looked hollowed out, but the moment he saw Maya, his old arrogance flared up.
"You look terrible, Maya," Julian sneered as he sat down across the massive oak table. "You're going to come crawling back when you realize you can't survive without me."
Maya didn't flinch. She sat perfectly still, looking at him as if he were a bug she had just squashed.
Julian’s public defender cleared his throat. "My client is willing to grant the divorce, provided he receives a fifty percent payout of the estate's value and alimony, given his current... legal predicament."
Maya’s lawyer, Marcus, laughed out loud.
Maya leaned forward, sliding a thick manila folder across the table.
"I'm not giving you a dime, Julian," Maya said, her voice dripping with ice. "But I did bring you a gift."
Julian opened the folder. Inside were the high-definition photos of Vanessa, along with the bank statements proving his infidelity and embezzlement.
"Vanessa was subpoenaed yesterday," Maya informed him, her eyes locking onto his. "Turns out, she’s not very loyal when the money dries up. She gave the feds everything. Your texts, your voice notes, your passwords. She sold you out to save herself from racketeering charges."
Julian’s face went entirely white. The air seemed to leave his lungs.
May you like
"Sign the divorce papers, Julian," Maya demanded softly. "Waive all rights to alimony, waive all rights to the estate, and admit fault. If you don't, I will personally hand this deposition over to the federal prosecutor and ensure your sentence is doubled."
Julian’s hands were shaking violently. He picked up the pen and signed his name on the dotted line, officially stripping himself of every last penny.
