Chapter 5 - The Deposition
Two months later, my pregnancy was visible. I wore a tailored emerald green maternity dress to the deposition, pairing it with sharp heels and a flawless blowout. I felt powerful. I felt untouchable.
We sat in a massive conference room at Victoria’s firm.
David looked like he had aged five years. The arrogance was entirely gone, replaced by deep, dark circles under his eyes and a frantic, twitchy energy. Chloe sat next to him, wearing a conservative gray suit, but she kept chewing on the inside of her cheek.
Victoria didn't waste time. She started the recording and immediately pulled out the bank statements.
"Mr. Hayes," Victoria began, her tone conversational but lethal. "Can you explain the sixty thousand dollars transferred to 'C&D Consulting LLC' between January and August of this year?"
David swallowed hard. His lawyer, a balding man who looked perpetually sweaty, shifted uncomfortably. "My client made investments."
"Did you?" Victoria smiled. She slid another document across the table. "Because according to the state registry, C&D Consulting is solely owned by Chloe Miller. And according to these subpoenaed bank records, those 'investments' were used to pay off Ms. Miller's student loans and purchase a fifty-thousand-dollar down payment on a condo."
David froze. He slowly turned his head to look at Chloe. "What?"
Chloe’s face drained of color. "David, don't..."
"You told me that money was going into a high-yield escrow account for our future!" David barked, his voice cracking. "You said it was secure!"
Victoria laughed. "Oh, David. You really are a fool. She didn't put it in escrow. She put it in a private trust under her maiden name. Which means, not only did you commit marital fraud against my client, but your mistress actively embezzled the money you stole."
The alliance between David and Chloe shattered in real-time.
David stood up, his chair crashing backward to the floor. He pointed a trembling finger at Chloe. "You stole from me? I blew up my marriage for you, and you stole from me?!"
"You were going to lose it in the divorce anyway!" Chloe shrieked, dropping the sweet, innocent act entirely. "I secured it! You're an idiot, David!"
"Sit down!" David's lawyer yelled, rubbing his temples.
May you like
I sat quietly, watching the two people who had tried to destroy me tear each other to shreds. Victoria caught my eye and gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
Checkmate.
