Chapter 6 - The Courtroom Massacre
The family court judge was a stern, no-nonsense woman named Judge Harper.
Daniel sat at the defense table, looking exhausted and disheveled. His cheap suit hung loosely on his frame. Evelyn sat in the gallery behind him, a shadow of her former arrogant self, refusing to look at me.
Daniel’s attorney, a public defender he had scrambled to hire, stood up to make his opening statement.
"Your Honor, this is a case of financial manipulation. The plaintiff, Clara Vance, deliberately hid her wealth to trap my client in a web of debt. She is now using her vast resources to maliciously destroy his life over a minor marital dispute."
Marcus stood up slowly, buttoning his tailored suit.
"A minor marital dispute, Your Honor?" Marcus asked, walking toward the judge’s bench. He handed her a thick file. "Exhibit A. Medical records and time-stamped photographs taken on the night Mr. Vance expelled my client from her own home. The photographs clearly show severe facial contusions consistent with a violent physical assault."
Daniel’s face drained of color. "She provoked me!" he shouted involuntarily.
Judge Harper slammed her gavel. "Silence, Mr. Vance! One more outburst and you will be held in contempt." She looked at the photos, her expression hardening.
"Furthermore," Marcus continued, pacing in front of Daniel’s table. "We have submitted Exhibit B. Financial records proving Mr. Vance embezzled over four hundred thousand dollars from his company to fund a mistress. A company, I remind the court, that was being kept afloat entirely by my client’s charity."
Marcus played the audio recording of Chloe’s confession. Daniel’s head dropped into his hands. He was utterly defeated. The public defender closed his notebook, realizing there was nothing left to defend.
"Mr. Vance," Judge Harper said, her voice dripping with disdain. "You engaged in domestic violence, financial fraud, and extreme marital misconduct. You built a life of luxury on your wife's back, and repaid her with abuse."
She looked down at her final ruling sheet.
"The divorce is granted immediately. The prenuptial agreement is voided due to the defendant's fraudulent behavior. All debts owed by Daniel Vance's business to Sterling Horizon are to be called in immediately. Since the defendant cannot pay, all of his remaining personal assets are hereby forfeited to the plaintiff."
Daniel looked up, tears of sheer panic in his eyes. "I have nothing left! Where am I supposed to go?"
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I looked at him, my face perfectly calm, perfectly victorious.
"You can pack whatever cheap clothes you came with, Daniel," I whispered, echoing the exact words his mother had used against me. "Leave everything I paid for."
