Chapter 7 - Dropping the Legal Bomb
“Derek,” I said softly, resting my forearms on the glass table. “You made a very big mistake yesterday. You assumed I was a victim.”
I opened the manila folder. I pulled out a single sheet of paper and slid it across the table toward Mr. Vance.
“What is this?” the lawyer frowned, picking it up.
“That is a draft of a civil lawsuit for severe defamation, cyber-harassment, and extortion, seeking one million dollars in damages,” Mr. Sterling answered smoothly. “But that’s just the appetizer.”
I reached into my pocket, pulled out my phone, and placed it in the center of the table. I turned the volume all the way up and hit play.
The crystal-clear, albeit slightly muffled, audio of Derek and Brenda’s voices filled the room.
“Once she moves in, I’ll break her down. She’ll be our maid, and within a month, I’ll force her to hand over the entire forty-five thousand to ‘invest’ in my startup. It covers the debts I owe…”
Derek’s face went completely, horrifyingly pale. The blood drained from Brenda’s cheeks so fast she looked like a corpse.
Mr. Vance, their lawyer, dropped the settlement papers as if they had suddenly caught fire.
“Just make sure you establish dominance early. Don’t let her think she has a voice,” Brenda’s recorded voice echoed, a damning final note before I reached out and paused the track.
Silence hung in the room, heavy and suffocating.
“That… that’s illegal!” Derek stammered, his voice cracking, pointing a trembling finger at the phone. “You can’t record us without our permission!”
“Actually,” Mr. Sterling smiled, a terrifying show of teeth, “in this state, only one party needs to be aware of the recording if it happens in a shared marital space. But more importantly, Mr. Henderson, the content of that recording outlines a premeditated conspiracy to commit financial fraud against my client. It is a felony.”
I pulled out a second stack of papers from my folder and pushed it across the table.
“Here is the deal,” I said, my voice ringing with absolute authority. “First, you will sign this uncontested divorce decree right now. You waive all rights to alimony, assets, or the cash gifts. Second, you will immediately log onto your phone, delete that defamatory post, and post a full, unreserved apology admitting that you lied about me stealing the money, and that you were the abusive party.”
May you like
“I’ll never do that!” Derek shrieked, panic fully setting in. “I’ll be ruined!”
“If you don’t,” I leaned closer, locking eyes with him, “I take this recording straight to the District Attorney. We file the Felony Fraud charges. You and your mother will be investigated, your debts will be exposed, and you will both be facing prison time. Your choice, Derek. The pen, or the police.”
