Chapter 6 - The Deposition
Three weeks later, the civil divorce deposition took place in a neutral court office.
Because of the active restraining order, Arthur was brought into the room under armed police escort, wearing an orange county jail jumpsuit. He was currently being held on bail that he had no way of paying. His sister Brooke had managed to post bail by taking out a high-interest lien against her personal vehicle, but she looked haggard and broken, sitting in the gallery with her head bowed.
I sat at the head of the deposition table, wearing an elegant cream-colored business suit. My hair was styled neatly, covering the tiny pink scar on the left side of my jawline. I looked healthy, rested, and entirely in control.
When Arthur was led into the room, his eyes locked onto mine. For a brief second, I saw a flash of his old arrogant spark—a desperate hope that he could still manipulate me with a look or a soft word.
"Evelyn..." he rasped as the officer pushed his chair in. "Evelyn, look at me. Please. Look at what they're doing to me."
I met his gaze coolly, my expression completely neutral. I didn't feel anger. I didn't feel hatred. I felt nothing at all—and that was clearly what terrified him most.
"Mr. Vance," the court reporter announced, "we are on the record for the deposition of Arthur Vance in the matter of Evelyn Vance v. Arthur Vance, Dissolution of Marriage."
Victoria stood up, turning to Arthur. "Mr. Vance, do you acknowledge that all real estate assets, including the residence at 1420 Glenwood Drive, are the exclusive property of the Hayes Family Trust?"
Arthur swallowed hard. His public defender nudged his shoulder gently. "Yes," Arthur mumbled.
"Do you acknowledge that you have zero legal claim to any accounts, stocks, or commercial holdings associated with Hayes Capital Group?"
"Yes," Arthur repeated, his chin touching his chest.
"Now," Victoria continued, pulling out a final set of financial ledger pages. "Regarding the joint martial account you insisted on maintaining over the last five years. Our audit shows that Evelyn deposited a total of four hundred thousand dollars into that account from her freelance design earnings. Over that same period, you withdrew four hundred and twenty thousand dollars, effectively utilizing all of her personal income to service your personal gambling debts and unapproved luxury purchases."
Victoria looked over at the court reporter. "We are submitting these ledgers as Exhibit D. We are requesting a full financial judgment against Mr. Vance in the amount of six hundred and fifty thousand dollars, covering stolen funds, property damage, and legal expenses."
Arthur’s public defender leaned over. "My client has no assets, Ms. Caldwell. He is completely insolvent."
"We are aware," Victoria replied smoothly. "Therefore, the judgment will be filed against his future wages, any inheritance he may ever receive, and liquidated personal property seized from his motel room and storage lockers."
Arthur suddenly slammed his handcuffed hands against the wooden table. The metal chains rattled loudly, making the court reporter jump.
"You're destroying me!" Arthur screamed, his face turning red as tears streamed down his cheeks. "You had millions! You had millions of dollars, Evelyn! You could have given my sister forty thousand dollars! It was nothing to you! You kept it all for yourself and let me drown!"
The room fell dead silent. The police officer immediately stepped forward, placing a heavy hand on Arthur’s shoulder, forcing him back down into his seat.
I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on the table, looking Arthur dead in the eyes for the first time that day.
"It wasn't about the money, Arthur," I said, my voice soft, clear, and perfectly steady.
Arthur stopped breathing, staring at me.
"If you had come to me with honesty, if you had treated me with respect, if you had been a real partner... I would have shared everything I had with you," I said gently. "My father didn't teach me to guard my money out of greed. He taught me to guard it against people who would use it to destroy me."
I took a quiet breath, glancing down at my bare left ring finger, then back up at his red, tear-streaked face.
"You didn't throw hot coffee in my face because I refused to give you money," I said. "You threw it because you realized you couldn't control me anymore. You thought physical pain would make me break. But all it did was wake me up."
Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. The bitter truth of his own choices hit him like an avalanche. He had held the key to a life of abundance, love, and security, and he had thrown it all away because he couldn't stand the thought of an equal partner.
"We are finished here," Victoria said, closing her folder.
May you like
The officer pulled Arthur to his feet. As he was led out of the room in chains, he turned his head back one last time, staring at me with a look of pure, unadulterated regret.
I didn't watch him walk away. I simply turned to Victoria, smiled gently, and said, "Let's go home."
