Chapter 9 - The Divorce Deposition
Victor attended the divorce deposition in jail clothing.
His criminal attorney sat beside his divorce attorney.
He looked smaller without tailored suits.
Still, he tried to control the room.
“You never loved me,” he said.
Maya Chen, my divorce lawyer, interrupted.
“Mr. Hayes, you are here to answer questions.”
“I am explaining motive.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
“You are trying to make my deception more important than your conduct.”
Victor leaned toward me.
“You watched me for seven years.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe every promotion was mine.”
“Yes.”
“You made me look foolish.”
“I gave you opportunities.”
“You decided opportunities meant immunity.”
He smiled bitterly.
“You wanted me to fail.”
“No.”
“I wanted you to prove my father wrong.”
Arthur had said a man who loved my weakness might resent my strength.
I insisted Victor was different.
For years, I kept waiting for evidence of goodness because admitting my father was right felt like admitting my marriage had never existed.
Victor’s attorney asked about the apartment.
I produced the trust agreement.
Victor had signed it.
His lawyer asked about the bank accounts.
Every account in my name remained mine.
Joint accounts would be divided after stolen funds were removed.
Victor had contributed less than five percent.
He claimed he supported me emotionally.
The hallway video played.
His hand crossed my face.
Then he shoved me outside without shoes.
The room became quiet.
Victor looked away.
My attorney asked one final question.
“Did Mrs. Hayes threaten you before you struck her?”
“No.”
“Did she touch you?”
“No.”
“Did she prevent you from leaving?”
“No.”
“Why did you hit her?”
Victor’s answer came after a long pause.
“She looked at me like she knew something.”
That was the most honest sentence he had spoken.
He hit me because, for one second, he felt seen by the woman he considered beneath him.
The divorce judge granted me exclusive possession of all separate property.
Victor received no claim to the penthouse.
He received no spousal support.
The court preserved my right to seek damages.
I requested only restitution tied to the fraud.
I did not want his future labor financing my life.
I wanted a legal ending.
The marriage was dissolved.
I walked from the courthouse as Olivia Hartwell.
May you like
For the first time, the name did not feel like armor or bait.
It felt like mine.
