Chapter 10: The Settlement She Did Not Expect
David's attorney was a man named Gerald Fitch, and he had the careful, expensive manner of someone who had spent decades making unfair things sound reasonable.
The four of us sat in a conference room — Gerald and David on one side, Patricia and I on the other.
David had not looked at me directly since he sat down.
He was looking at the table, at his hands, at the window.
Anywhere that wasn't my face.
Gerald opened a folder.
"My client would like to resolve this matter efficiently and with minimal disruption to both parties," he said.
"In that spirit, we're proposing a clean division of the primary residence, with Mr.
Sterling retaining the property and Ms.
Sterling receiving a buyout at current assessed value.
The LLC assets would remain with Mr.
Sterling as a business interest predating—"
"No," Patricia said.
Gerald paused.
"I haven't finished."
"The LLC was funded in part by marital assets.
Helen Marsh's report documents two hundred and thirty-one thousand dollars in transfers.
The LLC is a marital asset.
The Ohio property is a marital asset.
We're not negotiating from a framework that excludes either." She opened her own folder.
"Here is our position."
She slid a document across the table.
Gerald read it.
His expression stayed professionally neutral, but his eyes moved twice over the same line near the bottom.
David leaned over and read it too.
He looked up at me for the first time.
"This is punitive," he said.
"It's equitable," Patricia said.
"You're trying to take everything."
"Your client moved two hundred and thirty-one thousand dollars out of the marital estate over twenty-two months while planning to leave the marriage," Patricia said.
"He purchased a property with marital funds and registered it in a trust naming another woman as a beneficiary.
He is not in a strong moral or legal position to characterize our proposal as excessive."
Gerald put a hand on David's arm.
A small, practiced gesture — *let me handle this.*
"We understand the financial picture is complex," Gerald said.
"But my client has significant ongoing obligations — the property in Ohio, the LLC operating costs—"
"The property in Ohio will be sold," Patricia said.
"The proceeds will be divided per the formula in our proposal.
The LLC will be subject to a full forensic audit before any distribution is finalized." She folded her hands on the table.
"We are also prepared to submit the recording of Margaret Sterling to the family court in the protective order proceeding, in which she explicitly states that she was aware of the extramarital relationship from the beginning and that she and your client had discussed a plan to remove Rachel from the marital home before the end of the calendar year.
That recording speaks to intent.
It speaks to conspiracy to commit financial fraud.
Your client's attorney—" she nodded at Gerald — "will want to factor that into any recommendation he makes today."
The room was very quiet.
Gerald looked at David.
David looked at the table.
"We'll need time to review," Gerald said.
"Of course," Patricia said.
"We'll expect a response within five business days."
We stood up.
I picked up my bag.
I was almost at the door when David spoke.
"Rachel."
I turned.
He was still sitting.
He looked older than he had eleven days ago.
Smaller, somehow, in the expensive chair.
"I didn't plan for it to happen the way it did," he said.
I looked at him for a moment.
"Chloe asked about you this morning," I said.
"She wanted to know if you were coming to her birthday."
His face moved.
Something real, finally, behind the careful surface.
"Is she—" He stopped.
"Is she okay?
Her face—"
"She's fine.
She's two.
She bounced back faster than I did." I held the door.
"She deserves a father who shows up for her birthday, David.
Whether or not you and I ever find a way to be civil, she deserves that.
Don't make her pay for what you did to me."
He didn't answer.
I walked out.
Patricia fell into step beside me in the hallway.
She didn't say anything until we reached the elevator.
"That was well done," she said quietly.
"I meant it."
May you like
"I know." The elevator opened.
"That's why it was well done."
