Chapter 2 - The Expedited Severance
The courtroom was quiet, smelling of floor wax, old wood, and official decrees. Judge Harrison, a stern woman in her late fifties, sat at the elevated bench reviewing the filings.
Daniel’s attorney, Richard Sterling, stood up with a confident posture. "Your Honor, both parties have reached a full agreement regarding the dissolution of marriage. My client, Mr. Daniel Carter, has provided a generous lump-sum settlement, and Mrs. Emma Carter has agreed to waive spousal support."
Judge Harrison looked over her half-moon glasses at me. "Mrs. Carter, you are currently eight months pregnant. Are you entering into this expedited decree voluntarily, without coercion?"
Arthur Vance stood up beside me. "Your Honor, my client is fully aware of her rights. She accepts the terms of the divorce as presented today, provided the financial disclosures submitted by the petitioner are verified under oath."
Daniel stepped forward to the podium, adjusting his silk tie. "I swear that all financial statements submitted are complete and accurate, Your Honor. I simply want an amicable, swift resolution so everyone can move forward."
Olivia watched from the front row of gallery seats, her fingers nervously clutching her purse. She was eager for the ink to dry because Daniel had arranged for a civil ceremony magistrate in the adjoining chapel at 11:30 a.m. She wanted to enter the courthouse as the mistress and leave as the wife of a partner at Carter & Associates Architecture.
"Very well," Judge Harrison stated, signing the final decree with a crisp stroke of her pen. "The marriage between Daniel Carter and Emma Carter is hereby dissolved."
Bang. The gavel fell.
Daniel let out a long, audible breath of relief. He turned to me with a look that was half pity, half victory. "I'm glad we could handle this maturely, Emma. I'll have the remainder of your belongings shipped to your mother's house by Friday."
"That won't be necessary, Daniel," I said calmly, packing my documents into my tote bag. "I've already retrieved everything I value."
Olivia stood up and walked over, slipping her hand through Daniel's arm once again. "Congratulations, darling," she purred, looking at me with a condescending curve of her lips. "I suppose this is goodbye, Emma. Good luck with the baby. Raising a child alone in a small apartment must be quite daunting."
"I won't be alone, Olivia," I replied smoothly. "And I certainly won't be staying in a small apartment."
Daniel frowned. "Emma, the settlement was fifty thousand dollars. In Chicago, that won't last long once the medical bills arrive. If you need extra assistance, you can ask, but I won't be held ransom."
"Keep your money, Daniel," I said, looking him dead in the eye. "You're going to need every single cent of it."
Before he could process my statement, Arthur Vance tapped his wristwatch. "Mr. Carter, Miss Bennett, if you're planning your civil ceremony downstairs, I suggest you hurry. But before you do, there is a formal service requirement we must fulfill."
Arthur reached into his leather briefcase and pulled out a thick, sealed envelope wrapped in blue legal backing. He stepped forward and pressed it directly into Daniel's hands.
"What is this?" Daniel asked, staring down at the heavy stack of paper. "We just finalized the divorce."
"That was the divorce, Mr. Carter," Arthur said with a cold, professional smile. "This is a summons and complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. You, Miss Olivia Bennett, and Carter & Associates are named as primary defendants in a federal fraud, tax evasion, and racketeering lawsuit."
Daniel's face drained of color instantly. "What?!"
Olivia gasped, taking a step back. "This is absurd! On what grounds?!"
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"On the grounds that the firm you built during our marriage was funded entirely by stolen intellectual property and hidden offshore capital," I said softly, leaning closer to Daniel so only he could hear. "Did you really think I didn't know why you were transferring company assets into Olivia's private holding company last summer?"
Daniel dropped the envelope, but Arthur caught it and shoved it back against his chest. "You've been served, Mr. Carter. See you in federal court."
