Chapter 9 - The Settlement Terms
David Vance stood up beside me, opening a thick leather binder containing the formal legal settlement documents.
"Here are the conditions for the dissolution of the marriage and the resolution of the financial crimes," David announced, placing four copies on the table.
"Condition One," David read. "Daniel Sterling will execute an immediate, uncontested divorce agreement, waiving all claims to alimony, marital assets, real estate, or corporate holdings associated with Claire Vance-Sterling."
"Condition Two," David continued. "Daniel Sterling and Patricia Sterling will sign a joint promissory note to repay the three hundred and forty thousand dollars embezzled from Claire's accounts, structured over a ten-year repayment schedule with a ten percent annual interest penalty. Patricia’s townhouse will be encumbered with a secondary lien to secure this debt."
Patricia gasped loudly. "My townhouse?! You're putting a lien on my home?!"
"If you refuse," David replied coldly, "we will immediately file criminal fraud charges with the District Attorney. Given the video evidence, financial audits, and forged signatures, both you and Daniel will likely face grand larceny charges resulting in federal prison time."
Patricia looked at Daniel, waiting for him to fight back, to make a grand gesture, to save her.
Daniel didn't move. He reached out with a trembling hand, grabbed a pen, and signed his name on the first page of the settlement document.
"Daniel, no!" Patricia shrieked, grabbing his arm. "Don't sign that! Fight her!"
"With what, Mom?!" Daniel suddenly screamed, turning on her with raw, weeping fury. "Fight her with what?! I have no money! I have no lawyer! I have eight hundred thousand dollars in corporate debt! You kept pushing me to act rich! You kept demanding I buy you things so you could brag to your friends! You made me pretend I was something I wasn't, and now I have nothing!"
He signed the remaining pages and pushed the stack back across the table to David.
May you like
Patricia sat back in her chair as if she had been struck by a physical blow. Her eyes went hollow. Realizing she had no moves left, she took the pen with shaking fingers and signed her name on the line beneath her son’s.
"You have thirty days to vacate any shared vehicle accounts," David said, taking the signed papers. "Good evening."
