Chapter 7: The Corner He Painted Himself Into
Derek called Patricia's office at 4 p.m.
that same day.
Patricia told me about it that evening.
She'd taken notes, she said, and she wanted to read them to me directly so nothing was filtered.
"He opened by saying the annulment filing was premature and based on a misunderstanding," she said.
"I told him the grounds were documented and the filing was proceeding.
He then said, and I'm quoting: *'She came into this marriage with certain expectations that were never realistic, and I think if you speak with her calmly you'll find she's acting from an emotional place rather than a factual one.'*"
"He said that to you."
"To me.
Yes." A brief pause that contained, I suspected, considerable professional restraint.
"I told him the filing included documentation of the prior marriage to Sandra Okafor, which he had not disclosed to you before marriage.
He was quiet for approximately four seconds.
Then he said the marriage to Sandra was a private matter that had been legally dissolved and he had no obligation to disclose it."
"What did you say?"
"I said that in the context of a fraud claim, prior pattern of conduct is directly relevant, and that we had documentation of at least one additional party he had been in simultaneous contact with during your engagement.
He said that was a personal matter unrelated to your marriage.
I said our position was that it was directly related and that we would be presenting it as part of a pattern." Another pause.
"He then offered to settle."
I sat up straighter.
"Already?"
"He proposed that both parties walk away from the marriage with whatever assets they currently held, no further legal action, no public filing beyond the annulment itself."
"He wants me to go quiet."
"He wants the fraud claim buried.
If this goes to a full hearing, the prior marriage, the financial targeting, Renata's messages, and Sandra's case history all become part of the record.
That record is public." Patricia's voice was measured.
"He's not offering this because he's being reasonable.
He's offering it because he's calculating what costs him less."
"What happens to Sandra if I take that deal?"
Silence on the line.
"Nothing," Patricia said.
"Her case remains dropped.
She gets nothing."
"And Renata."
"Renata walks away with no acknowledgment of what was done to her.
No record."
I stood up and went to the window of my parents' hotel room.
My mother was reading on the small sofa.
She looked up when I moved but didn't interrupt.
"Tell him no," I said.
"Chloe, I want to make sure you understand what a full hearing means.
It will take longer.
It will be more expensive.
He will fight it.
His lawyer will try to complicate the asset-protection transfers, argue they demonstrate premeditated intent to defraud him—"
"Can they win that argument?"
"No.
The transfers predate any legal obligation between you and the documentation is clean.
But it will be unpleasant."
"Tell him no," I said again.
Patricia was quiet for a moment.
Then: "All right.
I'll communicate your position."
"Tell him one more thing," I said.
"Tell him Sandra Okafor has been in contact with us."
She hadn't been.
Not yet.
But Patricia had a last known address and I had already written a letter.
"That's a pressure move," Patricia said carefully.
"I know."
"He may escalate."
"I know that too."
Another pause.
"I'll tell him."
I hung up and turned back to the room.
My mother had set her book down.
"You heard," I said.
"Enough." She looked at me steadily.
"Are you sure?"
"He did this to Sandra four years ago and she had no one.
She ran out of money fighting him alone and the case was dropped and he walked away and found me." I sat down across from her.
"I have Patricia.
I have you and Dad.
I have Renata's messages and I have his voicemail and I have a marriage certificate signed under fraudulent pretenses." I looked at my hands.
"Sandra had none of that.
I'm not taking a deal that lets him do this to someone else in two years."
My mother was quiet for a long moment.
"Your father is going to want to cover Patricia's fees," she said finally.
"I know.
I'm going to let him."
She nodded once, the way she does when a decision has been made and she's marking it.
My phone buzzed.
Patricia, texting already.
*He didn't take the news about Sandra well.
His lawyer just called back.
Derek is now claiming the asset transfers you made before the wedding constitute evidence of your intent to defraud him and is threatening a counter-filing.*
I stared at the screen.
Then a second message arrived.
*Don't worry.
May you like
I've been waiting for him to do that.
Call me in the morning.*
