Chapter 10: What Justice Looks Like
Diana's case moved through the system over the following four months.
Grace filed the formal challenge to the power of attorney in the second week.
The notary — her name was Mrs.
Elaine Burrows, and she had been sitting in the third pew in a gray blazer because she had been invited to the wedding as a family friend of Chloe's mother — gave a full statement confirming that Diana had represented the documents as a routine estate matter.
The second certified set was recovered from Diana's attorney's office under the terms of the injunction.
Both sets were surrendered to the court.
The property transfer was invalidated in full.
The criminal charges were not dropped.
I was in a meeting when Grace called.
I stepped into the hallway.
"The DA accepted the plea," she said.
"Diana entered a guilty plea this morning on the false imprisonment charge and the fraud charge.
The assault charge — the child — was included in the plea agreement."
"What did she get?"
"Eighteen months probation.
Two hundred hours community service.
Mandatory repayment of all legal costs incurred by you and Chloe.
And a formal restraining order — she cannot contact either of you, or Lily, for three years without written consent."
I leaned against the hallway wall.
"No jail time," I said.
"No.
The judge considered the letter.
He considered that she surrendered the documents voluntarily and did not attempt to file the transfer before the injunction.
He considered that Chloe was not physically harmed in a lasting way." Grace paused.
"I want to be honest with you — I pushed for more.
The DA felt the plea was appropriate given the circumstances.
I don't entirely agree.
But it is done."
"Does Chloe know?"
"I called her first."
"How did she take it?"
Grace was quiet for a moment.
"She asked me if Diana had said anything in court," she said.
"I told her Diana had read a statement.
She asked what it said.
I read it to her." Another pause.
"Chloe asked me to send her a copy."
I called Chloe after I hung up.
She answered on the second ring.
"Grace told me," I said.
"I know."
"Are you okay?"
She was quiet for a moment.
"I think so," she said.
"I keep waiting to feel angry.
I feel sad instead." A beat.
"Diana's statement — she said she was sorry.
Not to the court.
She said it to me.
She looked at the back of the room when she said it, like she thought I might be there." Chloe's voice was careful and even.
"I wasn't there.
But I read it."
"What did it say?"
"That she was sorry for what she did to me.
That she was not sorry for loving me.
That she hoped I would be happy." She stopped.
"And that she had always known I would have given her the house."
I didn't say anything.
"She knew," Chloe said.
"She knew I would have done it.
And she didn't wait." Her voice didn't break.
It just went very quiet.
"I don't understand that.
I don't think I ever will."
"You don't have to understand it," I said.
"You just have to decide what you do with it."
She was quiet for a long moment.
"I'm going to transfer half the house to her," she said.
"After the restraining order period.
When she's done with probation.
I'm going to do what I always intended to do."
"Chloe—"
"Not for her," she said.
"For me.
Because I said I would.
Because I meant it.
Because I don't want to become someone who stops meaning what they say just because the other person stopped trusting them." She took a breath.
"I'm not going to let what she did change who I am."
I stood in the hallway for a moment after we hung up.
Through the glass wall of the conference room, my colleagues were waiting.
The meeting was still going.
May you like
The world was still moving.
I went back inside.
