Chapter 8: What Diane Had Prepared
The meeting was in Diane's office, four days later.
Luca arrived with his attorney, a man named Gerald Fitch who wore a suit that cost more than our monthly mortgage and carried a leather portfolio he set on the table like a centerpiece.
Luca sat beside him and did not look at me when he came in.
I sat across from them with Diane.
Gerald opened the portfolio.
"My client acknowledges that the marriage has broken down and is prepared to negotiate a fair and private resolution.
He would like to avoid protracted litigation for the sake of the children."
Diane smiled pleasantly.
"That's very considerate.
Before we discuss settlement terms, I'd like to share some materials we've assembled."
She slid a folder across the table.
Gerald opened it.
Luca leaned over to look.
The first page was a summary of the hidden savings account — fourteen months of deposits, cross-referenced against the dates Luca had told me money was too tight for repairs, vacations, and reduced hours.
The second page was the loan agreement Marcus had signed, annotated by a second attorney who had flagged three clauses as potentially fraudulent.
The third page was the text thread.
*Try it and see what happens to your father's business.*
The fourth page was the second text thread — the one sent after I had told him the accounts were frozen.
Timestamped.
Sent to a woman he had been coercing for months.
The fifth page was Chloe's signed statement.
Gerald stopped turning pages.
"There's one more," Diane said.
"Page six."
It was a letter from the district attorney's office confirming receipt of a referral regarding potential coercion and financial fraud.
Diane had made her call.
The leather portfolio closed.
Luca's face had gone past pale into something I didn't have a word for.
He turned to Gerald and said, in a low voice, "You said this wouldn't—"
"Luca." Gerald put a hand on his arm.
"You said if I offered the settlement—"
"Luca." Firmer this time.
Luca stopped.
He looked at the table.
Gerald looked at Diane.
"We'll need time to review these materials."
"Of course," Diane said.
"Take all the time you need.
The DA's office is not in a hurry."
Gerald gathered his portfolio and stood.
Luca stood too.
At the door, Luca finally looked at me.
"Jessi," he said.
His voice was different now.
The careful, rehearsed quality was gone.
"I never wanted it to go this far."
"Neither did I," I said.
"But here we are."
He left.
Diane waited until the door closed.
Then she turned to me.
"He'll take the settlement," she said.
"His attorney knows the fraud referral changes everything.
Gerald Fitch doesn't do criminal defense."
"And Marcus?"
"The loan agreement will be voided as part of the settlement terms.
I've already drafted that clause." She paused.
"Marcus gets his business back."
I nodded.
"And the savings account?"
"Split as marital assets.
Every dollar." She folded her hands.
"Jessi, I want to be honest with you.
This will still take months to finalize.
There will be difficult days.
But the structure is solid.
He has no ground left to stand on."
I looked at the empty chairs across the table.
"He thought he was untouchable," I said.
May you like
"Most of them do," Diane said.
"Until someone reads the paperwork."
