Chapter 14 - The Settlement
One month before her due date, Elena signed the final divorce papers in the presence of Julian's court-appointed receivership lawyers.
Julian, wearing a prison jumpsuit and ankle monitor, sat across the conference table at the federal courthouse. He looked broken, having lost twenty pounds, his arrogant charm stripped away entirely.
"I signed everything over to you, Elena," Julian whispered, staring at the mahogany table. "The estate. The remaining non-fraudulent equity trusts. The child custody agreement. Full sole legal and physical custody."
"It was that or the maximum sentence on the wire fraud charges," Elena replied, signing her name on the last page with a black fountain pen.
Julian looked up, tears welling in his eyes. "Will I ever get to see my son?"
Elena closed the leather folder and handed it to her attorney.
May you like
"When he turns eighteen, if he decides he wants to meet the man who let his mistress poison him, I won't stop him," Elena said calmly. "Until then, you don't exist to him."
She stood up and walked out of the conference room, leaving Julian sobbing into his hands as the federal marshals stepped forward to escort him back to his cell.
