Chapter 8 - The Lawsuit
On Monday morning, the legal papers arrived.
Diane had officially filed a civil lawsuit against Ethan, claiming Financial Elder Abuse, Deceptive Real Estate Conveyance, and Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.
She was demanding that the court void the deed transfer from six years ago, return the Columbus estate to her name, and order Ethan to pay her $500,000 in damages.
To make matters worse, she hired a slick, high-profile celebrity attorney in Ohio named Richard Vance, known for taking explosive family cases and turning them into circus media trials.
Vance immediately released a statement to the local press:
"An elderly mother is being evicted from her family home by her wealthy tech CEO son and his conniving wife. We will seek full justice in the court of law."
My phone rang continuously with calls from local reporters. News blogs began picking up the headline: "Columbus Tech CEO Evicts Aging Parents After Christmas."
"Are you okay?" Ethan asked, wrapping his arms around me in our kitchen as I watched the local morning news report.
"I'm angry," I admitted, looking into his eyes. "She hit me, Ethan. She treated our daughter like dirt. And now she's painting herself as the victim on national news."
"She's playing her last card," Ethan said calmly. "Vance thinks we'll settle out of court to avoid bad publicity. He doesn't realize I've been archiving every single text, email, and bank transfer for six years."
Ethan called his attorney, Sarah Jenkins, a sharp, top-tier corporate litigation lawyer.
"Sarah," Ethan said into the speakerphone. "We're not settling."
"Good," Sarah replied from her downtown office. "Because I just reviewed the deed from six years ago. Not only did your father sign it legally in front of a notary public, but your mother signed a secondary spousal waiver acknowledging the sale!"
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Ethan paused. "Wait... Diane signed a waiver?"
"She certainly did," Sarah confirmed. "She signed it six years ago so the bank would release the emergency equity funds. She knew exactly what she was signing. She just thought you would never have the guts to enforce your legal ownership."
