Chapter 6 - The Legal Counter-Strike
The law office of Harrison & Vance smelled of old paper, polished mahogany, and expensive espresso.
Jonathan Vance, a senior partner with silver-rimmed glasses and a sharp, no-nonsense demeanor, slid a thick stack of certified bank documents across his leather-bound desk.
"Well, Mrs. Harrison," Vance said, adjusting his glasses as he looked over the forensic audit printouts I had spent the last forty-eight hours compiling. "Your husband was thorough, I’ll give him that. Embezzlement of a minor’s trust account, fraudulent mortgage acquisition via identity forgery, and deliberate financial manipulation within a marital estate. This isn't just a messy divorce anymore. This is criminal fraud."
I sat across from him in a stiff leather armchair, my fingers locked tightly in my lap. I hadn't slept in three days. My eyes were ringed with dark circles, but my mind had never been sharper, clearer, or more focused.
"How fast can we freeze the assets?" I asked.
"We already filed the emergency injunctions this morning," Vance replied, tapping a pen against the desk. "All joint checking accounts, savings accounts, and business lines associated with 'Apex Design & Build' are currently locked. Your husband won't be able to buy a cup of coffee with your shared funds by noon."
A grim sense of satisfaction flickered through my chest. "What about the house?"
"Since the property was acquired during your marriage, it’s marital property. However, because he forged your signature on the second mortgage, the bank's lien is legally contested. We can force a partition sale, meaning the court will order the house sold immediately, and the proceeds will be held in escrow pending the division of assets."
"Good," I said flatly. "I want Derek and Paige out of that house by sundown."
Vance raised an eyebrow, a slight smile touching the corner of his mouth. "Technically, as adult guests of a legal homeowner, evicting them requires a formal thirty-day notice. However..." He leaned forward, tapping a printed copy of the mortgage fraud filing. "...since your husband used illegal, forged assets to maintain their residency, we can attach a restraining order regarding property interference. If Derek or Paige so much as scuff a baseboard moving out, the sheriff will be involved."
"Let's do it," I said, standing up and smoothing down my blazer.
"One more thing, Mrs. Harrison," Vance said, looking up at me with genuine professional respect. "Your daughter. The trust fund your mother set up for her—we can attach that directly as a priority lien against Caleb’s personal business assets. He will personally reimburse every penny, with interest, or face felony prosecution."
"Thank you, Jonathan."
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"Don't thank me yet. Service of process is happening at the house in an hour. You might want to be somewhere else when your husband realizes his empire just evaporated."
"No," I said, walking toward the heavy oak office door. "I want to have a front-row seat."
