Chapter 6 - The Family Retaliation
By Monday afternoon, the news of Jason’s suspension and impending federal investigation had spread through our extended social circle and family network like wildfire.
My phone—my burner line—began blowing up with messages not from Jason, but from the rest of the clan. Megan had clearly spun a masterclass in manipulation, twisting the narrative to paint herself as the innocent victim and me as a cold, calculating monster who destroyed a good man over a petty family squabble.
First came a vicious text message from my former mother-in-law, Eleanor:“I always knew you were a cold, vindictive bitch, Clara. Destroying my son’s career and sending him to the brink of ruin over a harmless family joke? You are dead to this family.”
Then came an email from Megan herself, sent to my personal inbox:“You really thought you could play God with my brother's life because you’re insecure about your fake plastic body? Enjoy hiding in your little hole, Clara. Everyone knows what you are now. You’re poison.”
I didn't reply to a single one of them. I simply downloaded screenshots of every harassing message, forwarded them straight to my divorce attorney—a shark named Marcus Vance whom I had already retained first thing Monday morning—and blocked every single number.
Marcus called me back within an hour, his deep, confident voice booming through the speakerphone.
“Clara, I just reviewed the financial packet you sent over along with your preliminary separation filing,” Marcus said, sounding thoroughly impressed. “I have to hand it to you. Not only did you protect yourself from any criminal liability regarding Jason’s forged signatures, but you’ve also effectively locked down every marital asset before he could hide them in offshore accounts.”
“Can he touch the cottage?” I asked, holding my breath.
“Not a chance,” Marcus replied instantly. “The LLC was purchased three months before our marriage hit major strain, funded entirely by verified pre-marital inheritance funds. It’s ironclad. Furthermore, given that Jason committed financial malfeasance, used marital funds to support his sister’s failing business without your consent, and emotionally abandoned you while enabling public harassment, we are going to file for an at-fault divorce on grounds of financial dissipation and emotional cruelty.”
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“Good,” I said, feeling a cold surge of satisfaction. “I want a clean break, Marcus. Every single asset, every shared account, and absolute zero alimony for him.”
“Leave it to me,” Marcus chuckled darkly. “Your ex-husband is currently facing a federal grand jury subpoena and a scorched-earth divorce proceeding all in the same week. I’d say karma is working overtime.”
