Chapter 7 - The Trial of the Century
Spencer, pushed to the brink of starvation and egged on by a sleazy, low-budget lawyer, decided to sue me. His lawsuit claimed that I had used "marital assets" to fund Apex Holdings, and he demanded 50% of my entire empire.
It was a laughable claim, but the media loved it. The trial became a local sensation.
On the day of the hearing, Spencer walked into the courtroom looking like a ghost. His suit was ill-fitting, his hair was thinning, and he looked ten years older. Evelyn sat in the gallery, praying for a miracle.
Julian sat right behind me, his hand resting reassuringly on my shoulder.
Spencer’s lawyer paced the floor, spinning a wild tale of how Spencer was the mastermind, and I was a manipulative wife who stole his ideas while he was recovering from his accident.
When it was my turn, Mr. Miller stood up. He didn't yell. He didn't dramatize. He simply handed the judge a stack of notarized documents.
“Your Honor,” Mr. Miller said. “My client, Ms. Laura, inherited a substantial trust from her late grandfather long before she met Mr. Spencer. Apex Holdings was founded entirely with pre-marital assets. Furthermore, we have signed affidavits from Mr. Spencer himself, dated five years ago, explicitly acknowledging that Miller Build Group was entirely funded by Apex as a separate corporate entity.”
The judge adjusted his glasses, reading the documents. “Mr. Spencer, is this your signature?”
Spencer swallowed hard. “I... I didn't read it when I signed it. She tricked me!”
“Ignorance is not a legal defense,” the judge said dryly.
But Mr. Miller wasn’t done. “Your Honor, we would also like to present evidence of corporate fraud committed by Mr. Spencer. During his tenure as CEO, he embezzled company funds to buy luxury gifts for his mistress, Penelope.”
The courtroom gasped. The screen lit up with bank statements, showing hundreds of thousands of dollars funneled out of the company to buy jewelry, cars, and a fake ultrasound.
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The judge slammed his gavel. “Case dismissed with prejudice. Mr. Spencer, you are incredibly lucky Ms. Laura is not pressing criminal charges for embezzlement. I suggest you leave this courtroom before I order an investigation into your finances.”
Spencer collapsed into his chair, burying his face in his hands. He was completely, legally, and publicly destroyed.
