Chapter 3 - The War Room
By 9:15 AM, Claire was sitting across from Rebecca Sloan in a high-rise downtown office overlooking the city skyline.
The walls were lined with leather-bound legal folios, and the air smelled of strong espresso and expensive paper. Rebecca sat behind her mahogany desk, sliding a thick stack of printed financial documents across to Claire.
"We struck fast, and we struck hard," Rebecca said, adjusting her tortoiseshell glasses. "As of 8:00 AM, all joint savings, investment portfolios, and Daniel's primary credit lines have been legally secured pending court review. Furthermore, because Vanessa was residing under your roof as a dependent guest while secretly cultivating an adulterous relationship with a married co-owner of joint property, we have grounds to contest the division of assets regarding the guest house."
Claire flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning the itemized list of assets.
"How is Daniel reacting?" Claire asked.
Rebecca let out a dry, humorless laugh. "He’s panicking. According to my contacts at his firm, he tried to use his company credit card this morning to buy breakfast at a diner, and it was declined. He called his managing partner screaming about harassment, only to be told that his personal financial instability is now considered a liability to the firm's upcoming merger."
Good, Claire thought. Let him feel a fraction of the instability he had casually inflicted on his eight-year-old son the night before.
"What's our next move?" Claire asked.
"Mediation is off the table," Rebecca said firmly. "He wants a fast divorce so he can play happy family with Vanessa? We give him a courtroom marathon. We sue for full primary custody, maximum spousal support, and exclusive rights to the primary residence. Let him explain to a family court judge why he abandoned his minor children for his wife's stepsister."
Just as Rebecca finished speaking, Claire’s cell phone buzzed on the desk.
The caller ID flashed: Daniel.
Claire stared at the screen, letting it ring once, twice, three times.
"Answer it on speaker," Rebecca instructed quietly, tapping her recording app on her laptop.
Claire slid her finger across the screen and hit speakerphone.
"Claire!" Daniel’s voice burst through the speaker, frantic, angry, and breathless. "What the hell is going on? My cards are blocked! I tried to rent a temporary apartment for me and Vanessa this morning, and the leasing office told me my credit check failed because our joint accounts are locked! Have you lost your mind?"
Claire kept her voice eerily calm, smooth as glass.
"You left our home, Daniel. You abandoned your children at the dinner table. Did you really think you could walk away into the sunset with Vanessa while keeping your lifestyle completely uninterrupted?"
"This is business!" Daniel shouted over the line. "Personal life has nothing to do with corporate assets! You're freezing me out of my own life!"
"Your personal life is currently dismantling your professional credibility," Claire replied smoothly. "And as for our assets? Talk to my lawyer. Her name is Rebecca Sloan. I'm sure you'll find her quite reasonable."
She tapped the red end call button before he could scream another word.
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Rebecca looked up from her laptop, a slow, predatory smile spreading across her face.
"Oh, this is going to be fun," the lawyer whispered.
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