Chapter 13 - THE DESPERATE ALLIANCE
While Ethan was being remanded back to federal custody without bail, a very different kind of drama was unfolding in the private VIP lounge of the Carlyle Hotel. Vanessa sat at a corner table, nervously shredding a cocktail napkin into tiny, pathetic pieces. Her designer sunglasses were perched on the bridge of her nose despite being indoors, an obvious attempt to hide the dark circles and swollen eyes from days of relentless tabloid harassment.
The heavy velvet curtains parted, and my divorce attorney, a shark named Harrison Vance, slid into the booth across from her.
"Ms. Brooks," Harrison said smoothly, placing a thick manila folder on the mahogany table. "I understand you requested this meeting. You said you had information regarding Ethan Caldwell's hidden assets."
Vanessa swallowed hard, her hand trembling as she lifted her champagne flute. "Ethan lied to me," she blurted out, her voice cracking with indignation. "He promised me a penthouse on Central Park West. He promised we’d be married as soon as the ink dried on his divorce from Evelyn. But he was broke! All of his money was tied up in bad real estate and margin calls! He was using me, Mr. Vance!"
Harrison chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Miss Brooks, gold-diggers complaining about being lied to by other gold-diggers rarely elicits sympathy from a jury. What do you actually have?"
Vanessa pushed the manila folder across the table with a trembling manicured hand. "Flash drives. Bank statements. Offshore accounts in the Caymans that Ethan set up using forged signatures from his mother's trust. He’s been bleeding the Caldwell estate dry for two years. And... and he kept audio recordings of his mother discussing how to ruin Evelyn."
Harrison opened the folder, his sharp eyes scanning the documents with immediate, predatory interest. A slow, satisfied smirk spread across his face. "Well, well. This is quite the parting gift."
"I want immunity," Vanessa whispered fiercely, leaning across the table. "I want protection from federal prosecution, and I want a signed non-prosecution agreement from Evelyn. In exchange... I'll testify against both of them in open court."
May you like
Harrison closed the folder and slipped it into his briefcase. "I'll take it to Mrs. Caldwell. But honey, whether she grants you mercy or feeds you to the wolves? That entirely depends on how entertaining your testimony is."
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