Chapter 14 - Deposition of an Arrogant Man|
Three weeks later, Audrey sat in a mahogany-paneled conference room on the 14th floor of the city courthouse. Across the table sat Julian, flanked by two criminal defense attorneys.
Julian looked unrecognizable. His tailored tuxedo was replaced by a gray county jail jumpsuit. His manicured hair was messily combed, and dark circles shadowed his hollow eyes.
Naomi Feld adjusted her lapel mic and initiated the deposition recording.
“State your name for the record,” Naomi directed.
“Julian Vance,” he muttered, his voice raspy.
“Mr. Vance,” Naomi began, leaning forward. “Prior to August 13th, were you aware that your wife, Audrey Vance, was the principal managing director of Northstar Holdings?”
“No,” Julian spat out bitterly.
“Did you ever inquire about the nature of her family’s investment office?”
“She told me it was a family trust!” Julian snapped, his eyes flashing with sudden anger. “She played the dutiful, quiet wife! She sat home, raised flowers, and went to charity luncheons! How was I supposed to know she was buying up distressed corporate debt?!”
Naomi smiled thinly.
“You didn’t know because you never asked, Mr. Vance.”
Julian glared at Audrey, who sat beside her lawyer in a sharp white suit, looking serene and completely untouched by his fury.
“You set me up,” Julian hissed across the table at Audrey. “You let me walk into that ballroom knowing what was going to happen!”
Audrey looked at him, her expression calm and measured.
“I didn't set you up, Julian,” she said quietly. “I bought Aurelia Systems to save eight hundred people from bankruptcy. You set yourself up when you decided to steal from your own company and hit your wife in public.”
Julian’s attorney quickly put a hand on Julian’s arm to quiet him, but Julian shoved it away.
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“We were married!” Julian yelled. “Everything was supposed to be shared!”
“Except your mistress,” Audrey replied coldly. “And your secret bank accounts.”
