Chapter 19 - The Deposition
Two years after Grant was sent to federal prison, I was legally required to attend a civil deposition regarding the final liquidation of his hidden offshore assets. I didn't have to be there—my lawyers could have handled it—but I wanted to go. I wanted to sit across the table and show him exactly who had won.
The deposition room in the federal courthouse was cold and sterile. Grant was brought in wearing a standard orange prison jumpsuit, his hands cuffed to a chain around his waist. He looked vastly older. His hair was thinning, his skin was pale, and the arrogant, charming sparkle in his eyes was entirely gone.
He sat across from me, glaring with pure, unadulterated hatred.
"You took everything from me," he sneered, his voice raspy.
"I took exactly what belonged to me," I replied, my voice perfectly level. "You destroyed yourself, Grant. I just provided the federal government with the receipts."
His lawyer tried to steer the conversation back to the asset liquidation, but Grant couldn't help himself.
"You think you're so powerful now," he spat. "But you'll always be the weak, pathetic woman crying on the kitchen floor."
I didn't flinch. I didn't look away.
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"The woman on the floor is dead, Grant," I said softly. "You killed her. The woman sitting across from you is the one who buried you. And she isn't afraid of you anymore."
He didn't speak again for the rest of the deposition. He just stared at the table, finally realizing that his words had absolutely no power over me. I walked out of the courthouse that afternoon feeling completely, truly free.
