Chapter 16 - The Divorce Settlement
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The divorce proceedings between Garrett and me were the swiftest and most brutal in the history of the county.
With multiple federal fraud charges hanging over his head, and his own mother facing a high-profile murder trial, Garrett’s highly-paid defense team advised him to surrender immediately. He had absolutely zero leverage.
We met in a sterile conference room at Caroline’s law firm to sign the final papers. Garrett looked exhausted, wearing a wrinkled suit that hung loosely on his shrinking frame.
"You're taking everything," Garrett said bitterly as he reviewed the settlement agreement.
"I am taking back what is mine," I corrected him. "You forfeit all claims to Lawson Technologies, which is currently bankrupt anyway. You forfeit any claim to Theo's trust. You surrender the house, the cars, and all joint accounts."
"And custody?" he asked, looking down at the table.
"You will receive supervised visitation once a month, provided you remain out of federal prison," Caroline stated firmly. "Which, given the overwhelming evidence of forgery, is highly unlikely."
Garrett picked up a pen, his hand shaking slightly.
"I really did love you in the beginning, Evelyn," he said, signing his name with a jagged scrawl. "Before my mother convinced me about the trust money. I just wanted to be successful."
"You wanted to be successful without doing any of the actual work," I replied, taking the signed papers from him. "And you let your mother dictate your morality. That isn't love, Garrett. That's just cowardice."
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He didn't argue. He stood up, looking smaller and more defeated than I had ever seen him, and walked out of the conference room.
I looked down at the signed divorce decree. The heavy, suffocating weight I had carried for three years finally lifted. I was no longer Evelyn Lawson, the dutiful, naive wife. I was Evelyn Vance, and I was finally free.
