Chapter 26 - The Deposition
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The deposition for Clara’s case took place in the sterile, overly air-conditioned conference room of opposing counsel’s downtown law firm. The attorney representing Clara's cruel in-laws was a slick, aggressive man named Richard Vance, who clearly believed he could easily intimidate us into a cheap settlement.
Clara sat beside me, trembling slightly. Elise Moreno sat on Clara’s other side, looking as calm and lethal as a waiting predator.
“Let’s be entirely realistic here, Ms. Moreno,” Vance sneered, tossing a pen onto the table. “My clients are willing to offer a nuisance settlement of ten thousand dollars to make this go away. Your client clearly cannot afford a protracted legal battle over paternity and estate rights.”
Elise did not blink. She slowly opened her immaculate leather briefcase and pulled out a thick, beautifully bound stack of legal documents.
“We are not here to negotiate a nuisance settlement, Mr. Vance,” Elise stated, her voice slicing through his arrogant swagger. “We are here to formally serve you with a motion to dismiss your fraudulent probate injunction, drafted under federal jurisdictional guidelines.”
Vance frowned, picking up the document. As his eyes scanned the first page, his smug expression instantly evaporated. He realized immediately that the legal argument was entirely bulletproof, crafted with the unmistakable precision of a mastermind.
“Furthermore,” I interjected, leaning forward and staring Vance dead in the eye, “we are fully prepared to subpoena the private investigator your clients hired to harass Clara at her workplace. We have already filed a formal complaint with the state medical board regarding the false affidavit your firm submitted.”
Vance swallowed hard, realizing he had walked blindly into a devastating legal ambush.
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“If your clients do not immediately release the full life insurance payout to Clara and drop all fraudulent claims by tomorrow morning,” Elise added with a chilling smile, “we will seek maximum punitive damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress. We have the financial backing of the Langham Fund. We can, and we absolutely will, litigate this until your clients are bankrupt.”
Clara let out a shaky breath, tears of profound relief filling her eyes. For the first time since her husband died, she knew she was completely safe.
