Chapter 12 - Under Oath
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The formal court deposition took place in a sterile, glass-walled conference room on the fourteenth floor of the county courthouse.
Caleb sat across the long oak table, flanked by a high-priced defense attorney his mother had somehow secured. Dorothea and Graham sat in the gallery behind them, looking stiff and indignant.
Elise sat next to me, her tablet open, calm and composed.
"State your name for the record," Caleb's attorney began, attempting to take control of the room. "Mr. Rourke, is it true that your wife abandoned the marital home less than twenty-four hours after the wedding ceremony?"
"Yes," Caleb said, adopting a tragic, wounded tone. "I woke up, and she suddenly became extremely volatile over minor household chores. She insulted my mother, threw a tantrum, and walked out."
Elise didn't even look up from her screen. "Mr. Rourke, did you disclose your three hundred thousand dollars in personal debt to my client prior to signing the marriage license?"
Caleb’s lawyer slammed his hand on the table. "Objection! Relevance!"
"It is entirely relevant to our claim of fraudulent inducement," Elise stated calmly. "Mr. Rourke, under oath, did you or did you not hide three maxed-out credit accounts and two tax liens from Marina Miller?"
Caleb shifted uncomfortably in his leather chair, glancing back at his mother. Dorothea glared at him, silently commanding him to hold the line.
"I... I planned to tell her after the honeymoon," Caleb stammered. "It was private business."
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"Private business?" Elise raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you attempted to gain power of attorney over her bank accounts three weeks before the wedding?"
Elise tapped her screen, and a recorded audio file began playing through the conference room speakers.
