Chapter 7 - THE FIRST LAWYER
By noon, I was sitting across from a woman named Caroline Hayes.
She was fifty-seven, direct, calm, and completely unimpressed by David’s reputation.
That alone made me trust her.
Caroline had practiced family law for thirty-two years.
Rebecca had called her an hour earlier.
When Caroline heard enough of the story, she agreed to meet us on a Sunday.
She read quietly for almost forty minutes.
Emily and Nathan had left for their honeymoon.
I insisted they go.
Emily resisted.
Nathan finally convinced her by promising she could call me every night.
Rebecca sat beside me.
Caroline reached the final page.
She removed her glasses.
“First.”
She folded her hands.
“Do you want a divorce?”
The question should have been difficult.
It wasn’t.
“Yes.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“Good.”
“Because certainty matters when the other person has spent years teaching you to question yourself.”
I looked at her.
She continued.
“Second.”
“These financial records may be more serious than the affair.”
“How serious?”
“I need forensic accounting before I answer that.”
“But there are signs of undisclosed assets.”
“Potential dissipation of marital property.”
“Possibly improper transfers.”
“And if money was moved from an account belonging to your daughter without authorization, that could create additional issues.”
I stared at the table.
“What do I do?”
“You stop discussing finances with David.”
“You stop warning him.”
“You save every message.”
“You change passwords on personal accounts that legally belong to you.”
“And you do not sign anything.”
Rebecca leaned forward.
“What about the house?”
Caroline looked at me.
“Whose name is on it?”
“Both.”
“Mortgage?”
“Paid off six years ago.”
“Who paid it?”
“My father gave us the down payment.”
“David and I paid the rest.”
She nodded.
“Do not leave voluntarily without discussing strategy.”
I almost laughed.
“I don’t want the house.”
Caroline looked at me.
“That may be true.”
“But do not surrender assets simply because you are tired.”
I felt as though she were speaking about more than property.
She picked up the financial disclosure again.
“Did your husband know you had access to these papers?”
“No.”
“Then he may start moving quickly once he realizes you do.”
My phone vibrated.
A message from David.
We need to talk before lawyers get involved.
Caroline watched my face.
“Him?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want advice?”
“Please.”
“Do not answer emotionally.”
I read the message again.
Then another arrived.
Melissa did not cause this.
We were already over.
Then another.
Emily’s reaction was cruel and unnecessary.
Rebecca muttered something under her breath.
Caroline held out her hand.
I gave her the phone.
She read the messages.
Then she returned it.
“Save them.”
I did.
A fourth message arrived.
You do not understand what you are risking.
Caroline’s eyes narrowed.
“What does he mean?”
“I don’t know.”
My phone rang immediately.
David.
I declined the call.
It rang again.
I declined again.
Then a voicemail appeared.
I played it on speaker.
David’s voice filled the office.
“I am giving you one chance to handle this privately.”
“You involve outsiders, and I will not protect you from what happens next.”
The room became very quiet.
May you like
Caroline reached for a legal pad.
“Now,” she said, “I’m interested.”
