Chapter 6 - The Deposition of Lies
The grand deposition room at the U.S. District Court in Lower Manhattan was cold, brightly lit, and recorded by three high-definition video cameras.
Victoria Vance sat behind the long mahogany table, her lead counsel, Harrison Vance, sitting beside her with a stack of signed medical affidavits. Across from them sat Elena, Julian, and Marcus Thorne.
"State your name for the record," the court reporter announced.
"Victoria Elizabeth Vance," she replied, her tone icy, her posture rigid.
Marcus Thorne leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Mrs. Vance, I show you Exhibit C—a wire transfer record dated October 14, 2020, from your private account in Zurich to a Dr. Henri Laurent in Montreux, Switzerland, in the amount of four hundred thousand Euros. Can you explain the purpose of this payment?"
Harrison Vance immediately interjected: "Objection! Relevance to the custody proceeding."
"Overruled," the court referee stated flatly. "Answer the question."
Victoria adjusted her pearl necklace. "Dr. Laurent was my private physician during my stay in Europe. It was for medical consultation and concierge care."
"Concierge care?" Marcus smiled—a cold, terrifying expression. "Mrs. Vance, Dr. Laurent was stripped of his medical license by the Swiss Medical Board four months ago. In his sworn testimony provided to federal prosecutors yesterday, he stated that the four hundred thousand Euros was paid specifically to administer a synthetic paralytic to Elena Vance during her labor, to falsify a death certificate, and to transport the infant across the French border without state registration."
Victoria’s face drained of color. "That... that man is an addict! He’s lying to save himself from tax fraud!"
"We also have the toll records from your private lease vehicle," Marcus continued, sliding a second document across the table. "Showing your car left the Montreux clinic twenty minutes after the delivery, heading directly to the private airfield in Geneva where a Sterling corporate jet was waiting."
"Julian authorized that flight!" Victoria shouted, her finger pointing wildly across the table at her husband. "He knew! He wanted a child without the mess!"
Julian didn't flinch. He looked directly into Victoria’s eyes with a quiet, devastating disgust.
"I didn't even know you were in Switzerland, Victoria," Julian said, his voice flat and steady. "You told me you were at a health retreat in Tuscany. You came back two weeks later with a baby in a basket and a story about an anonymous adoption from an agency in Chicago."
"You wanted him!" Victoria shrieked, her aristocratic composure completely breaking apart into hysterical rage. "You were obsessed with having an heir! My mother said if I didn't give you a child, you would leave me for someone else! I did it for us!"
"You didn't do it for us, Victoria," Julian said softly. "You did it for the Sterling stock. You did it so your mother’s real estate debts would be paid off by my family trust."
Marcus Thorne tapped his pen against the table. "Mrs. Vance, in light of the federal grand jury indictment issued forty-five minutes ago in the Southern District of New York, federal marshals are waiting in the corridor outside this room."
Victoria froze. Her hands began to shake violently. "What?"
"You are under arrest for federal conspiracy, kidnapping, and obstruction of justice," Marcus said, closing his folder with a heavy snap. "The deposition is concluded."
The heavy double doors of the room swung open. Two female federal marshals stepped inside, pulling steel handcuffs from their belts.
Victoria looked at her cousin, at her lawyers, at the cameras recording her every move—and finally at Elena, who sat quietly beside Julian, holding his hand.
"Elena... please," Victoria whimpered, her voice cracking into a desperate, pathetic whimper as the marshals grabbed her arms. "Tell them... tell them I took care of him! I gave him everything! I bought him the best clothes! I sent him to the best doctors!"
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Elena looked at the woman who had stolen six years of her life, six years of first steps, six years of bedtimes, and six years of hugs.
"You gave him everything except a mother, Victoria," Elena said quietly. "And that was the only thing he ever needed."
