Chapter 6 - The Deposition of Truth
Two weeks later, the legal battle shifted to a neutral conference room downtown for the official depositions.
Catherine sat beside Evelyn Vance, her face calm and composed. Across the long mahogany table sat Michael, looking pale and exhausted, flanked by his legal team. Beside him sat Amber Collins, wearing an expensive, tight-fitting dress, her expression smug but her fingers nervously twitching on her designer handbag.
"We are here to record the deposition of Amber Collins in the matter of Harrison v. Harrison," Evelyn began, turning on the voice recorder. "Ms. Collins, please state your full name and occupation."
"Amber Collins. Executive Assistant to the CEO of Harrison Group," Amber said, her voice dripping with artificial sweet.
"And what is your relationship with the defendant, Michael Harrison?" Evelyn asked, leaning forward.
"We have a professional relationship," Amber replied smoothly, looking at Michael for support. "We work closely together on corporate strategies."
Evelyn smiled, pulling a thick folder of documents from her briefcase. "A professional relationship. I see. Then perhaps you can explain these credit card statements from a luxury boutique hotel in Atlantic City. The room was booked under Michael Harrison’s corporate card, but the guest registration list includes your name, Ms. Collins."
Michael’s lawyer stood up. "Objection! This is irrelevant to the division of marital assets."
"It is highly relevant to the issue of spousal abandonment and the validity of the pre-nuptial agreement, which contains an explicit infidelity clause," Evelyn countered, her voice sharp as steel. "Please answer the question, Ms. Collins."
Amber’s smug expression faltered. "We... we were attending a regional real estate conference. We stayed in separate rooms."
"Separate rooms?" Evelyn pulled out a sheet of paper. "According to the hotel’s electronic key card logs, your key card was used to enter Michael Harrison’s suite twenty-four times over a three-day period. And on the night of October fourteenth—the night Catherine Bennett went into labor—your phone records show you received thirty-seven calls from Catherine’s number."
Amber clenched her teeth, her knuckles turning white. "I... I don't remember."
"Let me help refresh your memory," Evelyn said, playing an audio file on her laptop.
It was the recording of the call from 3:07 a.m. Rachel had secretly recorded the conversation on her own phone after Amber answered.
“Michael is with me right now. And honestly? Your dramatic labor situation isn't his responsibility tonight... Michael deserves some peace for once.”
The sound of Amber’s cold, cruel voice echoed through the silent conference room.
Michael looked down at the table, his face turning a deep, embarrassed red. His lawyers stared at the documents, realizing they had absolutely no defense.
"Ms. Collins," Evelyn said, her voice dropping into a chilling whisper. "You spoke those words to a woman in active, high-risk labor. You did so while sharing a bed with her husband, using a phone paid for by the marital estate. Do you still maintain this was a professional relationship?"
Amber looked at Michael, expecting him to defend her, to speak up, to save her. But Michael remained silent, refusing to look at her, terrified of how this would affect his final financial standing.
Realizing she had been abandoned by the man she had helped ruin, Amber’s composure completely shattered.
"He told me he was going to leave her!" Amber screamed, pointing a shaking finger at Michael. "He told me he didn't care about the baby! He said she was just a golden goose he kept around for his public image! He’s the one who told me to answer the phone and make her stop calling!"
"Amber, shut up!" Michael roared, finally standing up, his face wild with panic.
"No! I won't shut up!" Amber shrieked, tears ruining her heavy makeup. "You promised me the house, Michael! You promised me we’d be together! And now you’re throwing me to the wolves to save your own skin!"
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Evelyn turned off the voice recorder with a satisfying click. She looked at Michael’s lead attorney, who was currently rubbing his temples in utter defeat.
"I believe we are done here," Evelyn said smoothly. "We will be presenting these transcripts to the judge on Monday. I suggest you prepare a highly generous settlement offer before we let the local press have a copy of this recording."
