Chapter 7 - The Auction and the Debt Cleared
By the end of the second month, Arthur had no choice but to execute the terms of the settlement.
The vintage car collection—his prized 1967 Mustang Fastback and the 1959 Austin-Healey—was listed with a high-end estate auction house in D.C.
I attended the auction accompanied by David Sterling. My father and mother sat three rows ahead of us, silent and rigid.
The hammer fell on the Mustang at $28,000. The Austin-Healey brought in another $22,000.
After the auctioneer's fees and the bank liens were settled, $39,800 was wired directly into David Sterling’s escrow account.
On a bright Tuesday morning, I sat in David’s conference room as he handed me a cashier's check made out to my name.
PAY TO THE ORDER OF: VICTORIA VANCE AMOUNT: $34,800.00
I held the slip of paper in my hands. It was crisp, clean, and heavy with the weight of three years of struggle.
"Every line item is cleared, Victoria," David said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smile. "The interest, the principal, the legal fees—all paid in full. Your credit reports are immaculate, and the civil dispute with the bank has been formally resolved with zero liability on your end."
"And my father?" I asked.
May you like
"He signed the full release of claims," David said. "He can never touch your credit, your accounts, or your name again."
I folded the check carefully and placed it inside my jacket pocket. The knot that had been sitting in my stomach since that fateful morning at the breakfast table finally dissolved.
