Chapter 7 - The Depositions
Three months later, the legal battle reached its peak. Because of the overwhelming evidence of financial fraud, Daniel’s defense team was desperately trying to negotiate a plea deal for the criminal charges. However, the civil divorce deposition was where Claire wanted her final closure.
They sat across a long conference room table. Daniel looked haggard. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit, his hair unkempt, his face hollowed out from ninety days in a county jail holding facility.
Miriam Cole placed a tablet on the table, playing the security footage from the hospital the morning of the assault, followed by the detailed forensic financial records.
"Mr. Vance," Miriam spoke into the microphone. "Do you admit that on the morning of October 14th, you intentionally threw a beverage heated to over one hundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheit onto your wife’s face to coerce her into transferring assets?"
Daniel’s lawyer leaned over, whispering frantically in his ear. Daniel looked up at Claire, his eyes begging for mercy.
"Answer the question, Daniel," Claire said, speaking up for the first time.
"Yes," Daniel choked out, a tear escaping his eye. "Yes, I did it."
"And do you admit to conspiring with your sister, Vanessa Vance, to embezzle over nine hundred thousand dollars from Vance Financial over a three-year period?"
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"Yes," he whispered.
Vanessa, sitting in a separate corner with her own public defender, broke down sobbing. Their empire of cards had completely collapsed.
