Chapter 5 - The Campaign of Intimidation
The campaign to break me began three days later.
It didn't start in the courtroom; it started in my personal life. I woke up on Monday morning to find my professional email inbox flooded. Someone had sent an anonymous mass email to every partner and client at my accounting firm, attaching fabricated medical documents claiming I was undergoing treatment for severe psychosis and substance abuse.
An hour later, my boss called me into his office.
"Sarah," he said, looking uncomfortable as he gestured to the printed email on his desk. "We know you're going through an extraordinarily difficult personal situation right now. But our clients deal with sensitive financial data. Until this legal matter with your husband and his family is resolved, management feels it's best if you take an unpaid leave of absence."
They were cutting off my income.
Mark knew that without my salary, paying Eleanor Vance’s retainer would become nearly impossible within months. He was trying to starve me out legally.
When I stepped out of the office building into the rainy afternoon, a black sedan idling near the curb rolled down its window. Sitting in the passenger seat was Richard Sterling, Mark's sleek, expensive attorney.
"Mrs. Patterson," Sterling called out over the sound of the rain. "Do you have a moment?"
I kept walking, but he stepped out of the car, shielding himself with a large black umbrella.
"I strongly suggest you listen to what I have to say, Sarah," Sterling said, walking alongside me. "Mark is prepared to make a very generous settlement offer. He will drop all counter-claims regarding your mental health. He will agree to pay your legal fees and provide a substantial monthly maintenance payment, along with a lump-sum cash settlement."
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him, my anger flaring. "And what does he want in exchange?"
"Complete immunity for his mother," Sterling said smoothly. "You sign an affidavit stating that the administration of the medication was an unfortunate accident resulting from mislabeled vitamin containers. You request the district attorney drop all criminal charges against Diane, and you agree to joint custody with Mark, with supervised visitation for the grandmother."
I stared at him in utter disbelief. "He wants me to lie to the court and set the woman who poisoned my daughter free?"
"He wants to protect his family," Sterling corrected smoothly. "And frankly, Sarah, look at your situation. You've just been placed on leave. Your financial resources are dwindling. Mark has a war chest of family trust funds. If you take this to trial, we will drag this out for years. We will subpoena your childhood records, your college friends, your medical history. We will make your life a living hell. Or... you take the money, you keep your daughter, and everybody moves on."
I stepped closer to the high-priced attorney, staring directly into his cold, transactional eyes.
"You tell Mark," I said, my voice dripping with venom, "that he can spend every single penny in his family trust fund. He can hire a hundred lawyers like you. But I will sell my car, I will sell my blood, I will work three jobs on my feet until I collapse before I let that sadistic woman anywhere near my child again. Tell him we are going to trial."
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Sterling’s pleasant expression vanished, replaced by a cold, disdainful sneer. "You're making a catastrophic mistake, Sarah. You have no idea what the Pattersons are capable of when their name is threatened."
"They've already done their worst," I replied. "And I'm still standing."
