Chapter 5 - The Frozen Kingdom
By Monday morning, the news of the scandal had completely consumed our small mountain town.
Asheville is a city, but the community around St. Mark’s and my parents’ neighborhood was tight-knit, and the story of a mother abandoning her dying toddler for a secret rendezvous with her sister’s husband was too salacious to keep quiet.
Callie’s social media accounts were flooded with vitriol from local parents, her business page defaced until she was forced to delete them entirely. Her employer, a high-end real estate firm in town, issued a swift, public statement: “We have terminated our relationship with Callie Vance, effective immediately. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this tragic time.”
But I didn't care about their public ruin. I was focused on the legal war.
I sat in the conference room of my divorce attorney, Clara Sterling, a formidable woman who looked like she chewed through glass for breakfast. She had the ledger, the bank statements, and the photos spread across the table.
“This is a goldmine, Harper,” Clara said, tapping her finger against the ledger. “Your husband was incredibly meticulous in documenting his own crimes. He’s practically handed us the rope to hang him with.”
“Can we keep the house?” I asked, my voice tired but firm.
“Not only will you keep the house, but we are going to freeze all of his personal and corporate accounts under an emergency asset preservation order,” Clara said, a cold, professional smile spreading across her lips. “Since he used joint funds to purchase Callie’s car and fund her lifestyle, we can also petition the court to claw back those assets. We’re going to sue Callie for civil conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
“I don't want her money,” I said. “She doesn't have any anyway.”
“No, but she has assets,” Clara countered. “And more importantly, we want to make sure they can never, ever benefit from the theft of your life. I’ve already contacted the District Attorney’s office regarding the wire fraud. They are very interested in the EH Consulting accounts.”
As I walked out of Clara’s office, my phone buzzed. It was a call from my father.
“Harper,” his voice sounded strained. “You need to come to the hospital. It’s your mother.”
My heart stopped. “Is she okay? What happened?”
“She had a panic attack, but her blood pressure spiked so high the doctors wanted to admit her for observation,” my father explained. “But that’s not why I’m calling. Callie is here, Harper. She’s in the waiting room. She’s trying to see your mother, and she’s making a scene.”
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“I’m on my way, Dad,” I said, my teeth clenching.
The battle wasn't over. They were cornered, and cornered animals are always the most dangerous.
