Chapter 67 Court proceedings
Vivienne's Pov
"I filed motions this morning for asset disclosure, temporary spousal support, and access to corporate email servers. The hearing is scheduled for next week. Also, that recording you sent me last night of Marcus at your door?
That's gold. Him threatening to report you for theft while you're still legally married and retrieving your belongings from your legal residence shows bad faith. A judge will not look kindly on that."
"And the complicated news?"
Monica's expression became more serious. "Moreau’s Industries' legal team filed a response this morning. They're claiming you were fired for cause. Gross misconduct. They're alleging you accessed confidential files without authorization and stole proprietary company information."
My stomach dropped. "What?"
"They're talking about your office laptop. The one they kept for 'processing.' They're claiming you copied sensitive files to personal storage before you were terminated."
"But I didn't. I couldn't even get into my office. My access card was denied."
"I know. But they're building a narrative. If they can paint you as someone who stole from the company, it damages your credibility in the divorce proceedings. Makes you look dishonest. Makes their lowball settlement offer look generous instead of insulting."
"This is insane," Sarah said. "They fired her, locked her out, took her laptop, and now they're accusing her of stealing? That's absurd."
"It's strategy," Monica said. "They're trying to muddy the waters. Create reasonable doubt about her character and her contributions to the company."
"What do we do?" I asked.
"We fight it. I'm filing a counter-motion for wrongful termination. We have Rebecca's testimony that you were locked out before you could access your office. We have timestamps on your access card showing when you were denied entry.
We have the fact that they immediately cleared out your office and kept your laptop, which suggests they were worried about what evidence it contained, not that you had already stolen anything."
Monica pulled out a document and slid it across the desk to me.
"This is a declaration I need you to sign. It states, under penalty of perjury, that you did not access, copy, or steal any confidential company information. That you attempted to enter your office on the morning of your termination but were denied access.
That all your contributions to the company were made in good faith as part of your duties as a partner."
I read through it carefully. Everything it said was true.
I signed it.
"Good," Monica said. "Now, we need to talk about finances. Do you have access to any money right now?"
"I have my personal savings account. About fifteen thousand dollars. And one credit card that's in my name only with about a five thousand dollar limit."
"That's not much to live on while this plays out," Monica said. "Divorce proceedings can take months, sometimes over a year if they fight every step of the way. Which Rapheal clearly intends to do."
"I can get a job," I said. "I'll start applying today."
"That's going to be difficult," Monica said gently. "Moreau Industries has significant influence in this city. A lot of companies won't want to touch someone involved in a messy divorce with the Moreau family. They'll see you as a liability."
"So what am I supposed to do? Just sit around and wait?"
"No. We file for temporary spousal support at the hearing next week. Given Rapheal's income and assets, the judge will likely order him to provide you with living expenses while the divorce is pending. But until then, you need to be careful with money."
Fifteen thousand dollars. That was maybe three months of rent in this city, if I was careful. Less if I needed to pay for food, transportation, basic necessities.
"I'll figure it out," I said, even though I had no idea how.
After we left Monica's office, Sarah and I walked for a while without any particular destination. The city was busy with mid-morning traffic, people rushing to work, living their normal lives while mine was falling apart.
"I need to find a job," I said. "Something temporary at least. To pay my share of rent and expenses while I'm staying with you."
"You don't need to pay rent," Sarah said immediately.
"Yes, I do. I'm not going to be a freeload.”
"It's not freeloading. It's what friends do."
"Sarah, you're already letting me sleep on your couch and eat your food. I need to contribute something."
She was quiet for a moment. Then she said, "What about the gallery where I work? They're looking for someone to help with administrative stuff. Answering phones, scheduling tours, managing the website. It's not glamorous and it doesn't pay much, but it's something."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I can talk to my boss. She's cool. She won't care about your divorce drama."
"That would be amazing," I said, feeling a small spark of hope. "Thank you."
"Come by tonight when I'm working and I'll introduce you."
And just like that, I'm going to get a job and rebuild everything about myself, especially my own company.
We stopped at a small café and grabbed lunch. Just sandwiches and coffee, but it felt good to sit and eat and have a normal conversation about normal things. Sarah told me about a new painting she was working on. About a guy she had gone on a few dates with but wasn't sure about.
About her plans to maybe go back to school for an art therapy degree.
It reminded me that there was a whole world beyond my divorce. That life continued happening even when your personal life was a disaster.
My phone rang. Monica.
I just got a call from David Anderson," she said when I answered. "He wants to meet. Just the lawyers, no clients present. He says his client is willing to negotiate a better settlement if we drop the wrongful termination claim."
"What does that mean?"
"It means they're worried. The wrongful termination claim could be expensive for them, even if they win. Bad publicity for the company. Potential damages. They'd rather settle this quietly."
"What do you think I should
do?"