Chapter 12 - The Divorce Settlement
Three weeks later, I visited the state penitentiary for my final meeting with Julian.
I sat behind the thick glass divider in the visitor's room. Julian sat across from me wearing an orange jumpsuit, his hair buzzed short, his hands cuffed to his waist belt. He had lost weight, dark circles under his eyes emphasizing his hollow features.
I placed a single stack of legal documents against the glass.
"Divorce papers, Julian," I said through the intercom. "You give up all claims to marital property, alimony, and company stock. In exchange, my legal team will not press for maximum sentencing on the civil fraud counts."
Julian looked at the papers through the glass, tears brimming in his bloodshot eyes.
"You had everything, Evelyn," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "You had the power, the money, the empire... why didn't you ever tell me who you really were?"
I looked at him with a mixture of pity and quiet sorrow.
"I tried to tell you every single day for ten years, Julian," I replied gently. "I wanted to be your partner. I wanted to build a life with you. But you were so blinded by your own small ego that you only saw a quiet woman who stayed out of your way."
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Julian buried his face against the metal counter, sobbing silently as his cuffs rattled against the divider.
I stood up, picked up my handbag, and walked out of the visitor's room without looking back.
