Chapter 15 - The Shattered Facade
Judge Vance’s gavel slammed down on the oak block with the force of a gunshot. The sound echoed off the plaster ceiling, making Julian jump out of his leather chair.
"Sit down, Mr. Vance!" the judge commanded, his eyes flashing with fury behind his spectacles.
Julian sank back into his seat, his polished veneer cracking wide open. Beads of cold sweat had broken out along his hairline, ruining his carefully manicured appearance. The silver tongue that had once convinced me he was a devoted husband had completely failed him.
"Counsel," Judge Vance said, fixing Julian’s lawyers with a look of pure contempt. "Did your firm perform basic due diligence on the origin of these funds before dragging this court into an emergency docket on a Monday morning?"
Julian’s lead partner looked at the certified Federal Reserve records, his face draining of color. "Your Honor... our client assured us that these were corporate dividends from foreign operations."
"Your client lied to you, and worse, he attempted to use this court to launder stolen funds from his own children," Judge Vance boomed. "The emergency motion for receivership is DENIED with extreme prejudice. Furthermore, I am referring the certified banking records to the United States Attorney’s Office for immediate criminal investigation."
"No! Your Honor, please!" Chloe suddenly screamed from the gallery, standing up and ripping off her designer sunglasses. "Julian said it was completely protected! He promised me this would wipe them out!"
"Remove that woman from my courtroom!" the judge ordered, gesturing to the federal marshals.
Two armed marshals took Chloe by the arms, dragging her toward the heavy double doors as she kicked and shrieked curses at Julian. Julian sat paralyzed, staring down at his manicured hands as if they belonged to a corpse.
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When the bailiff called for a fifteen-minute recess, Gordon leaned down to me, his warm breath brushing my cheek. "That was the legal arm, Eleanor. Now we cut off their financial oxygen."
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