Although Graham was reluctant at first, he eventually agreed to the meeting. All these issues are being handled by my lawyer. I’ve laid out all the problem areas for him, Graham said sternly when they met.
Alexander, I wanted to discuss something with you personally. Something no one else should know about, Roland hinted. What exactly are you talking about? Graham asked, puzzled.
I’m not trying to blackmail you, but if you don’t agree to my client’s terms regarding the property division, you might lose your position at your company, Roland said carefully. Alexander’s face darkened. That’s blackmail, he snapped, slamming his fist on the table.
I’ll destroy you, he shouted and stormed out. Roland remained seated, processing the heated exchange and planning his next steps. One thing was certain, Graham would never agree to Roland’s terms, so Roland had to act alone.
His only hope was Helena. The court hearing to divide the shared property of Graham and Evelina was approaching, and Roland was diligently preparing. Evelina too was getting ready.
Two days before the hearing, Roland had a conversation with Evelina. Evelina, you must be prepared for anything, he warned her. What do you mean by anything? Do I not have a chance at the house? She asked nervously.
No, you have a very good chance at the house, or at least half of it, but during the hearing, certain issues may come to light. What issues? Evelina asked, alarmed. Regarding Alexander’s work, Roland replied.
It took great effort for Roland to convince Helena to appear in court. He also sent a notice to Graham Whittaker’s direct superior, inviting him to the hearing. The CEO needed to know what had been happening in his company, and Roland planned to reveal everything in court.
As long as it doesn’t affect my children, Evelina responded firmly. She had already decided that she wouldn’t live with Graham again and that his life was his own. He had chosen his path, and now she needed to build her own future.
I understand, Evelina. We’ll meet at the hearing, Roland said quietly. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know what would have happened to me and my children, she said, her gratitude evident.
The two days flew by and the day of the hearing arrived. Evelina went to court alone, leaving her children at home. They didn’t need to witness the conflict between her and Graham.
Her ex-husband didn’t even greet her at court, but showed up with his mistress, Clara, as expected. Evelina wasn’t surprised. During the hearing, Evelina sat beside Roland as the judge entered and began reviewing the case.
Among the shared assets, there was a 180 square meter country house and two cars, one used by Graham and the other by Evelina. Graham wanted all the property to be transferred to him, arguing that he had paid for everything. And what was your wife, Mrs. Kerr, doing all these years? The judge asked Alexander.
She was taking care of the children staying at home, Graham replied. So Evelina Kerr didn’t work but took care of the children. That means she contributed to the family’s well-being.
After all, children are part of the family and someone needs to take care of them. In most families, roles are divided this way. As children grow, mothers return to work, the judge commented.
But she didn’t help financially or purchase any of the assets, Graham protested. I see. Thank you, Alexander.
Please take your seat, the judge instructed. Graham sat down and the judge turned to Evelina. What are you claiming from the shared property? I believe I have the right to half of the house and the car I’ve been using.
I think everything should be divided equally, especially since the children are staying with me and we need a place to live. I’m not asking for more, Evelina answered. I’ve heard you, Evelina, the judge said.
At that moment, Evelina requested to bring in an important witness. Does this relate to our case? The judge asked. Yes, Evelina said quietly, although in truth, her goal was to deal a final blow to her ex-husband.
Very well, let the witness enter, the judge permitted. When Graham saw who entered the courtroom, his jaw dropped in shock. It was Helena, the secretary.
She walked in nervously, but gained confidence when Roland nodded at her reassuringly. Taking her seat, Helena began. Your Honor, I want to testify that Graham Whittaker is an unscrupulous person, she started.
What do you mean by unscrupulous? Please clarify, the judge asked. He betrayed his current employer, Helena stated. Graham tensed and glanced at his CEO, who was seated in the courtroom.
Only now did Graham begin to piece together why his boss was present. Helena continued. He leaked all the company’s projects and strategies to a competitor.
What? The CEO exclaimed. Whittaker, so it was you! You’re the rat on our ship! Quiet in the courtroom, the judge ordered, banging the gavel. Let the witness finish.
Helena went on. He offered valuable company information to my boss in exchange for money. This deal happened late at night.
I was called in specifically to document everything. You idiot, what are you saying? That never happened, Graham shouted. Quiet, the judge reprimanded.
Security, remove Graham Whittaker from the courtroom. Two security officers approached Alexander, grabbed him by the arms and escorted him out. He continued shouting obscenities at Helena on his way out.
You’re fired, Whittaker, his boss yelled after him. The judge turned back to Helena. Can you confirm your statements? Yes, Your Honour.
I witnessed everything firsthand, Helena replied confidently. The judge then asked the CEO. Can you corroborate this? Yes, there was indeed a data breach in our company about a month ago.
We couldn’t identify the culprit at the time, but as the department head, Whittaker had access to all this information. I don’t deny it could have been him, the CEO admitted. Thank you.
Please take your seat, the judge said. Turning to Evelina, the judge asked, do you have any further statements or requests? No, Your Honour, Evelina replied. In that case, the court will recess to deliberate on the verdict, the judge declared.
Rising and leaving the courtroom. After the court hearing, Evelina and Roland stayed in the courtroom. Roland approached Helena to thank her again.
Helena, you did great, he said, sincerely grateful. Soon after, the CEO of the rival company also spoke with Helena, and she shared everything she knew about the situation. About half an hour later, the judge returned to announce the verdict.
The court ruled that all jointly acquired property during the marriage would be divided equally. Mr. Whittaker, by law, you are entitled to half of the country house, as well as the car you’ve been using, the judge declared. Evelina was overjoyed with the outcome, but the thought of dividing the house with her ex-husband made her uneasy.
It would require further communication and compromise with Alexander, which she dreaded. Nonetheless, the court’s decision aligned exactly with what she and Roland had hoped for. Not an enviable position for him, Roland remarked as they left the courthouse.
He didn’t get what he wanted, and now his boss is going to fire him. It’ll be tough for him to find a job in his field, especially with all his ambitions. I never imagined things with Graham would get this bad, Evelina said, and I still have to raise my kids on my own.
But I’ll manage somehow. Maybe soon I’ll find a full-time job. Exactly.
Everything we planned has been accomplished, Roland said. Thank you again, Roland. I don’t know what I’d have done without you, Evelina said warmly.
Just doing my job, he replied. They parted ways, and Evelina didn’t expect to see Roland again. She transferred the money for her legal fees to his account and thought that chapter of her life was closed, but fate had other plans.
Two nights later, Evelina was abruptly awakened by the persistent ringing of her phone. Normally, she set her phone to silent at night, but for some reason, she had forgotten to do so. Half asleep, she realized it was her phone and picked it up to see Roland’s name on the screen.
Hello, she answered groggily. Evelina, call 911 to 231 Willowbrook Lane, apartment 4B, Roland said urgently before the call disconnected. Terrified, Evelina jumped out of bed, pacing her room in a panic.
She tried calling Roland back, but he didn’t answer. Unsure of what else to do, she decided to call for an ambulance. Hello, 911.
A man is in trouble. The address is 231 Willowbrook Lane, apartment 4B, she said, giving the address Roland had mentioned. Your call has been received.
The ambulance is on its way, the operator replied. Unable to sleep, Evelina paced back and forth, debating whether to go to Roland herself. She worried about leaving her children alone.
What if Ivy or Miles woke up and found her gone? Ultimately, she decided to stay home and wait for morning, a torturous decision. At first light, she got her children ready, dropped Ivy at school and Miles at daycare, and headed to the address Roland had given her. She had never been to his home before and wasn’t sure what to expect.
Upon arriving, she quickly found apartment 4B and knocked on the door repeatedly. But no one answered. Frustrated, she started banging on the door and calling out, Roland, open the door, please.
Her commotion drew the attention of an elderly neighbor, who opened her door and asked, What’s all the noise, dear? Does Roland live here? Evelina asked desperately. Yes, but he’s not home. I heard he was taken away by an ambulance last night, the woman said.
Evelina’s heart sank. Do you know which hospital? She asked. No, dear, I don’t know, the neighbor replied before retreating to her apartment.
Evelina stood in the hallway trying to collect her thoughts. She resolved to call every hospital in the area to find Roland, but she didn’t need to. Shortly after, her phone rang.
Evelina, it’s me, Roland’s weak voice said. Roland, what happened? I’ve been so worried, Evelina exclaimed. I went to your apartment, but no one was there.
I was beaten in my building’s stairwell, Roland explained quietly. One of them was your ex-husband, Graham Whitaker. What? Evelina gasped.
That can’t be true, Graham would never do something like that. He was with another man I didn’t recognize. They ambushed me in the stairwell and beat me badly.
While they were attacking me, Graham kept saying, if it weren’t for you, I’d still have my job. I tried to fight them off, but there were two of them. They beat me until I couldn’t move.
I think they thought I was dead. Oh my god, Roland, I’m so sorry this happened to you, Evelina said, her voice filled with guilt. When they left, I managed to pull my phone from my pocket and call you.
Your number was still in my recent calls, he explained. Did you report it to the police? she asked. The paramedics did, they’re required to report assaults.
The police have already questioned me, I told them everything, and they’ll probably find Graham soon. Roland had suffered a closed head injury, a bruised shin, and multiple cuts and abrasions, but he was recovering quickly. Evelina visited him in the hospital every day, bringing fresh food and fruit.
She was one of his most consistent visitors, though Roland’s son stopped by a couple of times. His ex-wife, however, never came, at least as far as Evelina knew. During the months following Roland’s discharge from the hospital, Evelina noticed no other women in his life.
She had also never seen her ex-husband’s new partner, Clara. Over time, Evelina and Roland grew close. They spoke on the phone daily, discussing life, travels, politics, animals, children, and just about everything.
Without realising it, Evelina felt that Roland had become an important person in her life. Roland decided not to withdraw the assault report. He knew Graham would face legal consequences and could even go to prison.