The day David McArthur leaves my life is going to be glorious. Best damn day of my life. It can’t get here soon enough.
“Are you even listening?” Vivian snaps her fingers in my face. “I don’t think you’ve listened to a word I’ve said in the last five minutes.”
“Closer to ten.” I toss my pen on the table. “I don’t know why this couldn’t be done over the phone? You know as well as I nothing we do will make either party happy. David’s an asshole, Kate’s not budging, neither of them can be made happy.”
“You’re the side who is refusing to acknowledge Kate’s fair share of the combined assets. This is her life, her money, too. Expecting to her roll over on it is ignorant.”
“Not ignorant. Her name isn’t on the accounts.” I point out and spin the pen over my thumb. It was an old debate intimidation tactic we used at competitions, back in my cooler days. It never actually intimidated anyone, but it was a tick that let every lawyer find his fellow forensics nerds.
Spoiler: Vivian is not one. Nor is she intimidated.
“Yes, and we’ve already established how that happened. He intentionally misled Kate. That’s a problem.”
“He was within his legal rights. I don’t know why we’re still talking about this.”
“You know as well as I do skirting the law isn’t looked upon favorably in court.”
“David isn’t going to settle for these terms.” I shrug carelessly even though it kills me inside.
Vivian is correct and David is a raging asshole for what he did, even if he had the legal right to do it. Kate is getting screwed by the guy who liked to screw the help, and there is no poetic justice to it.
“And Kate won’t settle for anything less.”
She is smart not to.
“You’ve got to meet us in the middle, Viv. I know neither of them want this to be handled by a judge, but there has to be some give.”
“All she wants is her fair share.”
“The law doesn’t say it’s hers to take.”
“The law most certainly does.”
“Look, infidelity cases are messy. He’s insistent she started the chain of affairs. Even if she didn’t, sleeping with someone outside their marriage is not grounds to take the money.”
“What are you talking about? He violated what is essentially a contract.” Vivian stares at me like I’m dumb.
“A contract that never explicitly states they cannot venture outside their bedroom for companions. It’s not an issue unless someone tries to say it is.”
“Someone did say it is, so now it’s an issue.”
“Look, we can argue their respective merits all day—”
“Like how your client is a notorious slime bag while mine is a celebrated humanitarian?”
“—but it won’t change that his name is on the accounts and hers isn’t.”
“We both know that won’t hold up.”
I shrug again.
She’s right and every day that passes makes me consider this. I can’t let David screw her over. I’m already making a pretty penny on this case once it finalizes and I can let some of that go if it means I’m not aiding him in her total destruction. But I still have to make it look kind of convincing or my ass is grass at work.
“Well, this is what we are bringing to the judge. I was hoping we could work some of the smaller details out, but if you aren’t willing to budge, then I see this meeting was useless.”
“Which is why I requested a phone call.” I smile thinly. “Look, Vivian, I know you know this isn’t personal. This guy, say what you want about him, doesn’t want to settle for anything less than this.”
“So you are willing to let this go to court and risk getting worse than what we are offering by a judge who can smell his bullshit from a mile away?”
Fair question. And yes, at this rate, I am very much willing to risk that. Let the fucker go bankrupt and Kate get what she deserves. I’d still get paid at the end of it.
“You know I can only do so much.”
“I strongly recommend you talk to David.” Vivian packs up her bag and shakes her head. “Is he really as awful as he sounds?”
“Worse.” I pinch the bridge over my nose. “You have no fucking idea, Viv. He’s the worst client I’ve ever had.”
“Is that right.” She studies me carefully. “I think you’re up to something.”
“What?”
“You don’t back down. I smell bullshit brewing.”
If one more fucking person calls bullshit on me, I’m going to lose it. “I’m not brewing anything, Viv. Yes, he really is that bad. No, he won’t settle for less. I don’t know what else you want from me.”