Vows Beneath The Moon Clown Chapter 07
On the day of the divorce hearing, the entrance to the federal courthouse was packed with tabloid reporters.
Adrian wore a mask and looked so haggard he was almost unrecognizable.
Veronica did not come.
She had a family lawyer appear on her behalf.
I heard she was busy dealing with the Mafia Commission investigation and the cleanup at her family law firm.
Several cases she had handled were being reopened by clients.
Especially the ten-million-dollar reputation blackmail case.
Someone alleged that she had induced a witness to change testimony.
If proven true, disbarment would not be the worst of it.
The hearing went smoothly.
Adrian admitted to infidelity during the marriage, and that the child was born while the marriage still existed.
He agreed to divorce and waived any demand that I cover expenses.
I filed separate claims for forged authorization documents and reputational harm.
He cried in court.
“Ava, I already signed. What else do you want?”
I looked at him.
“You signed a divorce. Not a confession of guilt.”
The gallery went silent.
His face turned pale, and at last he lowered his head.
When I walked out of the federal courthouse, Adrian caught up with me.
“Ava.”
I stopped.
He removed his mask, his eyes red.
“The child… she doesn’t know any of this. She’s still little. Can you stop dragging her into it?”
I looked at him.
“I have never targeted the child.”
He seemed relieved.
I continued, “But she wore my mother’s keepsake around her neck. I will never forgive you for that.”
His face went white.
I turned and left.
A month later, Veronica’s downfall came.
The Mafia Commission released its investigation results.
For serious violations of legal ethics, threats against a party, and false statements, she was expelled from the law firm.
At the same time, investigators found evidence that she had misappropriated client retainers from the firm.
After the FBI became involved, they uncovered improper relationships with multiple female clients.
The so-called elegant, golden family lawyer rotted completely under the sunlight.
Adrian did not fare much better.
The charity foundation pursued him for damages.
Several nightclubs and casinos demanded breach-of-contract compensation.
The Blackwood family, ashamed of him, drove him out of the estate.
He took the child to find Veronica, only to be stopped outside the De Luca mansion.
Veronica’s mother cursed him in public.
“Who knows whether that child is even ours? You deceived your own wife. What wouldn’t you dare lie about?”
The surveillance clip was uploaded to an underground forum.
Adrian stood in the rain holding the child, looking like a punishment delivered at last.
My father came to see me too.
He stood outside my cheap apartment carrying a pot of soup.
“Ava, Dad was confused that day. My illness and your brother’s problems were weighing on me. That’s why I said those awful things.”
I looked at him and did not take the soup.
His eyes reddened.
“Do you really not want your dad anymore?”
I was silent for a long time.
“Dad, I can pay for your medical bills and help take care of this family. But from now on, don’t ever persuade me to wrong myself for someone else.”
He froze, then lowered his head.
“Dad understands.”
I did not forgive him.
But I did not abandon him completely either.
Some cracks between people cannot be repaired.
You can only keep walking with the cracks between you.
My brother’s scholarship was restored.
The school confirmed the report had been maliciously fabricated and issued an official clarification.
He cried when he called me.
“Sis, from now on, I’ll protect you.”
I smiled.
“Finish your thesis first.”
That night, I threaded the silver medal onto a new black leather cord and hung it around my own neck.
The silver was cool against my chest.
But it made me feel grounded.