Chapter 38
‘The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence.’
Chase Sr made a brief appearance. He exchanged a few quiet words with the cops, then bundled Chase into the back of the Rolls like he was nothing more than an unruly teenager caught shoplifting at Macy’s.
He apologised to me on behalf of his son, then drove off back down the Peninsula without another word.
No police report. No statements. Just neatly swept under the silk carpet of Fuller affairs.
The Fullers called Layla. They wanted a fast settlement.
The call came, Rivertide gave me and Rhiannon the afternoon off.
Rhiannon insisted on driving. We parked beneath the Embarcadero Center and took the lift to the top floor.
Layla’s offices swallowed the west-facing corner of the building.
It was all floor-to-ceiling glass and hushed carpeting. The Bay lay spread out below.
‘Thank God you told me to dress up,’ said Rhiannon as we were shown into a meeting room.
She was in her pinstripe interview suit, which she called ‘The Closer’.
I’d managed to cobble together a black-and-white garden party dress.
The addition of knee-length boots, suggested by Rhiannon after she said I looked like her nan heading to Easter Mass, gave it a bit more bite.
Layla’s assistant carried in a tray of coffee, followed by Layla herself in a black suit. I glanced at the wall clock. Bang on time.
I made the introductions.
‘The good news is… we have a settlement.’
I exhaled.
‘But the conditions are not quite what we expected.’
I could tell from her tone that it was bad news.
‘The Fuller family trust is one of the most sophisticated and efficient vehicles I’ve come across for preserving generational wealth,’ she said.
‘For example, the annual cash gifting from Mr and Mrs Fuller Sr to you which, you say you never saw, is recorded as a tax-deductible gift. As far as their books are concerned, you received it in full, even though you never received it.’
She rattled through her notes. The terms began to blur. My stomach sank.
Chase would cover my legal fees. He’d hand over $7,000 in cash.
He’d pay the shortfall between my income and living costs for six months.
I could keep the car, dog, and half the wedding gifts.
Any improvements I’d made to the house, furniture, art, fixtures were considered contributions to an estate asset.
Even the furnishings I’d bought with my own salary were deemed enhancements to Fuller property.
My life boiled down to a car, a dog, and some monogrammed china.
Chase would never contact me again. That was the only concession.
Even Layla looked mildly ashamed. Her lipstick had faded. She toyed with her pen.
‘That’s it? That’s the feckin’ total settlement from that utter bloody psychotic asshole?’ Rhiannon blurted. ‘Florence’s put more in than she’s getting out!’
Layla nodded, slowly. ‘In this case, yes. I’m afraid so.’
‘Can’t we contest it?’ I asked. ‘Go to court? Let a judge see what he’s really like?’
Layla sighed. ‘As I’ve explained, California recognises only three grounds for divorce: annulment, permanent legal incapacity, or irreconcilable differences.
Annulment is off the table. Incapacity would require medical proof.
We’d need psychiatric evaluations, official diagnoses, professional witnesses. And even then…’
I cut her off. ‘But he is incapacitated. He’s a nightmare.’
Layla tapped the file gently with her pen.
‘He is still a functioning director in a well-respected firm. The family has deep legal and financial roots. Judges here… tend not to look favourably on drawn-out challenges against clean trust structures. Based on discovery and counsel, I believe it’s best to accept the settlement and move on.
You’ll have legal closure, and he will be legally barred from contact. ’
Rhiannon reached over and took my hand. We were silent.
‘I’m sorry it’s not better news,’ said Layla gently. ‘But you’ll be free.’
‘And he’ll never contact you again,’ said Rhiannon, raising an eyebrow. ‘That’s worth celebrating.’
We didn’t go back to work. We headed straight to Pier 23 and ordered margaritas. It didn’t feel like a win. But it felt like I could breathe again, as if a door had opened somewhere, and light was starting to pour in.