Chapter 9 - DANIEL'S DEFENSE
Daniel hired attorney Lauren Pierce.
Excellent.
She reframed everything.
Daniel had financial problems.
Not illegal.
Daniel considered separation.
Not illegal.
Daniel researched trust consequences.
Also not illegal.
The separation document explicitly said no rights waived.
Good point.
Lauren argued:
Daniel wanted a cooling-off period,
not financial coercion.
Then the crib.
Daniel admitted throwing it.
Why?
He claimed Claire had told him anything Vanessa touched had to leave the nursery.
Claire stared.
“That is a lie.”
No text supported it.
Then Lily.
Lauren said Daniel did not instruct Vanessa to push the child.
Important.
Vanessa’s conduct was hers.
Then Lauren attacked Richard.
Why structure a trust to make marital residency affect millions?
Was Richard manipulating Daniel through estate planning?
That argument had force.
Richard did create incentives.
Then Lauren asked Claire:
“Would you have stayed in the marriage for nine more days if you knew about the trust?”
Claire paused.
Dangerous question.
“No.”
Good.
May you like
Because the marriage had already crossed a line.
The trust was not worth pretending.
