Chapter 12 - THE ASSAULT CASE
Ethan did not go to trial on the slap.
The foyer cameras were too clear.
My statement.
Vivian’s presence.
Richard’s arrival.
He pled guilty to domestic assault under the applicable misdemeanor-to-low-felony grading based on injury and jurisdiction.
No permanent brain injury.
No abdominal trauma.
No severe physical damage.
That affected sentence.
Pregnancy and coercive context mattered too.
He received probation with a short custodial component, batterer intervention, no-contact provisions subject to family court, and firearms restrictions during supervision.
Some people online wanted decades.
Others said:
One slap.
Both flattened reality.
The law punished the charged act.
Marriage consequences were larger.
At sentencing, I spoke.
“Ethan did not hit me because he forgot who I was.”
I looked at him.
“He hit me because he believed who I was should not matter once I became his wife.”
He cried.
I continued.
“He knew I was pregnant. He knew I wanted to leave the room. He knew I wanted independent advice. He chose humiliation and force instead.”
No mention of billions.
No gala.
No Richard.
The assault deserved its own description.
Richard’s punch was reviewed separately.
Prosecutors declined charges after determining the single strike fell within defensible intervention based on what he saw, the raised hand, and immediate threat.
No celebration.
Richard told me:
“I’m relieved.”
“You still should not make a habit of it.”
“I’m sixty-one.”
“Good time to stop.”
May you like
He laughed.
That was the first easy moment between us.
