Chapter 17 - VERA’S FIRST DEPOSITION
Vera arrived in pearls.
Of course.
She answered calmly for ninety minutes.
Then Julian’s outside trust counsel asked:
“Why did you call Amelia cheap blood?”
Vera’s attorney objected to relevance.
The question was allowed with limits.
Vera said:
“I was angry.”
“Do you believe Amelia is less part of your family because Rafael is her father?”
“No.”
“Did you write ‘Amelia line should exit Belladonna’?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She is a child.”
“Children become adults.”
“Not all family members need company interests.”
“Why Claudia?”
“She understands the club.”
“She is thirty-four.”
“Yes.”
“So your comparison is between an eight-year-old and a thirty-four-year-old?”
Vera stared.
Then:
“Claudia stayed.”
There.
Stayed.
The same word Claudia had used emotionally.
Celeste left family control.
Married me.
Built a life.
Then died.
Amelia represented the branch that did not stay obedient.
Then the valuation.
“Why did you tell the appraiser not to include redevelopment scenarios?”
“Because Amelia would not manage redevelopment.”
“Ownership value does not depend solely on whether the beneficiary personally manages.”
“I disagreed.”
Then:
“Did you intend Claudia to receive the redevelopment upside?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she would do the work.”
That was at least coherent.
Then:
“Did Amelia’s trust interest entitle her to value even if professionals performed the work?”
Vera’s lawyer objected to legal conclusion.
Fair.
But the conflict was visible.
Then the wedding.
“Why remove Amelia’s place card?”
Vera said:
“It was Claudia’s day.”
“Why tell the planner the child was participating, not being honored?”
“Because she was flower girl.”
“Why dump food on her?”
Vera looked away for the first time.
“I lost my temper.”
There.
Then my slap.
“Did Rafael hit you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you fear him?”
“Yes.”
That mattered too.
May you like
Vera could be wrong and still be a victim of my assault.
The record held both.
