Chapter 18 - THE LAST OFFER
Two weeks before trial, Greg offered plea.
Through criminal counsel.
He would admit:
Unauthorized use of my electronic signature.
False submission of deed of trust.
Misrepresentation to lender.
He wanted conspiracy dismissed.
No custodial recommendation.
Probation.
Restitution.
Prosecutor countered:
Short custody.
Felony conviction.
Full factual admission including using Chloe to impersonate me.
Greg refused.
Then he approached divorce settlement.
Different court.
He offered:
Concede house fully separate.
Pay me $150,000 from his investment account for dissipation.
Waive claim to appreciation.
Agree to parenting provisions.
In return:
I would support probation in criminal sentencing and release remaining divorce claims.
Arthur said:
“Sentence support can be negotiated as victim position, but do not sell criminal truth for property already largely yours.”
Exactly.
I declined linkage.
Then Greg raised offer to $200,000.
I still declined linkage.
We could settle divorce finances separately.
Eventually we did part.
He conceded house.
Agreed $168,000 dissipation offset subject to final audit, not every $203,400 because some support might be treated differently and marital contributions mattered.
Joint assets divided.
His retirement mostly his with marital portion adjusted.
My travel bonus accounts mine? Proper.
No fantasy stripping.
Parenting reserved.
Criminal separate.
Then Chloe requested restorative apology meeting.
No.
I was not ready.
Maybe never.
Then my mother-in-law requested one.
Also no.
She had never struck me.
Still participated in concealment and cruelty.
Distance was enough.
Then Arthur showed me another deed-related anomaly.
My heart stopped.
He said:
“Not another lien.”
Good.
The fraudulent deed of trust had been accompanied by a “request for notice” mailing address changed from my home to Greg’s office.
So county notices about recording would go there.
That helped conceal.
Who requested?
Closing packet prepared by Greg.
Then Harbor Crest annual tax statement related to property lien had been mailed to Greg’s office.
He intercepted.
More deliberate concealment.
Then one email:
GREG to CHLOE:
Title is clean. She won’t see unless she pulls report.
CHLOE:
Why would she?
GREG:
Exactly.
That killed any remaining argument he planned prompt disclosure.
He intended secrecy until payoff.
Then:
CHLOE:
You’re scary when organized.
GREG:
Shut up.
The line was almost funny.
Almost.
The prosecution added the email to trial list.
Greg’s attorney requested continuance.
Denied after adequate time.
Trial would happen.
Then the civil title judge scheduled status conference three days after expected criminal verdict.
Smart.
No guarantee trial result.
But efficient.
The cases converged.
The house.
The joint account.
The sapphire.
The secret condo.
All roads led to the same question:
Did Greg think being my husband gave him authority to replace my answer with the one he needed?
A jury would not phrase it that way.
They would ask statutory elements.
May you like
Good.
Emotion could wait outside.
