Chapter 20 - MY TESTIMONY
I testified for two days.
First finances.
Accounts.
Authority.
What I knew.
What I didn’t.
My travel.
My approvals.
The defense made me look careless.
They were partly right.
“You approved monthly summaries without receipts?”
“Yes.”
“You gave Dominic authority?”
“Yes.”
“You told him, quote, ‘Spend whatever Leo needs’?”
“Yes.”
“Could he reasonably believe Liam, his other son, was also a family need?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he did not tell me Liam was his son and labeled those expenses as Leo’s treatment.”
The judge allowed.
Then abuse.
I described arrival.
Victoria.
Brooke.
Leo.
Dominic.
“He’s defective.”
Then slap.
I volunteered before defense.
“I struck him.”
“Were you prosecuted?”
“Charged. Completed diversion. Dismissed after requirements.”
Defense took over.
“You hit Dominic hard enough that he fell.”
“He staggered into a chair and went down.”
“You were enraged.”
“Yes.”
“You then ordered every asset frozen.”
“I ordered my company and financial manager to revoke access to assets and accounts I controlled. I specifically told them not to touch his own assets or drain joint accounts.”
“Your words were ‘freeze every single asset.’”
“Yes.”
“Sounds retaliatory.”
“I was angry.”
“So you use money when angry.”
I stopped.
“Sometimes I have.”
That answer surprised him.
“Like your mother-in-law used discipline?”
Objection.
Sustained.
Then:
“You travel extensively.”
“Yes.”
“You left Dominic with a high-needs child.”
“He is Leo’s father.”
“You expected him to manage.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever call Leo difficult?”
“Yes.”
The room went still.
“What words?”
“Overwhelmed. Hard day. Exhausting.”
“So Dominic wasn’t unique.”
“No.”
“Did you ever say you wished Leo were easier?”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
There.
A mother can love and still wish a day easier.
The defense tried to turn that into agreement with Dominic.
It wasn’t.
Then:
“You did not see floor discipline before that day.”
“No.”
“You relied on statements of others.”
“And video.”
Judge reminded.
Answer question.
Fine.
I stepped down.
May you like
I felt stripped.
Maybe that is what testimony should feel like when truth is complicated.
