Chapter 6 - THE DIVORCE ACCOUNTING
The divorce was uglier than I expected.
Not emotionally.
Financially.
Daniel argued that parts of my family trust had become marital through our lifestyle.
My attorneys disagreed.
Courts decided.
I refused to use Harlow’s influence to pressure anything.
Separate property remained separate where law supported it.
Joint property was divided appropriately.
The waterfront condo?
Partly marital because Daniel had used money traceable to our joint finances.
I did not want it.
It was sold.
The proceeds addressed legal obligations and division.
Then we found something smaller that hurt more.
Daniel had been using our joint card to buy Vanessa gifts.
Hotel rooms.
Jewelry.
Flights.
Not millions.
Tens of thousands.
Compared with Harlow Capital, trivial.
Compared with marriage, devastating.
I asked Maya:
“Why does this bother me more than the kickbacks?”
“Because the kickbacks betrayed his employer.”
“And these?”
“Betrayed you.”
Simple.
Our divorce became final fourteen months after the gala.
Maya asked whether I wanted to restore my maiden name.
I had never changed it legally.
Claire Harlow Mercer socially.
Claire Harlow professionally.
I smiled.
“Apparently Grandpa saved me paperwork.”
We celebrated with burgers.
Not champagne.
May you like
I had developed opinions about champagne.
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