Chapter 5
The day of the verdict was clear and sunny.
I went to the courthouse by myself.
Richard and the others didn't bother to show up, and only his lawyer came in his place.
The verdict was a foregone conclusion.
When the judge read out the ruling, her voice was calm and steady, but my heart was racing, emotions surging inside me.
The court ruled in my favor on most of my claims.
Richard was ordered to pay me 290 thousand dollars in compensation for 30 years of labor.
Because Richard was clearly at fault and had caused me serious emotional harm, he was also ordered to pay 50 thousand dollars for emotional distress.
In total, that came to 340 thousand dollars.
Additionally, the one-bedroom apartment we shared during our cohabitation was divided as joint property.
The apartment was worth about 270 thousand dollars. Richard kept the ownership, but he had to pay me 135 thousand dollars for my share.
Adding it all up, Richard had to pay me 475 thousand dollars within a month.
As soon as I got the verdict in my hands, I finally breathed out, a long sigh escaping me.
The stone that had pressed on my heart for 32 years was finally gone.
It was never about the money.
This was the law finally recognizing all I'd sacrificed in these years, and restoring the dignity that had been trampled on.
As I walked out of the courthouse, the sunlight warmed my skin.
I gave Jessica a call, shared the good news with her, and couldn't thank her enough.
After that, I went to the driving school.
When the instructor saw me, he grinned and said, "Helen, you look great today. Got some good news?"
I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I finally got something off my chest."
That afternoon I was really feeling it behind the wheel, and I cleared every tricky part of the road test on the first try.
That night, I went back to my rented apartment.
I treated myself to a hearty dinner.
I popped open a nice bottle of wine.
By myself, I savored each sip, gazing at the city lights outside my window.
Freedom never tasted so sweet.
After the verdict went into effect, Richard didn't make a move.
I wasn't in a hurry.
I knew handing over that money would feel like tearing out his heart.
There was no way he'd cough it up without a struggle.
Sure enough, a few days later, David called me.
It was the first time he'd reached out to me since we fell out.
When I picked up, he was silent for a long time.
"Mom," he finally said, his voice full of exhaustion.
"Yes," I replied, my voice flat.
"We got the verdict," he said.
"So?"
"Mom, are you really going to take 475 thousand dollars?" David's voice trembled, almost pleading. "You know we don't have that kind of cash lying around."
"That's what your dad owes me," I said.
"But that's our family's money!" David suddenly got all worked up. "That apartment was something my grandparents left for Dad, a memento.
"He always said it was for me when I got married! Now he has to sell it just to pay you! How can you do this?"
I laughed, but it was cold as ice.
"David, did you forget you're already married? Your dad's been secretly renting out that place for years, keeping all the rent for himself. And now you're telling me it's meant for you?"
"I..." David was stunned, unable to say a word.
"And your dad has 170 thousand dollars in savings and investments. Selling the apartment plus his savings is more than enough to pay me, and he'll still have some left over."
My calm and clarity completely threw David off.
He probably never expected his always-compliant mom to be so sharp with the numbers.
"Mom, please don't do this..." David's voice softened, trying to tug at my heartstrings. "We're family. If you take all the money, what are we supposed to do? Emily and I were thinking about having kids. How are we supposed to get by?"
"How you live your life is your business," I cut him off. "I spent 32 years with no name, no status. Did anyone ever think about what I had to go through?"
"Mom, I know we messed up. We all know we were wrong," David said, his voice thick with tears. "Please, come back. Can't we just go back to being a family? Emily promised she'll treat you with respect from now on, and she'll never upset you again."
"It's too late," I said.
"Too late? What do you mean?"
I said, "David, you know what? Once a mirror's broken, you can't put it back together. Even if you try, it'll always be cracked.
"People's hearts are just the same.
"When I needed you most, you turned your back on me. Now, just because of money and the apartment, you come crawling back with sweet words.
"You really think I'd trust you now?"
There was a long silence on the other end.
I could hear his heavy breathing.
"Mom, can't you do this for me?" David pleaded, his voice breaking. "Do you really want to see your son stuck with debt for the rest of his life?"
"This isn't my debt. It's what your dad owes me," I said, each word clear and unwavering. "It's only fair."
"Fine... fine... Helen, you're ruthless!"
He finally dropped the act and showed his true colors.
"I see right through you! You're not after justice. You just want the money.
"Did you find someone else? Win the lottery, and now you don't want this family anymore?
"Let me tell you, we're not giving you a single cent. Go ahead and file for enforcement. I'd love to see how you're going to push us to the edge!"
He screamed into the phone, then slammed it down.
Listening to the dial tone, I felt calm inside.
I even felt a bit relieved.
I finally saw my son's true colors.
That was probably for the best.
It meant I would never hold onto another unrealistic hope about him.
I called Jessica right away.
"Jessica, please get the enforcement application ready," I said.
"Got it, Ms. Carter," Jessica replied, her voice steady. "We'll follow the process."
I knew the real battle was just beginning, and it was going to get ugly.
But I wasn't afraid.
This was what I deserved.
I wasn't giving up a single dollar.