Chapter 16 - Evelyn turns on Julian
Evelyn’s civil case with Apex finally settled.
Why?
Her legal bills.
Vale had lost most clients after publicity.
She needed closure.
Terms:
Vale repaid $42,000 after offsets.
Apex paid $68,000 of verified outstanding invoices.
Net payment to Vale:
$26,000.
Both sides released contract claims.
Vale barred from new Apex work for five years.
No admission of fraud.
Evelyn personally agreed not to participate in Apex procurement during ban.
That was it.
No prison.
No million-dollar seizure.
Then Evelyn blamed Julian.
She called Thomas Greer.
“I want separate counsel.”
Mother and son had shared strategic interests but not attorneys on all matters.
Now conflict obvious.
Evelyn’s lawyer told prosecutors she was willing to testify in Julian’s business-record case.
About what?
The score.
She said she pressured him.
But:
“I never told him to falsify anything.”
That could help Julian too.
Then she produced texts he had deleted from his personal phone but preserved on hers.
Julian:
I got Graham across line. Don’t ask how.
Evelyn:
I don’t care how. Thank you.
Bad for both morally.
But “don’t ask how” could support knowledge.
Prosecutor still did not charge Evelyn because evidence insufficient that she knew unlawful method before it occurred.
Julian called her betrayal unforgivable.
She responded:
“You made me look like a criminal.”
He said:
“You made me do it.”
There.
Family hierarchy collapsing.
Then divorce mediation resumed.
Julian removed the Apex-employment condition.
Good.
We settled financial terms at $1.27 million equalization/division package after accounting.
House mine subject to agreed reimbursement credit.
Joint assets divided.
Each kept separate property under prenup.
No ongoing spousal support after final payment.
Retirement orders handled.
Condo transfer credit partially in my favor.
Furniture split.
Wine divided by agreed appraiser? Ridiculous but yes.
One issue remained:
Attorneys’ fees.
Each sought fees due conduct.
Judge could decide if no settlement.
We compromised.
Each paid own, except limited reimbursement for discovery violations? Julian had delayed records once. Maybe no need.
Divorce agreement signed.
But divorce not final yet.
Cooling/procedural period and final hearing remained.
User said no final divorce in 15 sec, but story can eventually resolve.
Good.
Then Julian’s criminal defense filed motion to exclude score-change evidence because Apex’s internal investigation allegedly compelled his statements.
He had refused interview.
So no compelled statement.
Digital evidence remained.
Motion focused on company logs obtained through subpoena.
Likely admissible.
May you like
Court scheduled.
Active conflict.
