Chapter 20 - The decree is not the end
The divorce decree became final four months after the tea incident.
Not years.
Four months.
Judge confirmed:
Settlement voluntary.
Full disclosure.
Independent counsel.
No coercion.
Then signed.
Marriage over.
Daniel’s wedding ring remained on his hand in court.
Mine did not.
I had removed it after urgent care.
I kept it in the blue folder temporarily because I could not decide what else to do.
Then protection order.
Still active.
Divorce did not cancel it.
No direct contact beyond authorized.
Daniel moved into apartment.
Briarcrest empty except me when I returned.
The first night back, I stood in the kitchen.
Same marble island.
Different tea cup.
I almost could not enter.
Then I did.
Not courage.
Necessity.
I made coffee.
No tea.
Maybe petty.
Fine.
Then Alder Row.
Project still needed permanent refinancing in three months.
That meant Daniel/Vivian conflict not finished.
MidState wanted:
70% stabilized occupancy.
Updated appraisal.
No sponsor litigation unresolved.
Vivian’s suit was settled.
Good.
Then one issue:
Daniel’s criminal probation included no violent incidents.
Compliant.
Civil protection order review date approached.
He did not seek early termination.
Good.
Then Vivian’s relationship with him deteriorated further.
She wanted him to restore her investment before refinancing.
Agreement said payment from distributions/refinance proceeds if available after lender requirements.
Could be.
Daniel said:
“Bank comes first.”
Correct.
She accused him of hiding behind contracts.
Irony.
Then my final financial closing.
Daniel transferred equalization payment:
$314,000.
Sources:
Joint liquid allocation.
Part personal brokerage.
No Bennett Urban share transfer.
I paid/credited his $122,500 Briarcrest claim through settlement netting.
No lingering lien.
Northlight title remained clean.
No ownership dispute.
Then taxes.
Our accountant allocated house-related deductions and company expenses.
No surprise IRS catastrophe.
No hidden liabilities.
Then Mara closed the blue folder.
“Done.”
“Property done.”
“Yes.”
“Marriage done.”
“Yes.”
“Then why do I feel like there’s still something coming?”
“Because you lived in litigation for four months.”
She was right.
But something was coming.
Vivian filed a new claim.
Not against me personally.
Against Northlight.
She alleged Northlight had been unjustly enriched by Daniel’s and Vivian’s own contributions to Briarcrest furnishings and improvements.
Vivian wanted:
$86,000.
I stared.
“Her contributions?”
Mara sighed.
May you like
“She claims she paid for landscaping and built-ins as gifts to Daniel, not to Northlight.”
The last counterattack had arrived.
