Chapter 7 - The Auction BlockTwo months later.
The court proceedings were swift and brutal. Given the overwhelming digital evidence, the judge granted a complete annulment of the marriage on the grounds of severe fraud. Caleb was sentenced to two years of probation, 500 hours of community service, and ordered to pay restitution for the legal fees I had incurred.
Patricia’s situation was far worse. Unable to meet her debt obligations, her house was put up for public foreclosure auction by the bank.
On the day of the auction, I decided to attend.
I wore a stunning white coat, sunglasses, and stood quietly in the back of the county courtroom where the real estate bids were being placed.
Patricia was sitting in the front row with Caleb, weeping softly as the auctioneer called out numbers for the home she had lived in for twenty years.
"Going once at $310,000... Going twice..."
"Three hundred and fifty thousand," a clear, strong voice called out from the back.
Everyone turned to look.
It was my attorney, standing right beside me, raising his bidding paddle.
Patricia turned around, her jaw dropping in absolute horror as she saw me standing there.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand going once... twice... Sold! To the representative for Ms. Clara Vance!"
Patricia scrambled out of her bench and rushed down the aisle toward me, her eyes manic.
"You!" she shrieked. "You bought my house?! You evil, vindictive viper! Why are you doing this to us?!"
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I slowly stepped forward, pulled my sunglasses down to the tip of my nose, and looked down at her.
"Because, Patricia," I whispered, "a mother shouldn't need permission to visit her property... but a tenant certainly needs permission from her landlord."
