Chapter 9 - Closing DoorsThe courtroom was quiet, save for the scratching of a court reporter’s pen and the ticking of the wall clock.
Judge Vance adjusted his glasses, looking down at the final paperwork resting on his desk. The divorce decree was absolute. Assets split down the middle—with the lion's share of the remaining joint funds legally awarded to Emily as compensation for hidden marital liabilities. Caleb’s signature sat at the bottom of the document, shaky, hurried, and defeated.
Caleb sat at the defense table alone. No friends, no family, no Rachel, and no Emily. His tailored suit hung slightly loose on his frame, as if he had lost weight from the relentless stress of the past two months.
"The court accepts the terms of the settlement. This case is officially closed," Judge Vance declared, bringing his gavel down with a sharp thud.
Caleb didn't move for several minutes after everyone else began to pack up their belongings. He stared blankly at the polished wood of the table, realizing too late that his elaborate lies hadn't protected him from anything; they had simply guaranteed his complete and total isolation.
Outside the courthouse steps, Emily walked down into the warm sunlight with Sarah by her side. A sleek black car waited at the curb to take them to the harbor.
"Are you sure you want to do this today?" Sarah asked gently, looking over at her sister.
Emily stopped, pulled a small, faded navy baseball cap with a familiar tear near the strap out of her tote bag, and looked at it for a brief moment. She had found it at the bottom of a box of old garage items Caleb had left behind.
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Instead of throwing it away, she walked over to a public trash bin by the curb and dropped it right inside.
"Never been surer," Emily smiled, turning toward the car.
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