Chapter 11 - Garrett Comes Back to Court
The divorce hearing drew reporters.
Garrett entered through the courthouse doors looking polished again.
No bruises.
No soaked tuxedo.
No fountain water dripping from his hair.
Just the charming man Alessia had once married.
He looked at her across the courtroom.
For one dangerous second, memory tried to replace evidence.
Their first Christmas.
Their honeymoon.
The night he stayed awake with her after Carlo’s surgery.
The way he held her when her father died.
Alessia wondered which moments had been real.
That was one of betrayal’s cruelest tricks.
It did not only destroy the future.
It contaminated the past.
Garrett’s attorney argued that Alessia had become violent.
“She punched Mr. Hale.”
Alessia’s lawyer did not deny it.
The ballroom footage played.
Garrett kicking Miriam.
Alessia checking her mother.
Garrett laughing.
The punch.
The second attack.
The wedding ring.
“Now get out of my house.”
The judge watched without expression.
Then Garrett’s attorney presented Alessia as impulsive.
The response was Belladonna.
Not every file.
Enough.
Messages showing Garrett targeted Alessia.
The forged signature.
The draft guardianship petition.
The edited recordings.
The courtroom atmosphere changed.
Garrett’s confidence disappeared.
The judge granted Alessia exclusive possession of Moretti House while the divorce proceeded.
A broad financial restraining order prevented Garrett from moving marital assets.
Then came the criminal case.
Garrett faced charges relating to Miriam’s assault, forgery, conspiracy, unlawful computer access, and financial crimes.
Evelyn faced conspiracy and fraud-related counts.
Nathan cooperated.
Thomas Hale resigned from the bench while investigations continued.
Garrett attempted one final strategy.
He offered Alessia a private settlement.
No trial.
No embarrassing testimony.
He would give up any claim to the Moretti assets.
In return, Alessia would provide a statement saying the ballroom assault had been “a family misunderstanding escalated by emotion.”
Samuel expected her to reject it.
Instead Alessia asked:
“Can I meet him?”
Her lawyer frowned.
“Why?”
“Because I want to hear him say it.”
The meeting happened in a conference room with attorneys present.
Garrett sat across from her.
For the first time since the ballroom, they were close enough to speak normally.
“I loved you,” he said.
Alessia almost smiled.
“Which version of me?”
Garrett looked hurt.
That angered her more.
“The woman at the gallery?” Alessia continued. “Or the inheritance schedule Nathan gave you before you walked through the door?”
His jaw tightened.
“You think every moment was fake?”
“I’m asking you.”
Silence.
Then Garrett said the one thing Alessia needed to hear.
“It wasn’t supposed to become this.”
She stared at him.
“What was it supposed to become?”
Garrett leaned forward.
“A marriage where everybody got what they needed.”
May you like
Alessia understood.
To Garrett, even love was a transaction.
