Chapter 12 - The Woman Who Stood Up
Two months after Hazel's birth, I entered mediation using a cane.
Julian hadn't seen me since the board meeting.
His reaction was worth every painful hour of physical therapy.
He stared at my legs.
"You're walking."
"Yes."
His attorney whispered something.
Julian ignored him.
"You told everyone you were paralyzed."
"I was."
"But you're walking."
"Recovery is inconvenient for your argument, isn't it?"
Sarah touched my arm gently.
A reminder not to engage.
The mediation covered property, corporate claims, divorce, and temporary parenting arrangements.
Julian wanted money.
Of course he did.
His proposal demanded millions in settlement funds in exchange for surrendering any claim he believed he had against the company.
Sarah almost laughed.
"You stole money and would now like to be paid to stop claiming ownership of what you tried to steal?"
Julian's attorney requested a break.
I watched Julian through the glass wall.
He looked smaller.
Not physically.
Some people only appear powerful because everyone around them agrees to participate in the illusion.
I had stopped participating.
During the break, Julian approached me in the hallway.
"Genevieve."
I kept walking.
"Please."
I stopped.
Sarah remained nearby.
"What?"
His eyes were red.
"I loved you."
Past tense.
Maybe accidental.
Maybe honest.
"You loved what I could give you."
"That's not true."
"Then why was Victoria in my hospital room?"
He looked down.
"Why did you move Hazel away from me?"
Nothing.
"Why did you threaten to have me declared incompetent?"
Silence.
"Why did you steal from my company?"
His eyes finally met mine.
"I felt like nothing beside you."
There it was.
Not an apology.
An explanation designed to make his choices my responsibility.
"You could have left."
"I didn't want to leave you."
"No. You wanted to own what belonged to me."
He flinched.
I tightened my grip on the cane.
"There's a difference."
Then I walked away.
Ten steps.
Twenty.
May you like
Thirty.
I didn't look back.
