Chapter 5 - The Ten-Second Annihilation
Inside the courtroom, Judge Harrison—a no-nonsense federal magistrate—banged her gavel.
"We are here to finalize the dissolution of marriage and the division of assets," Judge Harrison stated, peering over her reading glasses. "Mr. Vance, your financial affidavits indicate a clean separation. Is this correct?"
Julian’s lawyer stood up. "Yes, Your Honor. My client is offering an incredibly generous settlement to ensure the swift care of his... challenged son."
The judge looked at me. "Mrs. Vance, do you contest the financial declaration?"
I placed my hand on Leo’s shoulder. "I do, Your Honor. I yield the floor to my son, who has a slight correction."
Julian laughed out loud. "This is a joke! He’s a mental defective!"
"Ten seconds," Leo said, his voice ringing out clearly across the silent courtroom. He stepped up to the plaintiff's table and looked directly at the judge. "It takes ten seconds to trace the fraud. Page 47 of the affidavit. The routing numbers for the Cayman LLC are identical to the missing R&D funds. My father didn't earn $300 million to give to my mother. He stole $42 million from his own shareholders to hide it with his girlfriend."
He slid a single piece of paper across the desk to the bailiff, who handed it to the judge.
The courtroom held its breath.
Judge Harrison read the paper. One second. Two seconds.
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By the tenth second, her face turned to stone. She slammed her gavel down so hard the crack echoed like a gunshot.
"Mr. Vance," the judge said, her voice dripping with venom. "You just committed perjury in my courtroom. And the SEC is going to be very interested in this."
