Chapter 5 - The Subpoena for the HusbandBy Friday afternoon, the media vans had parked permanently at the edge of our suburban cul-de-sac.
Local and national news outlets broadcasted headlines across every screen: "FORMER PRIVATE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ARRESTED IN MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FOUNDATION SCAM," alongside subsidiary reports detailing domestic misconduct and attempted drugging.
Margaret Mitchell fled the suburb to stay with a distant cousin in Kentucky, completely ostracized by the country club society she had spent decades trying to impress.
Ashley was questioned by federal prosecutors for twelve hours regarding her knowledge of the offshore accounts, ultimately escaping criminal indictment by turning over her personal text messages with Richard.
Ethan spent Thursday night at a downtown hotel after I locked the master bedroom and filed an emergency petition for divorce through my brother's legal firm.
He tried calling me forty times.
I didn't answer a single call.
On Saturday morning, my attorney—a brilliant senior partner named Marcus Sterling—arrived at the estate with final property transfer documents.
"The U.S. Attorney has granted you full immunity and sole occupancy of the residence as a primary witness and victim of domestic endangerment," Marcus explained, handing me a sleek leather folder. "Furthermore, because Ethan’s name was tied to the fraudulent foundation accounts, his personal assets have been frozen. He signed the quickclaim deed to this house ten minutes ago in exchange for our non-opposition to his reduced sentencing cooperation."
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I looked out the window at the autumn leaves drifting across the front lawn.
The gilded cage was finally mine—not as a prisoner, but as the sole owner.
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