On Halloween, My Husband Chose Her Family Over Ours novel · Chapter 21 of 24
Chapter 21: The Final Hearing
On Thursday morning Derek's new lawyer stood up in the courtroom and asked for everything.
He asked for primary custody of Maddie.
He asked for a share of the house on Linden Street, for "improvements made during the marriage."
He asked for half of what I had in savings.
The judge listened to all of it with her glasses pushed up in her hair.
She was the same judge who had signed the final order.
She did not look pleased to see me again.
"Mrs. Marsden," she said. "You have counsel?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
Ben rose beside me in his navy suit.
"We'd like to begin with the house, Your Honor."
"Go ahead."
He called Derek to the stand.
Derek walked up with his hands at his sides and sat down heavily.
His mother sat in the second row on my side of the room.
She had not looked at him once.
Ben stood with one folder in his hand and did not open it.
"Mr. Marsden. In your petition you ask for a share of the house on Linden Street."
"Yes."
"Whose name is on the deed?"
"Hannah's."
"Only Hannah's?"
"Yes."
"When did she get it?"
"Her grandmother left it to her. Before we were married."
"Did you pay for it?"
"No."
"Did you pay the property taxes?"
Derek hesitated.
"Some years," he said.
"Which years?"
"I'd have to look."
Ben opened the folder at last, and took out one page.
"Hannah paid them every year, from her teacher's salary, by check. Here's the log. There's no year you paid."
Derek stared at the page.
"Improvements," Ben said. "You listed a new kitchen floor."
"Yes."
"Who paid the contractor?"
"I... Hannah's brother did the work."
"For free."
"I guess."
"Did you thank him?"
There was a short, ugly laugh from somewhere at the back.
The judge looked up.
"Counsel," she said.
"I'm finished with the house, Your Honor."
The other lawyer got up, and began to say something about "the spirit of the marriage."
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