Chapter 13 - The Divorce Hearing
My divorce should have been simple.
Prenup.
Short marriage.
No children.
No shared real estate.
Then Gregory’s attorneys initially argued fraud allegations were unresolved and requested access to certain wedding gifts and marital accounts.
Normal lawyering.
I hated it anyway.
My attorney, Rachel’s family law colleague Amanda Cole, told me:
“Don’t interpret every filing as Gregory personally attacking you.”
Hard.
Then Gregory changed counsel.
His new attorney offered settlement.
He would:
Waive all claims to my assets.
Consent to divorce.
Return personal property.
In exchange, I would not seek attorney fees beyond what court allowed.
I agreed.
No need weaponize divorce.
Criminal case separate.
Then deposition.
Gregory invoked Fifth Amendment on questions overlapping charges.
His right.
Civil case could draw adverse inferences in some contexts, but settlement avoided.
Divorce finalized five months after cruise.
The judge asked:
“Is the marriage irretrievably broken?”
“Yes.”
Gregory appeared remotely from detention.
“Yes.”
That was it.
No speech.
No dramatic gavel.
One year relationship.
Two day marriage.
Five month legal end.
Then my name.
I had become Ashlynn Reed Hartman on marriage license but had not changed professionally.
I restored Ashlynn Reed legally.
Easy.
It felt important.
Then wedding ring.
What to do?
Sold?
Kept?
I returned to Gregory through attorney.
Not because ring tainted.
Because it was his purchase and I did not want.
He later sold for legal fees.
Fine.
Then my wedding dress.
Donated anonymously.
Someone else could make different memory.
Then civil claim against Malcolm and Hartman entities.
My lawyers filed for:
Fraud.
Identity theft damages.
Emotional distress from conspiracy.
Attorney fees.
But criminal restitution might cover some.
Hartman Capital new board wanted settlement.
They argued company as institution was also harmed by Malcolm’s acts.
True partly.
The forged documents used firm resources.
But no corporate board authorization.
We negotiated.
Hartman Capital agreed:
Formal declaration that proxy and guaranty void.
Pay costs for cybersecurity remediation caused by intrusion.
Compensate legal expenses.
No admission company itself conspired.
I released certain corporate claims while preserving against Malcolm personally.
Why?
Employees and new investors were trying to rescue firm.
I did not need burn everyone.
Then Vantage.
Board asked whether my relationship compromised governance.
I recused from internal review.
Independent counsel examined.
I had shared some nonpublic board information casually with spouse.
Not customer secrets.
Example:
Friday vote date.
North Harbor interest.
Was that policy violation?
Possibly.
Company rules discouraged disclosure outside confidentiality.
I received formal written counseling.
That stung.
But fair.
No termination.
No coverup because victim.
Then corporate security training improved around family access to executive devices.
I participated only after review closed.
Then my Vantage shares.
Still 13.8 percent before dilution.
North Harbor investment diluted to 11.9.
Value increased.
I did not become billionaire.
But wealthy.
Some headlines said:
HUSBAND TRIED TO STEAL $50 MILLION.
Not precise.
My stake estimated around $21 million post funding.
The guaranty $12.5 million.
He did not try to transfer all shares outright.
Precision.
Then Hartman Capital restructuring.
New investors injected capital.
Malcolm’s ownership diluted dramatically.
His board voting rights suspended due indictment.
Laura civil claim settled partly.
Under settlement, she received:
$6.8 million cash and trust assets representing negotiated value of disputed historical share transfer.
Not full 38 percent.
Statutory uncertainty.
Records.
Time.
Her independent fiduciary managed.
For first time in eleven years, Malcolm did not control her care money.
Then Denise moved Laura to a different facility closer to family.
Laura chose through advocate.
Malcolm objected.
Court denied.
Gregory heard from detention.
His attorney told him.
He asked to speak to Laura.
She declined.
That devastated him.
Then he wrote her.
No response.
Laura told advocate:
“He needs to learn no.”
The same lesson.
Then prosecutors prepared indictments.
Gregory:
Aggravated assault.
False imprisonment attempt.
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Identity theft.
Attempted extortion/coercion.
Possession/use of forged financial instruments.
Malcolm:
Conspiracy.
Wire fraud attempt.
Identity theft.
Obstruction/witness manipulation.
Aiding coercion.
No charge for Laura staircase.
No proof.
Good.
Then Gregory requested plea conference.
He was ready to admit some.
May you like
Not father’s role.
Yet.
