Chapter 12 - The Divorce Decree
My divorce decree was boring.
I loved that.
No hidden island.
No billion dollar surprise.
Marital assets.
Virginia property.
Retirement accounts.
Company interests.
Debt.
Attorneys.
Custody.
Because Northstar investment predated? The marital characterization was complex. My family trust assets were separate. Julian’s founder shares had value. Some marital appreciation.
We settled much rather than litigate everything.
I did not try to take Vance Meridian from him.
He no longer controlled company anyway.
He kept lawful economic interests subject to company agreements and criminal restitution.
I kept mine.
The marital home sold.
I bought a smaller house near Annapolis.
Close enough to my father when he was stateside.
Far enough that he could not “drop by strategically,” as Mom called it.
Custody of Elise:
I held primary legal and physical custody.
Julian received supervised contact during incarceration through approved video and, later, post release step up subject to court review.
No automatic restoration.
No one knew future.
The decree included no disparagement around Elise.
No discussing criminal case with her while young.
No introducing Victoria ever? We couldn't ban forever based on irrelevant, but Victoria was barred from contact under separate orders/probation. Fine.
My surname.
I changed from Vance back to Sterling.
Elise remained Vance Sterling? We can decide. Birth certificate had Elise Vance. I petitioned to hyphenate later maybe. Let's use Elise Vance Sterling, agreed by court to preserve both parents. Good.
Julian objected at first.
Then agreed.
“Why Sterling?”
“Because it’s hers too.”
He laughed bitterly.
“Now you want the name.”
“No. I want her to know all her history.”
He stopped.
“Will you tell her what I did?”
“When age appropriate.”
“Will you tell her I loved her?”
“If you show her.”
That was all.
I had spent my marriage testing whether Julian loved me without knowing my wealth.
I refused to test him with Elise.
He would build relationship through actions.
May you like
Or not.
No hidden grading system.
