Chapter 8 - The Fall of the Halstons
Three weeks later, the story of Derek Halston’s spectacular ruin had become the primary topic of conversation across Richmond's high-society circles.
The man who had once strutted through country clubs bragging about his wealth was now staying in a run-down two-bedroom rental apartment on the outskirts of the city, sharing the space with his bitter, nagging mother.
Without the backing of Vance Holdings, Derek’s investment firm collapsed overnight. His primary investors, including Chloe’s father, pulled their funds the moment they realized Derek’s assets were nonexistent and that he was under federal investigation for financial fraud.
Chloe had cut off all contact with him, blocking his number and publicly disavowing any connection to him.
One rainy afternoon, Derek sat at a small kitchen table littered with unpaid legal bills and formal court summonses. Across from him, Evelyn was furiously dialing numbers on her phone.
"None of our old friends are picking up!" Evelyn yelled, slamming her phone onto the laminate table. "The Montgomerys, the Carters... they're all ignoring me! They act like we have the plague!"
"Shut up, Mom!" Derek snapped, rubbing his bloodshot eyes. "Just shut up!"
"Don't you talk to me like that!" Evelyn raged. "This is all your fault! If you had just kept that mistress of yours hidden until the business deal went through, Audrey would still be paying our bills!"
Before Derek could reply, a loud knock echoed at the door.
Derek jumped up, a sudden spark of hope igniting in his chest. Maybe it was Audrey. Maybe she had calmed down. Maybe she was ready to negotiate a reconciliation for the sake of their daughter.
He ran to the door and pulled it open.
Standing in the hallway was not Audrey, but a uniformed process server holding a thick stack of legal documents.
"Derek Halston?" the man asked.
"Yes?"
"You've been served," the man said, shoving the papers into Derek's chest. "Divorce petition, full emergency termination of parental rights based on willful abandonment, and a federal civil lawsuit for embezzlement."
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Derek looked down at the top page. Printed in bold, crisp ink at the header of the divorce filing were the words: Audrey Vance vs. Derek Halston.
Below it, Audrey had relinquished nothing. She was asking for total sole custody of Maisie, full restitution of all misappropriated funds, and zero visitation rights until Derek completed court-mandated psychological evaluations.
