Page 50 of Sebastian.

Mom’s voice breaks through my reverie, pulling me back to the present moment. “Who would have thought that Seb would finally let his brother face accountability for his actions, huh?” she muses, sounding slightly surprised. “Looks like he reallyisafraid of losing you.”

A part of me wants to just bask in this moment and the victory that I have gained over Karl. Sebastian damned him for me. I hope Karl thinks about it every day for the rest of his life.

While I’m fantasizing, my mom's tone shifts, bringing me back to the present and the practical matters that need attention. “Speaking of losing you, we have a meeting with Eveline today about the settlement agreement,” she adds, her tone more businesslike. “Don't forget it's at 11 a.m.”

As I nod in acknowledgment, my mind continues to process the news, the implications of Karl's arrest reverberating through my thoughts. The intricate workings of my marriage, the undercurrents of change, and the ever-present questions about Seb's motivations—they all converge in this moment, leaving me with a sense of uncertainty about the days ahead.

* * *

Mom’s driver takes us into Amsterdam, and my stress levels are rising with each passing mile. Oh, I don’t want to do this. Ireallydon’t want to do this. But I’ve already made the commitment, and my mother is right about one thing—if things still go sideways, even after Karl’s arrest, having Eveline on my side will be imperative.

My mother tries to talk to me on the long drive over, chattering about things that I know she has no interest in, for the sole purpose of distracting and relaxing me. It isn’t working, but I appreciate the effort. I’d rather be left alone to really consider what I’m about to do, but it is what it is. Maybe once this all gets started I’ll be glad to have her by my side. Only time will tell.

Eveline's office welcomes us with the scent of essential oils floating through the air. She’s on one of the last floors of one of a newer high-rise downtown, and the modern aesthetic of the outside is echoed within as well. Outside of a floor to ceiling window in the lobby, the city skyline stretches beyond, a backdrop that I’m all too familiar with.

Eveline, confident in her sharp dark green suit, greets us. Her handshake reassures me, at least a little, but it’s still odd knowing that this woman is here to help navigate what I would have considered a nightmare just months ago.

“Hello Julia. Margaret. Nice to see you both,” she says, a genuine smile lifting the corner of her lips.

“Thanks for finding time for us,” I respond, not really knowing what else to say. It’s not like I really want to be here, but I know Eveline is a busy woman, so I do appreciate her making room in her schedule for me.

We settle into sleek chairs, her desk the focal point. Since this is the first time we’ve been in the same room together, Eveline steeples her fingers and launches into dialogue on what exactly I should expect. Her explanations touch on alimony, asset division, and the heart-wrenching topic of custody. Fingers tracing the armrests of my chair restlessly, I absorb her words as they map our new reality.

“The Van den Bosch property, which you’ve told me is the main house,” Eveline continues, her voice measured as she takes her notes and a pen, “for Sebastian to keep it, he'll need to transfer fifty percent of its worth to you.”

My heart sinks into my stomach. I want to tell her that I don’t want the money. That property—our home—has been in Sebastian’s family for generations. It’s the last home he shared with his mother and siblings. Although it has been our home too, that can never equate to the memories thathehas inside of those walls.

The fact that all of this seems so foreign to me is almost laughable. The law is my bread and butter. I’m a judge, so I shouldn’t need explanations from Eveline, but the surrealism of this beingmyowndivorce makes me feel like I know nothing at all. Something that I should understand inside and out is like a different language in my ears.

The reality of my own settlement hangs before me, almost surreal in its presence. It's as if the life I've known is slipping through my fingers, replaced by a script I never thought I'd have to read.

The air in the office feels charged, my mother leaning forward in her chair while I try my best to disappear into mine. I really should be paying attention, but my eyes move around the pictures and knick knacks on Eveline’s desk instead. For as much as she costs, it’s absurd that I’m so distracted.

I’m shaken out of my daydreams when Eveline says my name. “Julia?”

I snap back to sitting up straight. “Yes?”

Eveline's gaze is focused, her demeanor both empathetic and pragmatic. “What about infidelity? Do you think that your husband has ever been unfaithful?” Her question cuts through the tension, opening a door to a realm I'd rather keep closed. She knows the answer, of course, given how viral Sebastian’s little escapade to that club was.

I take a moment to consider her query. The weight of Sebastian's actions resurfaces—the echoes of his choices reverberating within me. “Well,” I begin, my voice steady but ran through with bitterness. “As I’m sure you know, it's basically public record that he was at a gentlemen's club with Karl on our son's wedding day.”

Eveline's fingers dance across her tablet as she takes notes, her focus never wavering.

“The source even told Kenneth he went to get a lap dance in a private room,” I add, the words leaving a foul taste in my mouth.

As I speak, Eveline's eyes flicker with understanding, her ability to read between the lines evident. Her next words, however, hold the promise of a strategic advantage. “Hm. Yes, I did know that, but I think we can do better than just a phone video. We should be able to retrieve the footage from the security camera in that private dance room.”

A surge of adrenaline courses through me, both nauseating and thrilling. “Really?” I inquire, my eagerness palpable.

Eveline nods. “Of course. There’s a big difference between one single lap dance and a lot of the other things that can go on in those private rooms. While it might not carry substantial weight in a court of law, in the context of settlement negotiations, it can be a powerful tool.”

I find myself nodding, the implications of her words sinking in. The lap dance video, once a symbol of betrayal, now transforms into a potential card to play in this intricate game of separation. My fingers tap lightly against the desk, a nervous energy accompanying the shift in our conversation.

Legalese and the desire for division mask the remains of a common life—a past that cannot be cleanly erased. Marriage. Love. Children. My mind wanders to my youngest three, and how all of this has already interrupted their daily lives so much. And it has the potential to get even worse.

My thoughts flashback to that day––the whispers, the rumors. Images of Sebastian at the gentlemen's club with Karl on our son's wedding day. Me standing outside with Kenneth, being shown the video. The memory of him getting a lap dance in a private room resurfaces, unwelcome and vivid. My heartbeat quickens as the mental images invade my mind, a mix of hurt and anger rising to the surface.

And now Eveline drops the bomb that there might be the actual footage of his betrayal, more damaging and scandalous than all the rest. Could anyone else have caught wind of that video? Kenneth, perhaps? The idea that someone might be holding onto that footage, waiting for the opportune moment to unleash it on the world, sends a shiver down my spine. The public humiliation, the scrutiny––it’s a nightmare scenario that clenches at my gut. I can only hope that no one else has their hands on that damning evidence.

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