Olivia’s POV
I stood a few feet from Maxwell, positioned by the window with my notebook held against my chest, trying desperately to ignore the panic building within me like a tornado.
David was looking between me and Maxwell with an expression of complete shock - his eyes darting back and forth, his mouth slightly open, his entire body language screaming confusion and disbelief.
He hadn’t expected to see me here. That much was obvious.
Maybe he thought I’d flee after his threatening words that day. But I’d proved him wrong and stubbornly stayed - that should be the reason for his surprise.
I remained perfectly still, barely breathing, waiting to see what he would say. Would he expose me right here? Right now? Would this be the moment my entire world came crashing down?
The silence continued for what felt like hours, until Maxwell finally broke the tension, his voice calm and cool. "David, please, have a seat. Let’s discuss your case."
David blinked, as if waking from a dream, then slowly lowered himself into the chair across from Maxwell. But his eyes kept drifting back to me, questions written all over his face.
Maxwell opened the file in front of him, somehow oblivious to the undercurrents in the room. "Now, let’s start with the basics. Tell me about your wife. Where does your marriage currently stand?"
That seemed to snap David back to the present. He cleared his throat, finally tearing his gaze away from me. "I’m not speaking to my wife at the moment. We’re separated, living in different residences. She’s... she’s trying to take everything I have through this divorce, and I won’t let that happen."
Maxwell nodded, his expression neutral. "I understand. That’s a common concern in divorce proceedings. Let’s discuss the specifics. How long were you married?"
"Two years," David said. "We got married in France, and I remained there with her after our wedding."
"And do you have a prenuptial agreement?"
David’s jaw tightened. "No. We were in love. I didn’t think I needed one."
I tried to hold myself from scoffing out loud. He got married two years ago? To a lady he was clearly in love with? Two years ago was when we broke up for crying out loud. Meaning he was either cheating on me, or didn’t love me enough as he claimed. Why then did he come back? Why is he trying to get me back?
Maxwell made a note. "Alright. That complicates things, but it’s not insurmountable. Let’s talk about assets. What are we working with here? Real estate, business interests, investments?"
As David began listing his assets - his houses, his businesses, various investment accounts - I took notes of everything while my mind raced.
Why was David so surprised to see me here? Had he said something to Maxwell? No. I doubt that. If he had said something, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.
So what exactly did they discuss that day?
"My primary concern," David was saying, "is one of my businesses. My wife insisted that she contributes to the business when I wanted to commence. I gave in, and she contributed about thirty percent of the investment. But I’ve built it up ever since. I’ve done all the work, made all the decisions. And now she’s claiming she’s entitled to half of everything because we’re in a community property state."
Maxwell leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "Unfortunately, David, that’s how community property law works. In this state, assets acquired during the marriage are generally considered jointly owned, regardless of who earned them or whose name is on the title."
"But that’s not fair!" David’s voice rose slightly. "I built that business from the ground up! She barely contributed anything!"
"Fair and legal are often two different things," Maxwell said calmly. "However, there are strategies we can employ. If you can demonstrate that you brought significant separate property into the marriage, or that the business growth was primarily due to your individual efforts rather than community resources, we might be able to argue for a different distribution."
David looked hopeful for the first time since entering the room. "Really? You can do that?"
"I can certainly try," Maxwell replied. "But I need complete transparency from you. Every asset, every debt, every financial decision made during the marriage. I also need to understand the nature of your wife’s contributions - did she work in the business? Provide support that allowed you to focus on growing it? Courts often consider non-financial contributions when determining property division."
"She... she handled some administrative tasks in the beginning," David admitted reluctantly. "Answered phones, managed scheduling. But nothing significant. Once I started hiring people, she stopped working entirely."
"And what about spousal support? Is she seeking alimony?"
"Of course she is," David said bitterly. "She claims she sacrificed her career to support mine. But the truth is, she never had a career. She met me, thought she had found a money bag, and decided to settle down with me. I think she volunteered that capital because she knew this was going to happen. She was just making plans for her future. She knew damn well that I could afford to start it up on my own."
"That may actually work in your favor," Maxwell said. "If she didn’t give up a lucrative career to support the marriage, her claim for substantial spousal support is weaker."
I continued taking notes, trying to remain invisible, but I could feel David’s eyes on me most of the time. Each time he looked at me, my anxiety spiked.
"I should warn you," Maxwell continued, "divorce litigation can be expensive and emotionally draining. Have you considered mediation? It might result in a more favorable outcome and certainly a faster resolution."
David shook his head firmly. "No. She’s not willing to be reasonable. Her lawyer is already threatening to drag this out, to paint me as some kind of villain. The expenses is not my problem right now. I just need someone who can fight back."
"I can certainly fight back," Maxwell said, and there was something predatory in his smile. "But understand that fighting means substantial legal fees, years of litigation, and a lot of dirty laundry aired in public court proceedings. Are you prepared for that?"
"I don’t care," David said, and I could hear the determination in his voice. "I’m not letting her take everything I have. Whatever it costs, whatever it takes."
Maxwell studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Alright. I’ll take your case. Oliver will prepare the retainer agreement and initial filing documents. We’ll need to move quickly - has your wife already filed for divorce, or are you initiating?"
"She filed two weeks ago."
"Then we need to file a response immediately. Oliver, make that a priority."
"Yes, sir," I said, my voice a little steadier.
David shifted in his seat, then looked between Maxwell and me again, a suspicious look that made my stomach clench.
"Actually," David said slowly, "there’s something I’d like to discuss with you privately, Maxwell. If you don’t mind."
My heart stopped.
"Oliver can step outside," David continued. "This is... it’s somewhat sensitive."
No. No, no, no.
I spoke up quickly, desperately. "Actually, my boss isn’t feeling well. He had a pneumonia flare-up last night. I’d prefer to stay by his side in case of any emergency."
It was a weak excuse, and I knew it. But I couldn’t leave them alone. I couldn’t risk David exposing me when I wasn’t there to defend myself or at least see it coming.
David’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I think it would be better if you didn’t get involved in this particular conversation, OLIVER."
"But..."
"Oliver," Maxwell’s voice cut through my protest, "Please step outside. That’s what my client wants."