I gave him no encouragement and no hostility.
I simply returned to my papers.
The judge entered a few minutes later.
Everyone stood.
After the judge took her seat, the clerk called the case and confirmed the appearances.
My attorney arrived just before the proceedings began. She placed her briefcase beside me and whispered that the court had received the latest evidentiary submissions.
I nodded.
Across the aisle, Arthur leaned toward his lawyer.
Then he looked directly at me.
“Last chance,” he whispered. “You can still end this before you embarrass yourself.”
I did not answer.
The judge reviewed the filings, then asked the parties to address the disputed guarantee and the allegations surrounding its execution.
Arthur’s lawyer began confidently.
He described me as a disgruntled spouse who had used her legal training to intimidate a family business. He argued that the company had suffered because I had refused to cooperate with legitimate financial arrangements.
