She sat in the front row and made a point of adjusting her diamond necklace—the same one, worth about $20,000, bought with stolen money. Regina gave me the look of a woman who believed she had already won. Right behind her came Eleanor in black Chanel, pearls layered at her throat, wearing the expression of a Roman empress attending a public execution.
She sat beside Regina, and the two of them immediately began whispering. They had come to enjoy the show. Victor arrived last, dignified and silent as ever.
He gave me one brief glance—the same kind of glance a person gives an empty chair—and sat down beside his wife. My lawyer, Arthur Blinov, an older attorney from a low-cost legal aid office, looked pale and outmatched next to Krasnov’s polished team. That, too, was part of the plan. No one was supposed to suspect a thing.
Judge Galina Vershinina, a woman in her mid-fifties with sharp eyes behind severe glasses, took her seat and called the hearing to order. “This court will hear the matter of the dissolution of marriage between Gleb Igorevich Severtsev and Zoe Andreevna Severtseva,” she said. Krasnov stood and adjusted his perfect tie.
“Your Honor, my client is a respected businessman, owner of the successful firm Severtsev Development.” “Eight years ago, he married for love, but unfortunately the parties proved fundamentally incompatible.” “Mrs. Severtseva has no meaningful professional standing…”
“Excuse me, she has a degree in marketing,” my lawyer said timidly. “A degree she has not used in eight years,” Krasnov replied smoothly, brushing the objection aside like lint. “During that time, Mrs. Severtseva lived entirely on her husband’s support and made no financial contribution to the household.”
“My client requests dissolution of the marriage with minimal support obligations, given the absence of children and the respondent’s ability to work,” he concluded. Then Eleanor took the stand and delivered a masterpiece of polished cruelty.
“I truly tried to welcome Zoe into our family,” she began in the tone of a woman burdened by her own goodness. “But how can I put this delicately? Differences in upbringing and education were always evident.” “My son, out of the best intentions, tried to help her grow”…
