“It’s too late, Carla,” Richard said, his voice dropping to a dead, hollow whisper. “It’s signed. The notary stamped it. The digital copy was automatically filed with the probate court the second the seal hit the paper. You legally bypassed the protection of probate to assume the estate in its entirety.”

Carla fell to her knees amidst the shattered glass on the floor, weeping hysterically, grasping at the legs of the mahogany table as the walls of her wealthy, entitled life violently collapsed around her.

“You didn’t inherit an empire, Carla,” Richard stated coldly, backing away toward the glass doors, preparing to completely sever his firm’s ties with the radioactive woman crying on the floor. “You inherited a prison sentence. And my retainer does not cover federal criminal defense.”

Chapter 5: The Fallout

Six months later, the universe had aggressively, flawlessly balanced the scales.

The contrast between the smoldering, catastrophic ruins of Carla Fredel’s life and the soaring, peaceful reality of my own was absolute.

In a bleak, fluorescent-lit, wood-paneled federal bankruptcy court in downtown Chicago, the final act of Carla’s destruction played out.

She sat at the defendant’s table, looking aged by twenty years. The sharp, tailored power suits and heavy gold jewelry were gone. She wore a cheap, faded blouse, her hair unstyled, her face hollowed out by six months of relentless, suffocating terror. She was a broken, destitute woman.

The federal government and the defrauded clients of Joel’s law firm had descended upon the estate like a pack of starving wolves. Because Carla had legally assumed the estate, bypassing the protections of standard probate to aggressively seize the assets, she was held personally, civilly liable for the massive shortfall.

The judge banged his gavel, his voice echoing loudly in the sterile room.

“Carla Fredel,” the judge intoned severely, looking down at the weeping woman. “Due to your legal assumption of the liabilities of Joel Fredel’s estate, and the staggering, multi-million dollar deficit resulting from his embezzlement and tax evasion, this court orders the immediate, total liquidation of your personal assets to satisfy the defrauded creditors.”

Carla sobbed loudly, a wretched, pathetic sound of total defeat, burying her face in her trembling hands.