Chapter 17 - Sophia’s DepositionSophia wore a gray blazer to her deposition.
Claire did not attend.
Maya later summarized.
Daniel’s attorney attacked credibility.
Sophia expected it.
“You knowingly had a relationship with a married man?”
“Yes.
“You entered Claire Weston’s home without her knowledge?”
“Yes.”
“You hid from her?”
“Yes.”
“You lied by omission for months?”
“Yes.”
No excuses.
Then:
“Why should anyone believe you now?”
Sophia answered:
“Because I saved the messages from when I was still helping him.”
That was strong.
Not:
Because I am good now.
Because contemporaneous evidence existed before sides changed.
Daniel’s attorney asked whether Claire paid Sophia.
“No.”
Offered employment?
“No.”
Promised help?
“No.”
Threatened?
“No.”
“Do you like Claire Weston?”
Sophia paused.
“I respect her.”
Not friendship.
Good.
“Does she like you?”
Sophia almost smiled.
“I don’t think so.”
Even better.
Then Sophia described Daniel’s property plan.
The Thursday signing.
His statement that Claire trusted him.
His intent to reveal affair afterward if useful.
His discussion of living in the mansion.
Then came the bathroom.
“Why did you hide?”
“Because Claire came home.”
“Did Daniel tell you to?”
“Yes.”
“Were you afraid Claire would harm you?”
Sophia considered.
“No.”
“Then what were you afraid of?”
“That the affair would be discovered before Daniel got what he wanted.”
The room went quiet.
That sentence connected sex and money in one line.
Daniel’s attorney tried another path.
“Isn’t it true you became angry because Mr. Weston would not immediately leave his wife?”
“Yes.”
“So you had motive to retaliate.”
“Yes.”
Sophia looked directly at him.
“That’s why you should look at the messages, not my feelings.”
Maya told Claire later:
“She did well.”
Claire nodded.
“Good.”
Sophia was not redeemed by testifying.
She was simply doing the next right thing.
That mattered.
After the deposition, Sophia requested one final conversation with Claire.
Public park.
Claire agreed.
Sophia looked exhausted.
“I’m moving.”
“Where?”
“Chicago.”
“Why?”
“School.”
She had deferred university after dropping classes during the affair.
“I’m going back.”
Claire nodded.
“Good.”
Sophia looked at her.
“I need to say something.”
“You’ve apologized.”
“Not that.”
Claire waited.
“I thought being chosen by an older man meant I was mature.”
Claire said nothing.
“It mostly meant I was easy to impress.”
Sophia swallowed.
“But I was still an adult.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to use my age to erase that.”
Claire respected the sentence.
Sophia continued.
“I knew he had a wife.”
“Yes.”
“I believed lies because I wanted them to be true.”
“Yes.”
“I entered your home.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
Claire looked at her for a long moment.
“I believe you’re sorry.”
Sophia’s eyes filled.
“Do you forgive me?”
Claire answered honestly.
“Not yet.”
Sophia nodded.
“Okay.”
No argument.
Then she reached into her bag.
The gold hoop earring.
The one Claire found.
“I thought you might have the other.”
Claire almost laughed.
“I left it where I found it until evidence photographs were done.”
“I don’t want it.”
Claire looked at the tiny piece of gold.
“Neither do I.”
Sophia smiled sadly.
“Throw them away.”
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m tired of making objects carry meaning for people.”
Sophia looked at her.
Claire continued:
“It’s just an earring.”
She handed it back.
Sophia took it.
For the first time, the object from the bathroom lost its power.
Then Sophia left for Chicago.
Claire watched her go.
Not friend.
Not enemy.
May you like
A young woman who had helped hurt her, then helped expose the man who used both of them.
Life did not always provide cleaner categories.
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