Chapter 20 - Veronica’s deposition
I did not attend.
Elena did.
Her choice.
Veronica sat across a conference table.
No white dress.
No diamonds.
Lawyers.
Recorder.
Court reporter.
Elena’s attorney asked:
“When did you decide you wanted a romantic relationship with Alexander Vaughn?”
Veronica answered:
“I don’t know.”
“Before Elena left treatment?”
“No.”
“Did you want him to choose you?”
“No.”
Then:
“Why edit the recording?”
Silence.
Her attorney objected to form.
She eventually answered:
“I thought Elena needed to understand that Alexander was not going to destroy his life to accommodate her instability.”
There.
Not love yet.
Control first.
“Did Alexander say that?”
“No.”
“Did he say Elena and Sofia were his family?”
“Yes.”
“Why remove it?”
Veronica looked at Elena.
“Because she kept pulling him away from everything.”
There.
Resentment.
“What did you believe would happen if Elena stayed in Vermont?”
“She would recover.”
“And Alexander?”
“He would stabilize.”
“And Sofia?”
“She would have consistency.”
“Provided by whom?”
Silence.
Then:
“Eventually me.”
There.
The seed existed earlier than she admitted.
Not a detailed plan.
A fantasy of becoming necessary.
Elena asked for a break.
Later, her lawyer asked:
“Why keep the letters?”
Veronica answered:
“I couldn’t destroy them.”
“Why not deliver them?”
No answer.
Then:
“Did you read them?”
“Yes.”
“All?”
“Most.”
“What did that feel like?”
Veronica cried.
“Like she kept reaching into a life she left.”
Elena finally spoke despite counsel’s preference.
“I didn’t leave the life you showed me.”
The room went quiet.
Veronica looked at her.
May you like
For once there was nothing to edit.
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