Chapter 3 - Page two
Delphine finally opened the envelope in the library with both of our attorneys present.
Page one described the property:
Ashford House, 18 Briar Glen Road.
Acquired by:
Ronan Ashford.
Purchase date:
Four years before marriage.
Title:
Ronan Ashford, sole owner.
No surprise.
Page two contained the part Delphine apparently had forgotten or never understood:
Any expenditures made by either spouse toward furnishing, decorating, maintenance, renovation, event preparation, landscaping, or household improvement shall not create title, equity, beneficial ownership, or a lien against the residence unless a separate written conveyance is executed and recorded in compliance with applicable law.
Then:
Documented approved contributions by Delphine Ashford may be reimbursable under Schedule C, subject to valuation and offsets, but do not convert the residence into marital property.
Delphine stared at the language.
Her attorney, Margaret Keene, read it twice.
Then looked at her.
“Did you sign this?”
Delphine said:
“Yes.”
“Were you represented?”
“Yes.”
Her premarital attorney had been independent.
No coercion.
No surprise signing the morning of wedding.
The agreement had been negotiated for six weeks.
Then Delphine said:
“There are later documents.”
My attorney, Steven Vale, asked:
“What documents?”
She opened her phone.
Pulled up photographs.
A memorandum titled:
Capital Improvement Participation Acknowledgment.
It listed:
Pool renovation.
West terrace.
Guest wing.
Landscape redesign.
Kitchen expansion.
Total stated contribution from Delphine-related sources:
$1.72 million.
At bottom:
Equity participation estimated at 18.5%.
My signature appeared.
I stared at it.
“That is not my signature.”
Delphine looked at me.
“I watched you sign it.”
“No, you watched me sign renovation approvals.”
Her attorney went still.
“Where is the original?”
Delphine said:
May you like
“With my accountant.”
That answer started an entirely new problem.
