“Her input seems remarkably biased toward my ex-wife.”
“My input is based on six years of practicing family law.” Miller's voice stayed calm, but something hot was building in her chest. “I've seen what happens when attorneys present unsubstantiated claims about an opposing party's mental fitness. Judges don't like it. Juries don't like it. And whenthe claims can't be proven, it makes the accusing party look desperate and vindictive.”
“I’m telling you what I experienced?—”
“The court doesn't care about your experience. It cares about evidence.” Miller set her pen down. “If you can't prove these claims, presenting them is potentially defamatory. And if Rachel stands up in court and makes accusations she knows she can't substantiate, that's an ethical violation.”
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut.
Valerie turned to Rachel, her composure cracking visibly now. “Are you going to let her speak to me like this? She recused herself. She has no right?—”
“She’s not wrong.” Rachel’s voice was quiet but firm. “Can you prove any of this, Valerie? Documentation, witnesses, anything beyond your own personal account?”
“It’s what I lived through.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Valerie’s jaw tightened. For a long moment, she didn’t answer, then she said, “It’s my interpretation of what happened. My truth.”
“Then we can’t use it.” Rachel closed her folder with a soft snap. “We’re going to win the case on facts, not fabrication. I won’t risk my license or this firm’s reputation on claims we can’t back up.”
“This ismycase.” Valerie’s voice rose sharply. “Mydivorce,mymoney. You work forme.”
“And this is my firm.” Rachel didn’t flinch. “My license, my ethics. I’ll fight for you with everything I have, but I won’t lie for you. That’s not what you hired me to do.”
Valerie stood so abruptly her chair scraped against the floor. She grabbed her bag, her movements were jerky with barely contained fury. “I should have known,” she said, her voice icy enough to freeze. “The moment Miller recused herself, I shouldhave found new representation. You're all protecting her. Every single one of you.”
She strode toward the door.
“Valerie—” Rachel started.
But the door slammed behind Valerie hard enough to rattle the blinds.
Silence settled over the conference room. Miller stared at the legal pad in front of her, at the notes she’d stopped taking halfway through the meeting.
Rachel exhaled slowly. “Well, that happened.”
“I’m sorry,” Miller said. “I shouldn’t have?—”
“You shouldn’t have, what? Pointed out that she was asking us to commit an ethical violation?” Rachel shook her head. “You were right. I knew it the moment she started talking about ‘mental instability.’ I just needed someone else to say it first.”
Miller didn’t respond. She slipped her hands underneath her legs.
“She really hates you now.” Rachel was watching her with that particular expression, the one that meant she was seeing more than Miller wanted her to see. “Not just dislike. Genuine hatred.”
“I know.”
“Do you want to tell me what this is really about?”
The question hung in the air between them. Miller thought about all the things she could say.I fell in love with your client’s ex-wife. I know those claims are lies because I know Astoria in ways never did, never could, never wanted to.
“I can’t,” Miller said finally. “I’m sorry. I wish I could.”
Rachel nodded slowly. She didn’t push—she never did—but something in her eyes said she understood more than what Miller was saying.
Rachel paused at the door. “For what it’s worth, you did good work on this case before you left. Whatever happens in that courtroom, you should be proud of that."
“Thank you.” Miller meant it more than she could say.
