Law America, the Devil's Agent

"Can you make them pay the price?"

Daniel sat in his chair, staring intently at Link.

"Yes, I can!"

But before we take action, we need to figure out one thing: what exactly do you want?

"I want……"

Daniel opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Divorce? Property division? Getting the house back?

The words rolled around in his throat before he swallowed them back down.

Link answered for him.

"What you want is for the person who betrayed you to pay the price, right?"

Daniel's breathing became heavy, and his fists clenched white under the table.

"Yes. That's it."

Link nodded slightly, a gentle smile on his face.

"In that case, Mr. Caterro, you shouldn't get a divorce."

Why?

"First of all, aren't you looking for revenge against her? Let's start with the first question: who benefits from a divorce?"

Link held up one finger.

"It's your wife, Allison Catro."

She works in administration at Penn and earns an annual after-tax salary of $40,000.

Her affair partner: Rebecca Horowitz, who was reportedly just a casual band lead singer with no stable income.

Their combined income is very low, and without your house, their lives would be extremely difficult.

He paused.

"So they need a judgment in their divorce case."

Because that would allow them to take a share of your property.

A judgment that allows you to take alimony from your meager monthly salary and put it into their pockets.

"Therefore, divorce will do you nothing but harm."

Daniel's lips moved.

He recalled the lawyer's letter sent by Allison's lawyer, elegantly worded and logically rigorous.

It's as if the law will eventually side with that woman, considering the list of items like the house, savings, and monthly alimony.

  

"But if we don't get a divorce, we're still husband and wife. Every penny I earn from now on will belong to her."

Link smiled, then pulled a pen from the table and began to write:

You have misunderstood a most basic legal concept.

Common property rights are not equivalent to unconditional use rights!

In Pennsylvania, we follow the Uniform Marital Property Act. I'll explain it to you in detail.

He started making mind maps on paper.

"First of all, joint property rights do not mean that she can spend whatever she wants."

You can think of it as: two people share an account, and every expenditure requires the consent of both parties.

Daniel stared blankly at the words on the paper; as a soldier, he had never known anything about this before.

"But I can't just not give them a single penny, can I?"

There is no obligation to provide support under the Marriage Law.

"Good question."

Link turned to another page and continued writing.

Pennsylvania law stipulates that spouses have a mutual obligation to support each other, but there's a prerequisite... the other spouse must be unable to work!

Daniel, who was standing nearby, suddenly realized what was going on.

"She does. She has a job at Penn."

"That's right, so theoretically you don't need to give her a single penny. Not a single penny."

"certainly."

Link shrugged: "I was only talking about theory. In reality, judges consider many factors when awarding child support."

Once you file for divorce, your spouse can apply to the court for temporary alimony.

But if you hadn't brought it up, it was she who did...

Then it's your turn to sing this play.

He put down his pen.

"So now, Mr. Caterro, it's her who wants a divorce. Not you."

Daniel has fully understood.

Divorce is what Alison wants.

She wanted to win this victory, to cleanly and decisively sever the marriage, take everything away, and start a new life.

What I need to do is prevent her from getting what she wants.

"Wait a moment."

He suddenly frowned: "Then she's still living in our house."

I paid the down payment for that house.

What right does she have to live there?

"On what grounds? On the grounds that this is your marital residence. She has the legal right to reside here."

Daniel gritted his teeth in anger.

"However, that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do."

"Oh?"

He picked up his pen again and wrote a few words on the paper.

Where do you live now?

"I rented a place. The old house was filled with their scent. I couldn't stay there anymore."

"So they're still living in your house?"

"right."

Was the house purchased before or after the marriage?

Daniel's tone lowered: "After the marriage, the down payment was made with my veteran's pension. The loan is also in my name."

"it is good."

Link nodded:

"A marital home is joint property. You have no obligation to move out; it was your own 'choice' to move out."

Daniel was stunned.

"You mean... you want me to go back?"

Link spread his hands: "That's your house. You have the legal right to live there."

No judge would dare to order the eviction of a legal homeowner from their marital home unless there is domestic violence.

He paused.

Have you ever hit or verbally abused her?

"No, none of them."

"That's fine."

Link's voice became lighter.

"So you can go back. Anytime."

"But to avoid unnecessary arguments and noise, you don't need to move back long-term. Perhaps you could do this:"

On a sunny weekend.

When they come home from get off work, ready to flirt and relax, they return to their rooms naked, while you are already lying on your master bedroom bed before them.

You're about to take your wedding photos with her and relive the passion you once shared.

Believe me, it was an unforgettable day for them.

Daniel's Adam's apple bobbed.

That scene appeared.

Allison and Rebecca returned home from get off work.

She had been waiting in bed for quite some time.

He will remain quietly in his home, no matter what they do:

Noise, threats, curses...

He remained calm and quiet, observing them until they became so bewildered that they stopped what they were doing.

"They'll be in a lot of pain," Daniel said softly.

"right."

Link leaned back in his chair, that smile on his face:

"They will be very upset, but there is nothing they can do about it."

Because they can't leave your house.

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Daniel looked down at the piece of paper Link had spread out on the table.

It was filled with legal clauses and strategies.

This is the justice he has been waiting for.

"But... are these really legal?"

He looked up at Link.

"I mean, all of this."

"Won't the judge think I'm deliberately making things difficult for her?"

"Deliberately making things difficult?"

Link repeated the word, finding it amusing.

"Mr. Catro, you are a veteran who served your country in the Middle East for twelve years."

You have never hit your wife, never scolded her, never threatened her, and never harassed her.

You are simply exercising all the legal rights of a betrayed husband within the legal framework.

"This isn't making things difficult. This is the law."

Daniel slowly closed his eyes.

Then, the face marinated in alcohol and despair finally regained its expression.

"Continue," he said. "What else?"

Link turned to another page of the file.

"Next, we'll talk about another of your wife's weaknesses."

It wasn't her material possessions, but her soul.

He glanced at the line of text on the file.

Allison Catroe.

Her name before marriage was Allison Miller.

Her hometown is a small town in central Pennsylvania, right?

"Yes. Her hometown is in Lancaster County."

"Good place," Link said.

"Amish territory. A Christian community?"

"Extremely Christ-like."

Daniel said with certainty:

"Her parents were members of the evangelical church in that small town. Everyone there was."

The school is a church school, the community is a Christian community, and the only recreational activity on weekends is attending prayer meetings.

"But your wife was an accident."

Link gently tapped the page of the file:

"Growing up in that environment, I got into the University of Pennsylvania and came to Philadelphia."

In Philadelphia, she met Rebecca, and the two women fell in love.

He crossed his arms.

Do you think her parents know about this?

Daniel's breath hitched, then he shook his head.

No. She dared not tell them.

Link prompted, "Why wouldn't you dare?"

"They will publicly condemn her in the church."

Her family will also cut ties with her.

Everyone in that town knew the Miller family.

If this gets back to that small town, she'll never be able to go back.

"That's right."

Link leaned back into the chair.

"Ms. Allison is in Philadelphia. She is an administrator at Penn and a modern woman who dares to be herself."

But in her hometown of Lancaster County, in the church where her family resides: she is a secret that cannot be made public!

What she feared most was these two identities colliding.

He held up one finger.

"We already have the weapon of religion!"

We must now take up the weapon of morality!

She was the one who cheated, and she is at fault. There is no denying that she betrayed her marriage vows.

He looked up at Daniel.

"Who was the witness when you recited your wedding vows?"

Daniel's lips trembled slightly.

"God."

"Before God, before her parents, and before everyone in the church in that small town."

She made a promise of loyalty, faithfulness, and unwavering devotion to God, the Bible, and your family.

"Then she betrayed it all."

Daniel's eyes dimmed.

Link looked at him and calmly concluded:

"The question now is not whether you can win or not."

The question is, to what extent do you want to win?

Do you want her to just be unhappy, or do you want her to be unable to live under any of her identities from now on?

Do you want her to just lose some money, or do you want her to never be able to hold her head up in the hometown where she grew up again?

Do you want her case to be dismissed by the court, or do you want her to kneel before her parents and you, repenting for the promise she made to the cross?

……

"You're a monster."

"At your service, sir."

……

After he finished speaking, Daniel buried his head in his hands and fell into a deathly silence.

Link didn't urge him; he simply stood up leisurely and looked out at the sky.

The room echoed with low, dreamlike murmurs:

"Now, make your choice."

Outside the window, the bells of Philadelphia echoed in my ears.

Daniel sat in the chair, his fingers gripping the fabric on his knees.

"all."

His voice was hoarse, but no longer trembling.

"I want her to lose everything!"

Link looked down at him.

The sunlight, blocked by his back, shrouded his face in shadow, with only his eyes seemingly sparkling.

"very good."

He said.

"Everything will be as you wish."