The Affidavit (Anna and Lu Jinhu’s Relationship) – Part 4
*** WARNING – This chapter and the following chapters cover issues relating to domestic violence. These themes will continue throughout the balance of the story. Please be careful when reading this material. ***
Thursday, continued…
[Anna is still typing her affidavit]
For a foreign citizen to marry in Country X, one is required to complete paperwork at the local embassy. I attended the Australian Embassy in the capital on the day after my arrival to finalize the paperwork for my marriage to Lu Jinhu. However, during my visit, I spotted my husband and immediately knew I could not marry Lu Jinhu. Since my husband is well-known to the Australian Embassy officials, I was able to convince them to process the necessary paperwork without him being present, and without his details being included. A letter was attached to this explaining why my husband was not there.
After a confrontation between Lu Jinhu and myself outside the Civil Administration Bureau, before I could confess to him that I would not marry him, he informed me that he had already married a Miss Yang Lin, had gained Australian citizenship, and indirectly suggested that he had obtained the fraudulent orders that I am now appealing.
Once Lu Jinhu left, I met with my now-husband and we discussed the situation. We quickly agreed to get married, and the documents supplied by the Australian Embassy, along with the attached letter, were deemed sufficient to allow us to proceed with our marriage.
[Note – ALFRED: I will upload into the system the footage of us obtaining our marriage certificate, along with certified translated copies of our marriage certificate and household registers. I will bring the originals with me.]
I am requesting that the court, in this appeal, set aside the original orders obtained by fraud and issue new orders that provide for an appropriate financial settlement, thus ending my de facto relationship with Lu Jinhu.
[NOTE – ALFRED: Please add any additional material needed to meet the technical requirements for the appeal. I am too tired and emotionally drained to think about that right now.]
[Anna stopped typing her affidavit]
After saving the document, Anna took a moment to review what she had written, realizing she had most likely included everything necessary. She knew that any additional material could be added by Alfred, as that was his responsibility, not hers.
She then opened her email and sent a message to Alfred:
“Alfred, I have prepared the preliminary draft affidavit, with some notes. As I am drained, I have not checked the technicalities required to overturn the orders. That will all need to be inserted into the affidavit. Let me know what I need to read, and what time you need me in. I am flying back over the weekend. Unless you need to, can you please not reveal any of the information in the affidavit to anyone in the office? I want to tell everyone about ending the relationship with Lu Jinhu, face to face. I don’t need them to get it in affidavit form. The most difficult part will be my marriage to one of the most powerful men in this country, who controls a client of the firm. Other than the translations, are there any other documents you need me to bring? Do you need an affidavit from my husband? Let me know. Thanks, Anna.”
Once the email was sent, Anna opened up the chat box with Hou Yi:
“Finished. Let me know when you’re ready to leave. I am just going to pack up my laptop for the day, as I am exhausted.”
Hou Yi replied:
“Anna, no problem. I’m chasing everyone out of the office now, they should be gone in about five minutes, and I’ll come in to get you.”
“OK. Logging off now…”
