Chapter 2 - THE DIVORCE PAPERS
Six days earlier, I had been lying in a hospital bed with our newborn daughter against my chest.
Our son slept in a bassinet beside me.
The delivery had lasted thirty-one hours.
My blood pressure had collapsed twice, and one of the twins had briefly struggled to breathe.
Arthur entered without flowers.
Without concern.
Without asking how his children were doing.
Brooke followed him wearing the pearl earrings Victoria had given me on my wedding day.
Arthur placed a white envelope beside my water.
“What is this?”
“Divorce papers.”
I looked at him for several seconds.
Brooke crossed her arms near the window.
Arthur continued.
“I can’t keep carrying this marriage alone.”
“You haven’t visited your children in three days.”
“I was dealing with the estate crisis.”
The Vance family mansion was close to foreclosure.
Charles had borrowed against it while hiding enormous losses inside Vance Capital.
Brooke claimed she had found a private investor willing to save the property.
Arthur and his parents treated her like a hero.
Now Arthur stood beside my hospital bed and said:
“Brooke saved my family while you hid behind pregnancy.”
I carefully placed our daughter in the bassinet.
“Did you verify where Brooke’s money came from?”
“I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“You’re divorcing me because you believe she rescued the estate.”
“I’m divorcing you because you contributed nothing.”
Brooke smiled.
“Some women are better suited to staying home with children.”
I picked up the acknowledgment page and signed it.
Arthur looked surprised.
“You’re not going to fight?”
“No.”
May you like
I handed him the pen.
“But enjoy the estate while you still have access to the front door.”
