My Beautiful, Hard-Won Life

For a moment, I thought he would argue, that he would try to talk me o

ace. The anger faded, replaced by a f

about this, Sarah?" he asked

t looking at him. I walked to the kitchen counter and p

Okay," he said slowly, the single word hanging i

d a fight, a long, drawn-out battle. His easy agreement was more unsettl

, narrowing my eyes. "You

tions," he said, adopting a wounded tone. "If you think divorcing me will make you happ

he did. He had a pregnant fiancée waiting in the wings. He needed me out of the way

ce as cold as his. "Bu

d his face. "Conditions? I

shared assets. The house, the stocks, the savings. Everything we

makes up most of our net worth. If I have to liquidate half of it, i

to manipulate me, usin

our son, I put my own career on hold so you could pursue yours. I am entitled to half of it, and I will not acc

tself, but about the money. He paced the kitchen for a moment, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. He was cornered. A m

sentment. "Fine. You can have your fifty perc

far too easily.

wyer to review ev

e snapped. "The sooner

phony, gentle expression softening his features.

n get through this. Once this... situation with Chloe is resolved, we can work o

hile his pregnant mistress was waiting for him to make her the new Mrs. Vance. He thought I wa

, my voice flat. "It died a long time a

ering sound. "If you change your

, the glass of water shaking in my hand now that he was gone. I

been about anything in our marriage. The man who would regularly forget our anniversary and miss Liam's school events was suddenly a para

. "Did you get the papers? You should find

imes was now chasing me down to sign away our life

tless, his little body hot to the touch. I gave him some medicine

ang. It wa

parents are throwing a small dinner party to celebrate... well, you know. I

anted me and our sick son to att

ick. We're not going anywhere," I

Tylenol, he'll be fine," he said dismissively. "This

ck. I am not dragging my feverish

fficult. Fine. You stay home with him. But I have to go.

we needed anything. He just saw his sick son as

ild to go to a party?" I ask

y dinner. I'll be back later," he said, his tone

tective fury so intense it left me breathless. This man, this father, was not just selfish. He was vi

ed in that moment. It was replaced by a cold, hard certainty. Getting away from him wasn't just ab