Escaping The Betrayal's Chill

, impossible. A joke. But the raised seal of the

mber for the County Clerk's office. My voice was hoarse when the

udgment for dissolution was entered on October 14th, three years a

I asked, the question so

a waiver of appearance was filed on

never even knew. I had spent the last three years of my life believing I

d. It was the most ridiculous, cruel, and theatrical deception I had ever heard of. I had been living with my ex-

ignored it. Then my phone started buzzing. Chloe. I let it go

. We need to talk

could anyone

ood on the porch, looking frantic. Liam an

oe?" I asked, my voice

she said, her eyes pleading.

divorce certificate. "What does a legal,

re a loan for a new venture, and the investors were old-fashioned. They wanted him to b

s the sheer audacity of her lie. "So you marr

ailable, to prove we could get married if we needed to. It was a financial s

even make logical sense. But she was saying it with such

do it. You did it so you could seem 'available' to your 'soulmate' for a business d

ed her excuses weren't working. This wasn't the

't love you!" she crie

c. "Don't. Don't you dare say that wor

arasite. She wanted Liam's affection and my stability. She wanted his passion and

Chloe," I sa

You can't! What about

with your... business partner,"

ding. I went back to my office and made two phone calls.

house," I said. "As

d of a prestigious architectural firm in Paris. I had tu

Miller. I know it's been a while. I wa

al documents, a few changes of clothes, and my architectural tools. Everything else-

ke. I drove to Leo's school. I had to say goodbye to the one person w

g up after the students had left. She

glad to see you're o

I just came to thank you. For calling

r brow furrowed with concern.

swung open. It was Chloe, with Liam righ

ripping with venom. "I've been calling

goodbye," I

n his face. "Giving up so easily, E

fight for," I replied,

here was a loud screech of tires from the street outside, followed by a sickening crunch of

ards Ms. Evans, to shield her f

s, she didn't look at me. She didn't look towards her son's classroom. She threw her

erything was laid bare. Faced with a perceived threat, her first and only instinct was t

any doubt, any lingering sentiment, was extinguished forever. It was the final, brutal c