Chapter 22 - The Delusion of Entitlement
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Sitting in Naomi’s sleek, glass-walled office later that afternoon, the stark reality of Andrew’s delusion became entirely clear. He wasn't just broke; he was desperately searching for a scapegoat for his own catastrophic life choices.
Naomi slid his petition across the mahogany table. "He lost his job at the brokerage firm three weeks ago. Apparently, his affair partner—the one he was so certain was his soulmate—left him the moment his income evaporated. Now, he's living in a rented apartment he can't afford, and Lorraine is threatening to move in with him."
"So he wants my money to fund his mother's housing," I summarized, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Exactly. His new counsel is a junior bulldog trying to make a name for himself. They are claiming that because you were the primary breadwinner, and because he is now experiencing an 'unforeseen hardship,' you owe him transitional alimony."
I took a deep breath, letting the familiar scent of legal paper and polished wood ground me. "Can they actually win?"
"No," Naomi said firmly, tapping a manicured finger against the edge of the legendary green folder she had pulled from her safe. "The original settlement is ironclad. You didn't hide assets. You provided clear, documented proof of the house’s down payment. He signed the waiver of alimony voluntarily. The judge who presided over your case despises frivolous post-decree litigation. But Andrew is banking on the fact that you hate conflict."
"He thinks I’ll just write him a check to make him go away," I realized.
"He thinks you are still the woman who endured his mother rearranging your kitchen cabinets without screaming. He doesn't understand that you are completely done."
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I leaned back in the leather chair, feeling a quiet, steel resolve settle into my spine.
"Let him try," I said softly. "Draft the response, Naomi. We aren't giving him a single dime. If he wants a war of attrition, he's going to find out that my supplies are limitless."
