Chapter 2
I walked out of Jerome's office,
the heavy glass doors closing softly behind me,
and the cool evening breeze hit my face.
The city lights were exceptionally bright tonight,
reflecting off the damp asphalt like scattered diamonds,
and for the first time in months,
the heavy weight in my chest was completely gone.
I walked down the concrete steps,
my heels clicking sharply against the stone,
each step echoing with a newfound sense of power.
I reached into my designer purse,
my fingers brushing against the cold leather,
and I pulled out my vibrating phone.
Scott's name flashed brightly across the screen,
accompanied by a picture of him smiling arrogantly,
a picture taken before his lies tore us apart.
I let it ring for a few moments,
watching the screen illuminate the dark interior of my car,
before I finally swiped to answer.
"Avery,"
his voice boomed through the speaker,
dripping with impatience and unearned superiority,
"where the hell are you right now?"
"I left some of my books in the study,"
he continued without waiting for my reply,
"and I need you to come get them immediately."
"Kayla wants to redecorate the entire room tomorrow,"
he added casually,
his tone completely devoid of any remorse or guilt,
"and your old junk is just taking up valuable space."
I took a slow,
deep breath,
gripping the steering wheel tightly with one hand,
and I forced a soft sob into my voice.
"I am so sorry,
Scott,"
I whimpered quietly,
playing the role of the heartbroken,
devastated wife perfectly,
"I didn't mean to leave a mess behind."
"I will come by tomorrow morning to collect the rest of my things,"
I promised him,
keeping my tone trembling and weak,
"if that works for you and Kayla."
On the other end of the line,
I heard a smug,
satisfied chuckle escape his lips,
confirming that his massive ego was thoroughly fed.
"Good,"
he snapped coldly,
"make sure you are gone before noon."
"The movers are arriving with Kayla's new furniture,"
he stated with an air of immense wealth,
"and we don't need any awkward scenes."
"I understand completely,"
I whispered,
staring at my reflection in the rearview mirror,
where a dark,
calculating smile was spreading across my face.
"I won't cause any trouble for you,"
I added softly,
"I just want this to be over quickly."
"Excellent,"
he said,
his voice filled with a sense of ultimate victory,
"I am glad you are finally being reasonable about this."
"The lawyers are finalizing the fast-track divorce paperwork,"
he informed me,
clearly eager to secure his grand prize,
"and we should sign them by Friday."
"The sooner we finish this legal nonsense,"
he murmured,
almost to himself,
"the sooner we can both move on with our lives."
"Yes,"
I agreed silently in my mind,
"the sooner we finish,
the sooner you become absolutely penniless."
He hung up the phone without saying another word,
leaving me in the quiet sanctuary of my vehicle.
I put the phone down on the passenger seat,
leaning my head back against the leather headrest,
and I let out a long,
cathartic laugh.
He had no idea what was coming for him,
he had no concept of the trap he had sprung,
and he was sprinting toward his own doom.
I started the engine,
the powerful machine purring to life instantly,
and I pulled out into the bustling city traffic.
I drove toward my temporary apartment,
a small,
modest space I had rented in a hurry,
but tonight,
it felt like a castle of freedom.
As I drove past the expensive boutiques and restaurants,
the places where Scott was currently spending his savings,
I realized how blind he truly was to reality.
He believed his grandmother's wealth was already his,
he believed he had won the ultimate lottery,
and he was treating everyone around him like garbage.
But the late matriarch had left me the ultimate weapon,
a legal document written in golden ink,
and I was going to use it to destroy his world.
Every single clause was a protective shield for me,
every single sentence was a sword aimed at his greed,
and I was ready to fight.
Tomorrow would be the beginning of his end,
May you like
and I would play my part flawlessly,
until the very final curtain fell.
