Chapter 8
Chapter 8
In the end, Derek caves.
He stares at me like he’s seeing a ghost-shock, fury, and something else. Fear.
He never imagined that meek, obedient Jessica who knew nothing about law would back him into a corner this
rutally.
He thought he controlled everything. But he had no clue what kind of power a woman unleashes when she’s done
eing hurt, when she stops loving.
Fine.”
he words scrape out of his throat like they’re physically painful.
You get the house. I’ll… walk away with nothing.”
Not nothing,” I correct him. “You’re paying wages you owe me. We’re even.”
Derek lets out this bitter laugh but doesn’t argue.
fter that, everything moves fast.
Ve sign the divorce papers at Ms. Thompson’s office.
Derek’s face stays blank the whole time, but when he signs his name, his knuckles go white gripping that pen.
‘nce it’s done, he stands up without looking at me and walks out.
[is back looks broken, like a gambler who lost everything.
Is. Thompson pats my shoulder. “Congratulations, Jessica. You’re free.”
look out the window at the sunshine streaming in.
eah. I’m free.
Valking out of the building, I spot Angela waiting on the corner.
he rushes toward Derek when she sees him, but he pushes past her like she’s invisible.
Angela stands there confused, looking between his retreating figure and me.
nod at her briefly, then turn and walk the opposite direction.
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I don’t know what happens with Derek and Angela next, and honestly? I don’t care.
That’s their story now. Mine’s just getting started.
The day we transfer the house deed, I see Derek one last time.
He looks even worse-hollow-eyed with dark circles like bruises.
We don’t speak, just go through the paperwork like strangers.
When the clerk hands me that deed with only my name on it, something settles deep in my chest.
This red certificate isn’t just a house.
t’s proof of three years I’ll never get back. Compensation for the child I lost. And most importantly, it’s the ticket I
earned myself into a new life.
Outside the building, Derek calls after me.
Jessica.”
stop and turn around.
‘Why?” He looks destroyed, bloodshot eyes searching my face. “Things were good between us, weren’t they?”
Good?
almost laugh.
n his mind, me being his perfect little rule-follower who never questioned anything was “good.”
Any pushback, anything outside his control was wrong.
‘Derek,” I say, completely calm, “you never loved me. You loved having the perfect wife who followed all your rules. You turned marriage into a business transaction and home into a corporation. All that happened here is your employee took her severance package when her contract expired.”
He just stares, like he’s trying to process this.
‘Want to know our biggest problem?” I continue. “In all those hundreds of rules you wrote, not one was about love.”
I don’t wait for his response. Just turn and walk away.
The sun feels warm on my shoulders.
I can feel her coming back to life-that woman who got buried under all those cold contracts and clauses.
She’s waking up.
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