Chapter 2 - THE PAPER KINGDOM FALLSThe scene in the driveway looked like a war zone.
Neighbors pulled back their curtains, staring in shock as Sheriff’s deputies escorted Ryan, his hysterical parents, and Madison—now clad only in a oversized workout t-shirt she had begged from her car—onto the sidewalk.
Tow trucks hooked up Ryan’s prized Porsche 911 and his father’s luxury SUV.
“You bitch!” Patricia shrieked, her manicured fingers clawing at the air as a deputy blocked her from walking back inside. “You planned this! You twisted snake! We took you in when you had nothing!”
I stood on the porch, leaning against the grand mahogany door frame, casually holding a hot cup of tea.
“Took me in?” I smiled coldly. “Patricia, my family’s trust fund financed Ryan’s entire startup. My money bought the clothes on your back, paid for your country club dues, and bought the very shoes you’re standing in right now. You didn’t take me in. You parasite-leached off me for five years.”
Ryan ran to the edge of the porch, his eyes bloodshot, his expensive designer shirt wrinkled and disheveled. “Claire, please! Talk to me! We can work this out! You love me! We’re married!”
“We were married,” I replied smoothly. “Until you handed me divorce papers five minutes ago. You said it yourself, Ryan: ‘You served your purpose. I don’t need you anymore.’ I’m simply honoring your request.”
“Victor,” I turned to my attorney. “Freeze all joint accounts immediately. Execute the freeze orders on his corporate payroll accounts as well.”
“Wait! NO!” Ryan yelled, lunging forward. Sheriff Miller immediately restrained him, shoving him back toward the asphalt. “If you freeze my corporate accounts, Vance Media can’t meet payroll tomorrow! I have forty employees!”
“Then I suggest you ask Madison to pay them,” I said, looking over at the art director, who was shivering in her gym clothes on the curb, staring at Ryan as if he had suddenly turned into a stranger. “After all, she’s the one who was going to help you build your new future, right?”
Madison looked terrified. She grabbed Ryan’s arm. “Ryan… what does she mean? You told me you owned the company outright! You told me you were worth five million dollars!”
Ryan shoved her hand off in frustration. “Shut up, Madison! Not now!”
“Don’t you tell me to shut up!” Madison shrieked, her voice cracking. “I left my apartment for you! I told my friends we were moving into a five-million-dollar mansion!”
Patricia grabbed Ryan’s shoulder, her voice shrill with hysteria. “Ryan, call your father’s lawyer! Call Arthur! He’ll fix this!”
“Arthur won’t be taking your calls, Patricia,” Victor Sterling chimed in with a cold, professional smile. “Arthur’s firm was retained by Apex Holdings two weeks ago to handle our corporate restructuring. In fact, Arthur is currently filing criminal fraud charges against your son for submitting falsified financial balance sheets to gain bank loans.”
Ryan’s face turned from pale white to an ashen grey. He looked at me, his lip quivering, the arrogant man who had handed me divorce papers completely broken in less than fifteen minutes.
“Claire… please…” Ryan choked out, tears finally streaming down his cheeks. “I was wrong. Madison meant nothing to me! She seduced me! She manipulated me! It was all her idea to kick you out today! Ask my mother!”
“Ryan!” Madison yelled, her mouth agape in disbelief. “You coward! You told me she was a frigid, boring housewife who was dragging you down!”
“Quiet, both of you,” I said, stepping down the front stairs. The crowd of gathering neighbors began snapping photos and recording videos on their phones.
I walked up to Ryan, pulling the thick envelope—the Petition for Absolute Divorce—out from under my arm.
“You wanted me to sign this, right?” I asked.
Ryan shook his head frantically. “No! No, scrap it! Destroy it!”
May you like
I pulled out a red pen, uncapped it, and signed my name across the respondent line in bold, flourish strokes. Then, I shoved the paper into Ryan’s chest pocket, patting it gently.
“Petition accepted, Ryan. See you in court.”
