I looked for the personal assistant. He hesitated before reporting, “This afternoon, only Ma’am Anya went into that room. She said she wanted to look at Ma’am Georgia’s things… for artistic inspiration.”
Before he could finish, I was already heading for the living room.
There she was, sitting gracefully on the couch, her fingers stroking the amethyst necklace now resting against her neck. She smiled brightly. “Erving, this necklace is beautiful. It suits me perfectly.”
“Give it back to me!” I shouted, rushing over and reaching for it.
But Erving moved fast, shoving me away before I could lay a finger on that woman.
The impact made me stumble and crash into the coffee table, pain shooting through my elbow.
He held Anya protectively in his arms, glaring at me. “What the hell are you doing?!”
Anya flinched, her eyes filling with tears. “Mandy, I’m sorry… I just thought the necklace had an artistic feel. I didn’t mean to take it. I’ll give it back right now…”
She started to remove it, but Erving stopped her hand.
“No need.” He frowned at me, irritation flashing in his eyes, tinged with contempt. “It’s just a necklace. The diamond ones I’ve bought you cost far more than this. Mandy, do you really have to act so greedy and fight with Anya over it?”
Then, he remembered the divorce papers earlier that morning, his tone grew even colder. “I already signed your settlement. If the money’s not enough, just say so. Now, stop embarrassing yourself here.”
I stood there frozen, tears spilling down uncontrollably.
In the past, he would’ve dropped everything to comfort me. But now, he didn’t even glance my way.
He just took Anya’s hand and led her upstairs.
His final words were brutal. “Don’t be afraid. With me here, she won’t dare do anything.”
The vast living room felt unbearably empty.
From upstairs came that familiar gentle coaxing voice of his, only this time, the one he was comforting wasn’t me.
I reached into my pocket and caressed the divorce papers, then slowly closed my eyes.
‘Thank god,’ I thought, ‘Just nine more days, and I’ll finally be free.’
After that day, I grew colder toward Erving.
Even though we lived under the same roof, I barely acknowledged him anymore, no matter how many times he tried to start a conversation.
Then one morning, he suddenly came to me and said the arrangements for my mother’s funeral were finalized.