That night, David didn’t come home, and I didn’t return to our bedroom.
I curled up with Ethan in his tiny bed and stayed awake until dawn.
When morning came, I rose to make breakfast.
David walked in, his eyes scanning the room.
Not seeing Ethan, he sat down at the table, drumming his fingers.
“Let’s talk.”
I glanced at the red mark on his collar, then sat across from him.
He cleared his throat, pulled two documents from his bag, and slid them toward me.
One was a divorce agreement. The other, yesterday’s settlement.
“You saw everything yesterday, so I won’t hide it anymore.”
“Her name is Sophia White. We’ve been seeing each other for a while.”
“I wasn’t planning on divorce, but she’s pregnant. The doctor says… she can’t have an abortion.”
Sophia White?
My hand froze on the divorce papers. I looked at David in disbelief.
That was the name I’d heard at the police station just days ago.
And now, connecting all the dots, it was absurd.
David had gotten his mother’s killer pregnant.
When I stayed silent, his tone grew pleading.
“Rachel, she’s only twenty-two. For the sake of our years together, can’t you let her go?”
“If you sign the settlement, I’ll give you the house, the cars, everything.”
“We’ll even increase the payout to $100,000.”
It was almost funny.
Sixteen years together, and the first time he begged me—it was for the woman who’d killed his mother.
I picked up the divorce papers, flipping page by page until the end, then held out my hand.
Thinking I had agreed, he grinned and hurried to place a pen in my palm.
I signed and slid both documents back.
“I’ll divorce you. But as for the settlement—I don’t have the right to sign that.”
It was the truth.
But to David, it was just me being difficult.
His face darkened as he leaned back, chest heaving, before finally throwing the pen at me.
“Rachel, I’m only talking nicely because of our past. Don’t think I’m begging you.”
“That was your mom. If you don’t have the right, who does?”
“Face it—you just won’t forgive Sophia. You’re vicious. Your whole family is vicious.”
“What did you just say?”
I clenched my fists, fury surging through me.
He could insult me all he wanted, but why humiliate my family again and again?
He slammed his hand on the table, leaning in close.
“I said your family is vicious. Your mom deserved to die in that car accident!”
Smack!
I slapped him with all my strength.