"You think I actually wanted your pathetic fifty-dollar-a-month handout? You think I wanted this revolting excuse for a marriage?"
"You and Florence Cox deserve each other! One heartless, the other shameless!"
I paused.
"Starting today, we're getting a divorce."
I screamed the last word and slammed the phone down.
I had just shoved the last piece of clothing into my suitcase when the door lock exploded with a deafening bang.
Chester kicked the door open, and his gaze locked onto my luggage.
"Ella Swanson, you dare mention divorce to me?"
He crossed the room in three strides and jerked his chin at the bodyguards behind him.
Two hulking men surged forward and pinned me to the floor.
I clenched my teeth and didn't make a sound.
Florence crouched down and ran her fingers through my tangled hair with a look of mock concern.
"Ella, sweetie, why do you have to make things so difficult?"
"Chester was just angry. All you have to do is apologize, admit you were wrong, and this whole thing blows over."
"Do you really want to drag this to a divorce and make yourself a laughingstock?"
I jerked my head sideways, shaking off her hand.
Chester seized my jaw in a vise grip.
"Apologize to Florence. Now."
"I didn't do anything wrong." Each word dropped like a stone. "I have nothing to apologize for."
"Because you don't know what's good for you!"
The words had barely left his mouth when his phone erupted with vibrations.
The caller ID flashing across the screen was the same number the kidnappers had used.
Chester let out a derisive snort and answered with obvious irritation, putting it on speaker.
"Where's the money? You've got thirty minutes! If we don't get the transfer, we kill the hostage!"
Then a weak, desperate wail tore through the speaker.
"Chester... Chester, save me... they're going to kill me... save your mother..."
It was his mother's voice.
My entire body went rigid. I lifted my eyes to Chester.
But there wasn't a trace of panic on his face. If anything, he looked amused, like he'd just heard a joke.
He tilted his head down and stared at me.
"Well, well, Ella."
"So now you've got your hillbilly mother pretending to be mine to con money out of me? She thinks calling me 'son' will open my wallet?"
"Delusional. Take a good look at herself and ask if she's even worthy."
He spoke into the phone without a shred of hesitation.
"Nice performance, old woman. You actually have the gall to call me son?"