“Hannah, we do not need to do this here,” he said gently. “Let us talk privately and figure this out.”
I did not move, and instead I looked at Leonard. “Should I step outside with him,” I asked.
Leonard shook his head slightly. “Dorothy specifically instructed that you not be alone with Gavin today, and building security has already been notified.”
A flicker of unease crossed Gavin’s face before he quickly masked it.
Melody looked between us, her voice quieter now. “I did not know about any of this,” she said. “He told me you did not want a family.”
“I wanted one,” I replied evenly. “He wanted control.”
Gavin’s jaw tightened. “You are not perfect either,” he said defensively.
“No,” I answered. “But I am done pretending.”
I turned back to Leonard. “As trustee, can I request an immediate financial review and freeze discretionary spending,” I asked.
“Yes, you can,” he confirmed.
“You cannot freeze anything,” Gavin snapped. “It is my company.”
“Not anymore,” Leonard said calmly.
That was the moment everything truly settled into place, because Gavin finally understood that the control he believed he had was gone.
He looked at me again, this time with something closer to desperation. “If you go through with this, I will fight you,” he said. “I will make this as difficult as possible.”
My heart pounded once, but I did not look away.
“I am already living with the consequences of your choices,” I said quietly. “This does not change that.”
I stood up slowly and removed my wedding ring, placing it on the table where it looked smaller than I remembered.
Gavin stared at it in silence, while Melody looked between us, her expression filled with uncertainty.
“I will contact the attorney Dorothy arranged for me,” I said to Leonard.
He nodded in acknowledgment.
As I walked toward the door, Gavin’s voice followed me, unsteady for the first time.
“Hannah, wait,” he said.
I did not turn around.
For the first time in years, my life was no longer tied to his decisions, and whatever came next would be mine to choose.
