Chapter 10 - The Divorce Papers
The following morning, the atmosphere in my lawyer’s conference room was distinctly funereal.
The sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was gray and heavy with impending snow.
I sat at the head of the polished mahogany table, completely relaxed.
Vincent was escorted into the room by two of Julian’s men.
He looked completely broken.
His face was bruised, his arm was in a sling, and the arrogant fire in his eyes had been completely extinguished.
He sat down heavily in the chair opposite me, refusing to meet my gaze.
His lawyer, a trembling man who clearly wanted to be anywhere else, quickly handed out the documents.
The terms of the divorce were entirely dictated by the Bennett family.
I was not just taking my maiden name back; I was taking a massive fortune.
I was seizing the penthouse, the offshore accounts, and the shares in their legitimate shell companies.
Vincent stared at the papers, his hands shaking slightly as he read the staggering numbers.
He looked up at me, his voice barely a hollow whisper.
He asked me if destroying his entire life was truly necessary.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the cold wooden table.
I looked into the eyes of the man I had once loved and saw nothing but a stranger.
I reminded him that he destroyed his own life the moment he walked into that hotel room with Sophia.
I was simply finalizing the paperwork.
I handed him a heavy gold pen.
I told him to sign the papers, or Julian would ensure he never held a pen again.
Vincent swallowed hard, defeated and cornered by the monster he had created.
He signed his name on the dotted lines, officially transferring his wealth and power to me.
As he stood up to leave, I slid one final photograph across the table.
It was a picture taken just an hour ago by one of my private investigators.
It showed Sophia Reynolds at the airport, boarding a first-class flight to Europe.
She was sitting next to an older, wealthy Russian businessman.
The moment she realized Vincent was broke and powerless, she abandoned him without a second thought.
She had never loved him; she only loved the crown he wore.
And now that I had taken the crown, she had moved on to her next victim.
Vincent stared at the photo, the final, crushing betrayal breaking whatever spirit he had left.
A single tear escaped his eye, tracking down his bruised cheek.
He dropped the photo, turned around, and walked out of the room an utterly broken man.
I watched the door click shut behind him.
May you like
I took a deep breath, feeling the heavy weight of the last three years finally lift off my shoulders.
I was Claire Bennett again, and Chicago belonged to my family.
