“Last week. He hasn’t signed it, and thinks I am tricking him or whatever.”
“That's…big news. Are you sure about this?”
I gulped down half of the contents of my wineglass, as a weight of dread pressed down on me. I nodded. “It’s about time I end this farce of a marriage.”
Darcy rubbed my arm in consolation. “You look smashing, by the way. Gold is amazing on you."
“Thanks.” The form-fitting sequined dress shimmered as though in response.
“I don’t know how he has any eyes of any other woman when you look as gorgeous as you do.”
“I mean, Gemma is really beautiful and charming…” And all the things I could never be.
Darcy was taller than most people at six feet and every time she spoke, she would bend her knees and her head. It made me feel like she was sharing a secret. "I don’t know," she said,peering beyond me. “I don’t see what you see. Your husband looks like he wants to devour you whenever you enter the room. Like even now, his gaze is on you.”
I made the mistake of turning to see if it was true, and Carey and I locked eyes. A thrill of electricity ran down my spine. I turned back to Darcy, heat creeping up my cheeks. “He’s probably thinking about how he can kill me and get away with it.”
Darcy titled her chin up, “Mhmm,” she frowned and took a swig of her wine, “you know him better than I. But divorce? Please tell me you at least got a good lawyer. I have some recommendations if you want a fighter who will take him to the cleaners. ”
“Thanks, but I am not going to fight him. I don’t want anything from him.”
“Prenup that good?”
“I’m forfeiting the prenup. I want nothing from him.”
Darcy’s eyes bulged. “Thalia darling. Are you sure about that? This is a Hawthorne we’re talking about. You could become a rich woman in your own right just from the divorce alone.”
“I want to be free of him.”
“You can be free and rich,” she shook her head, “you’re not thinking clearly,” and took out her phone from her purse and tapped it a couple of times. “Here’s her number,” my phone pinged, “listen to what she says. Trust me on this. You might be angry at him now, but you deserve something back for being married to him for what? Five years?”
I tell my friend everything, but I had never told her the real reason I married Carey. She, like most people, thought it was for love which had soured over the years and I didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. My shame would not let me. “Darcy.”
She raised her hand to quiet me. “Just because you came with quote unquote ‘nothing in your marriage’ doesn’t mean youdidn’t earn anything during it. Oh god.” Her gaze darted beyond me and her face scrounged in disgust, “It’s the pastel squad.”
I rolled my eyes. “Please don’t tell me they're coming here.”
She smirked. “Sorry friend.”
As soon as I turned around toward her gaze, the two women were making their way over to us. The former models towered over most people just like Darcy, but unlike Darcy, they made me feel like a hobbit whenever I stood next to them. Their gowns weren’t pastel, but they were similar in style. Bree wore a midnight blue dress that showed off her cosmetically enhanced cleavage while Rhea’s dress, while cut, similarly did little to enhance her much smaller bust. They were short a third comrade.
“Where’s Vi?”
“Didn’t you hear?” Darcy said. “Her husband sent her to Bulgaria after that scandal with the chef. Rumor has it he has her under technical house arrest. But if she was fucking the help, keeping her indoors won’t do anything, but that’s just me.”
“Fuck. When did it happen? Is she okay?” I never liked Violet. She was the meanest of the bunch, but she didn’t deserve to be confined in a mansion in some foreign country, even though she cheated on her husband.
“A couple of weeks ago. She’s okay. I spoke to her like yesterday, and she seems fine. And knowing her pliant husband. They’ve probably made up. That old man loves his trophies.” Bree and Rhea arrived at that moment and the subject immediately changed. We all exchanged air kisses, after which Bree complimented my dress. I returned the compliment with one of my own. She had stunning jewelry that wasn't as tacky as her usual picks. Darcy and I spoke to them for several minutes and when the conversation turned to modelling, I tuned out. Scanning the room, my gaze landed on him again. He wasstaring at me, his lip curled. I wanted to scoff. He probably hates that I am associating with known fortune hunters. Whatever.
But his obvious low opinion still rankled, and when we took our seats in the loge and the show started, I turned my gaze on Carey. “It’s not what you think,” I whispered to Carey. He continued to watch the performance, his gaze on the stage. I was about to repeat myself when his jaw clenched, then he said, “I didn’t say anything.”
As I continued to stare at his beautiful side profile, I realized that whatever I said, he would never believe. Trying to make him see that I wasn’t the awful woman he thought I was was a futile effort.
“Yes.” He turned to face me. “You will get your divorce.”
That’s what I wanted right. I should be happy. But all I felt was deep sadness.
Chapter 27
