Chapter 2
I barely slept that night. My bones ached, my
eyes burned, and my back throbbed from the
hours I’d spent in the kitchen trying to
replicate the cake Jackson had demanded.
I’d searched all over downtown for that
limited–edition confection, but it was sold out
everywhere. Every store. Every vendor.
Nothing.
C
So I did what I hadn’t done in years–I baked
it myself.
10:34 AM Tue 24 Jun
Let’s Divorce, My Husband
51%
Once, long ago, I was a skilled pastry chef. I
studied under masters. People used to wait in
lines just to buy my cakes. I had dreams. A
future. Then I gave it all up. Because Jackson
said staying home would be better for us.
That we’d save money. That he’d take care of
- me. I believed him.
And now I was exhausted, standing in the
cold morning light of my kitchen, the cake
cooling on the counter, the last thing I had
offer still intact. My stomach rumbled, but I
ignored it. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday
morning.
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
51%
Just as I sank into the worn–out couch to rest,
a sudden burning sensation hit my arm.
Boiling hot. I screamed and jolted upright,
clutching my skin. Milk. Scalding milk.
I turned and saw Zane, my grandson, holding
an overturned bottle with milk dripping from
the rim. His small mouth twisted into a pout.
“Feed me!” he snapped. “You’re the maid!”
Still wincing from the burn, I tried to keep
calm. “Zane, where’s your mom?”
“She’s busy,” he muttered, stomping his foot.
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
“I said I want you!”
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I sighed, biting my tongue. I was starving. Still
tired. Still in pain. But I got up anyway and
trudged to the kitchen. I didn’t want another
fight.
And that’s when I saw them.
Jackson. Tania. Donna. Even Tania’s husband.
All of them gathered around the table-
laughing, eating breakfast like some perfect, happy family. Donna’s face glowed with
makeup, her curls bouncing as she spoke.
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
She wore a pale blue designer dress |
recognized from a high–end boutique
downtown.
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Donna turned to me, fake concern lacing her
voice. “Oh, Trina, are you okay? You look
weak. Maybe you need some rest.”
Before I could respond, Jackson chuckled
without looking up. “Come on, Donna, she’s
always like that. Always looks like she’s
dying.”
C
Donna snorted. No one else said a word in
my defense.
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
51%
Then Jackson asked, “By the way, where’s
the cake I ordered? The one I got for Donna?”
Donna blinked. “Wait–you bought a cake for
me?”
Jackson puffed out his chest. “Yeah. Special
limited–edition one. Downtown. Took me two
hours to get it.”
C
They waited for me to serve the cake, so I
stepped forward, holding the cake I’d spent
all night baking. My heart pounded. My arms
trembled.
10:34 AM Tue 24 Jun
Let’s Divorce, My Husband
“I made it,” I said softly. “You said you wanted
that cake, but I couldn’t find it–so I baked it
myself.”
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began walking toward the table, trying not to
cry. Trying to hold my head high.
But just as I reached the middle of the room,
Donna leaned slightly from her chair–sweet
smile still plastered on her lips–and stuck
her foot out.
My heel caught on it. I stumbled. The cake
flew from my hands.
10:35 AM Tue 24 Jun
Let’s Divorce, My Husband
51%
Time slowed. I watched, helpless, as the cake
spun mid–air and landed face–first on
Donna’s expensive designer dress.
Gasps filled the room.
Donna shrieked. “My dress!”
Jackson jumped up from his seat and
stormed toward me. “What the hell did you
do?!”
Before I could explain, he grabbed a fistful of
my hair and yanked it back. My scalp burned.
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
“This dress costs more than your entire
wardrobe!” he barked. “You can’t even walk
properly now? You’re clumsy, useless, and
pathetic!”
“I didn’t mean to—”
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“SHUT UP!” he roared. “Can you even pay for
this? Of course not. You can’t even take care
of yourself. You’re just wasting food now?!”
I stared at him, stunned. Donna pretended to
reach for him. “It’s okay, Jackson. She must
have slipped.”
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
“I don’t care! She’s so careless because she
doesn’t know how to earn money like us!”
Jackson pointed to the floor. “Eat it.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Eat the damn cake off the floor,” he said. “Or
what–should we waste more money
because of you? Don’t forget that you don’t
contribute even a cent here!”
C
Tania stood, arms crossed, lips curled. “This
is why you don’t have nice things. You’re
really pathetic, Mom. I can’t believe you gave
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
birth to me because we’re never alike. If only
Donna was my mother.”
Donna made a fake whimper. “No, don’t say
that, Tania. She’s a good mother to you, and
it’s fine. Really. We can just get another one.”
But I could see the smirk she tried to hide as
she leaned close to me and whispered, “Well,
looks like no one wants you here anymore. I
wonder why you’re still staying.”
I clenched my first. “I’m not eating that,” I whispered, barely able to breathe.
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
Jackson rolled his eyes and pushed past me.
“Then clean it up. And don’t let me see your face again today.”
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“Let’s just go celebrate somewhere else,”
Tania said as she picked up her purse.
“Without her.‘
“Agreed,” Jackson muttered. “She’s not part
of this family anyway.”
They laughed as they walked out the door.
I dropped to my knees, grabbing handfuls of
10:35 AM Tue 24 Jun
Let’s Divorce, My Husband
cake and frosting, trying not to let the tears
fall–but they did. They rolled silently down
my face and onto the linoleum floor.
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All these years. All this time. For what? I used
to be someone. Once.
Before Jackson, I was Trina DeVere. Daughter
of hotel tycoon Ricardo DeVere. The only heir
to an empire. A girl with options. A future. And
I gave it all up. For love. For him.
I told my father I didn’t want money. I wanted
a home. A family. A man who’d love me for
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
- me.
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I rebelled. I left. I cut all ties. And now… I was
nothing more than a live–in maid. A burden. A
shadow in my own house.
I crawled to the corner of the kitchen, pulled
out my phone with frosting still on my fingers,
and stared at the number I hadn’t dialed in
twenty years.
My chest tightened. My fingers shook.
But I pressed call.
10:35 AM Tue 24 Jun
Let’s Divorce, My Husband
The line rang once.
Twice.
And then…
“Hello?” a deep, familiar voice answered.
My throat closed for a second. Then I
managed to say, “Dad… it’s me. Trina. I’m
sorry. For leaving. For hurting you. For
everything. But… can I come home?”
There was silence.
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Let’s Divorce, My Husband
“I don’t have anything left here,” I whispered.
“Please… just let me come home.”
