Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse
Her lips curled into a scornful smirk. “You’re saying you’re serious? Fine, I’m in.
“We can get divorced. Monday, we’ll meet at the courthouse.
“From that moment on, we’re done completely. You up for it?”
Elizabeth stared me down, her eyes gleaming with challenge. I could see she still thought I was bluffing.
She couldn’t believe I’d come this far and still refused to back
down.
Fine, you want to threaten me with divorce?
This time, I’ll make sure you learn your lesson, Julian. You’ll see I’m not someone you can push around.
But she hadn’t expected my response. I nodded with a flicker of relief in my eyes.
“Glad you’re on board. See you Monday.”
I shook off her grip and walked away without a backward glance.
A new life was waiting, and I could almost taste it.
Elizabeth stood frozen, her mind struggling to catch up.
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse
“No way… This can’t be real,” she muttered to herself.
“Julian, you think I can’t see through you?
“You’re just holding out, waiting for me to cave. Well, I don’t back down, ever.”
She was reeling, blindsided by my resolve.
It wasn’t until she got into her car that the full weight of it hit her. The fire station she knew so well was still there, but it suddenly felt empty. Julian wasn’t in it.
Her defenses cracked again.
Tears welled up as she slammed her fist against the steering wheel.
“Julian, I gave you a chance today, and you threw it away.
“Fine. I’ll make you regret every choice you made.”
2/7
Her voice trembled with fury, tears shimmering but refusing to fall.
She sat there for a moment, steadying her breathing until her poised, icy demeanor returned. After a brief hesitation, she pulled out her phone and called Callum.
The line connected almost instantly.
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse
3/7
“Elizabeth? Wow, what a surprise! What’s up?” Callum said, his voice brimming with delight.
“No big deal, Callum. I just missed you,” she said, her tone soft, almost wistful.
“What?”
Callum froze, then broke into a grin, his heart soaring. “I miss you too, Elizabeth!”
“You free tonight?” she asked.
“Absolutely! What’s up?” His excitement was palpable.
“If you’ve got time, how about letting Gideon chill at home with some cartoons, and you come out with me for a drink at the bar? Sound good?”
A charming smile curved her lips.
“Hell yeah, that sounds perfect! I’ll be waiting!”
Callum didn’t hesitate, his enthusiasm spilling over.
“Great. See you soon.”
After hanging up, Elizabeth didn’t leave right away. She made another call to Edward.
“Ms. Bennett, what can I do for you?” Edward answered promptly.
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse
4/7
“Tonight, I’m going to the bar with Callum. Be smart about this. Make sure Julian knows I’m with him. Got it?”
“Uh… Got it!”
Edward paused, then quickly agreed, though the request caught him off guard.
Elizabeth ended the call.
Edward stared at his phone, a frown creasing his brow. “Ms. Bennett’s getting weirder by the day…
“Is it really okay to provoke Mr. Thornton like this?”
Meanwhile, free from Elizabeth’s shadow, I wandered the streets, feeling lighter than I had in years, my mind turning to what came next.
My firefighter’s salary was decent, but next to Elizabeth’s empire at Bennett Group, it was pocket change.
However, when we got married, I’d poured half my savings into our villa, making it joint property.
The cars? All bought by Elizabeth. The savings? Mostly hers too.
I didn’t care about the cars or the accounts. I could let those go.
But half of that villa was mine. I put everything I had into it. I drained my savings, scraped together every penny from years of
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse
work, and even mortgaged my parents‘ old home to Elizabeth just to afford my share.
Even if I walked away with nothing else, I’d fight to get my parents‘ house back.
5/7
Taking stock, I realized five years of marriage had left me with next to nothing.
But I didn’t care. Freedom from a woman who never loved me was worth more than any price.
Still, I needed a place to crash.
My bank account was down to a few bucks.
I’d planned to hole up in a hotel for a couple of days, but Elizabeth’s quick agreement to the divorce made me suspicious.
She’d probably pull some stunt on Monday to stall the process.
Hotels were pricey, and renting was the smarter move.
Since I had a job in this city and had no plans to return to my hometown after the divorce, renting was inevitable.
After thinking straight, I decided to get it done now.
Spotting a real estate agency nearby, I dragged my suitcase and walked inside.
After explaining my needs and budget to the agent, I was ready
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse to start house hunting.
The day flew by.
By evening, I’d toured a handful of places and settled on a two–bedroom, two–bath apartment.
6/7
The style, location, and price were perfect. Besides, it was fully furnished and ready for move–in.
Seeing that I was satisfied, the agent called the landlord, a middle–aged woman named Lydia Morrison. After we signed the contract, settled the rent and deposit, and paid the agent fee, he finally left.
Lydia, however, stuck around. She walked me through where to pay utilities and pointed out nearby amenities.
“Mrs. Morrison, thanks, but I’ve lived here for years. I know the area well,” I said with a polite smile.
“Oh, perfect then!” Lydia said, her eyes lingering on me. “So, Julian, what do you do for work?”
Her gaze was curious, almost probing.
“I’m a firefighter,” I said, keeping it light.
“A firefighter?” Her eyes lit up, her tone suddenly brighter. “That’s impressive! You must be in great shape, huh?”
Her enthusiasm caught me off guard, her eyes sweeping over me
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse with an intensity that felt… odd.
7/7
“Uh, I guess so,” I said, shifting uncomfortably.
Lydia’s beaming expression was starting to feel a little too eager.
