Chapter 6 - The Divorce Papers
The next morning, I met with my attorney.
I had spent seven years believing that Alexander and I could repair anything as long as we were willing to tell each other the truth.
Now I wasn't sure there had ever been enough truth between us to repair.
"I want to file for divorce," I said.
My attorney, Daniel Foster, studied me.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"Then we need to protect your personal assets and document every questionable transaction involving the foundation."
I signed the initial paperwork.
For the first time in months, I felt strangely calm.
Alexander learned about the filing before lunchtime.
He appeared at my father's house that evening.
My father opened the door.
"You're not welcome here."
"I need to speak to Claire."
"Then speak through her attorney."
Alexander stepped inside anyway.
I came down the staircase.
"What do you want?"
He looked at the divorce papers on the table.
"You're actually doing this?"
"Yes."
"Over Sophia?"
I shook my head.
"Don't flatter yourself. This is about years of broken promises, public humiliation, financial misconduct, and your grandfather's suspicious death."
His face hardened.
"You have no idea what you're accusing me of."
"Then give me an explanation."
He moved closer.
"Do you remember the night my grandfather died?"
"Of course."
"You weren't there."
"I was at the hospital."
"No. You arrived after."
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
He looked away.
"Grandfather had been having problems with his heart for weeks. He refused to follow medical advice. That night, he collapsed after an argument."
"An argument with whom?"
He said nothing.
"Alexander."
"With my mother."
I waited.
"They were arguing about the foundation. He became agitated. He collapsed. We called an ambulance."
"And the recording?"
"Grandfather was confused. He thought everyone was against him."
"That's convenient."
His eyes flashed.
"You think I wanted him dead?"
"I think you know more than you're telling me."
He stepped toward the table.
"Don't destroy our marriage because of something you don't understand."
I looked at the ring on my finger.
Then I slowly removed it.
"You destroyed this marriage long before I asked you to explain anything."
I placed the ring beside the divorce papers.
Alexander stared at it.
For a moment, the powerful businessman disappeared.
He looked like a man who had finally realized that something he considered permanent could actually end.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
"What?"
A long silence followed.
"What do you mean, she's gone?"
His expression changed.
I watched him carefully.
"Who?"
He ended the call.
"Sophia."
"What about her?"
"She's disappeared."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Perhaps she finally decided to stop borrowing things from married men."
He ignored the remark.
"Someone broke into her apartment."
My stomach tightened.
"Was anything stolen?"
Alexander looked directly at me.
"The original trust document."
I felt a chill.
"Why would Sophia have it?"
He didn't answer.
May you like
Then he said something that made the entire room go silent.
"Because she was supposed to deliver it to me."
