Chapter 3
I was talking about the actual house.
But Todd thought I was referring to the connections.
"Ashlyn, you think I'm letting you get away with this? Let me tell you, I call the shots in this house. You want a divorce? Fine. But you're walking out with nothing," Todd snapped.
I smiled.
"Walking out with nothing? Todd, have you even read the law?" I retorted.
I pulled out my phone and played a recording.
I had recorded it the moment I walked in.
Todd's voice came through loud and clear: "She's the one who should get out."
"Todd, it's not easy to get proof of cheating. But getting evidence that you kicked me out? That's simple," I said.
Todd's face darkened.
He hadn't expected me to record everything.
Daisy's crying stopped.
She stared at me, her eyes blazing with malice.
I put my phone away.
"Alright, keep packing," I said.
The movers glanced at Todd, then at me, grabbed the boxes, and went back to packing.
Todd lunged at me, trying to grab my phone.
I took a step back.
"Go ahead, try it. If you dare lay a hand on me today, everyone at the company will know by tomorrow that you hit your wife," I warned.
His hand froze in mid-air.
His chest was rising and falling rapidly.
He knew I wasn't bluffing.
We were at a standoff.
Suddenly, my phone started ringing.
A number I didn't recognize flashed on the screen.
I answered.
A piercing female voice came through the line.
It was Mave Ferguson, Todd's mom.
"Ashlyn, you bitch. Are you trying to ruin us? Let me tell you, Daisy is the only family I recognize. Who do you think you are? Get your ass back here and apologize to Todd right now!" Mave shouted.
I put the call on speaker.
Everyone in the living room heard every word.
Todd's face went from red to pale in an instant.
A subtle, sly smile flickered across Daisy's lips.
I kept my voice steady as I spoke into the phone. "Mave, First, Todd and I are getting divorced. After that, we're done.
"Second, this house is my premarital property. Todd only lives here because I allowed it. Not anymore. Please tell your son to move out of my house within three days."
With that, I hung up.
I fixed my gaze on Todd.
"You heard me. Three days. Take Daisy and get out of my house," I said.
Todd's lips trembled.
He stared at me like I was a total stranger.
"A-Ashlyn, do you really have to be this ruthless?" he stammered.
"Ruthless? Really? Who was ruthless first, you or me?" I shot back.
I pointed straight at Daisy.
"When you made her wear my pajamas, use my things, sleep in my house, and humiliate me. Did you ever stop to think about being ruthless then?" I demanded.
Todd was speechless.
He turned to Daisy.
Daisy's tears started flowing again.
"Ashlyn, that was a new set Todd bought for me. I thought—" Daisy choked out.
I cut her off. "Oh, you think that gives you the right to just use other people's things? Daisy, stop pretending. Aren't you tired of putting on this act?"
My stuff was packed up in no time.
There were just a couple of big boxes.
The movers loaded them onto the truck.
I gave the house one last glance.
This place once held all my expectations.
Now, there was nothing left but disgust.
I walked up to the door.
Suddenly, Todd called after me. "Ashlyn."
I stopped in my tracks, refusing to look back.
"The Southside development project at our company. Are you almost done with the proposal you're in charge of?" he asked.
My heart sank.
The Southside development project was the most important project of the year for the company.
I had spent two grueling months working on that proposal.
I turned slowly and met his gaze.
"What do you want?" I asked.
He flashed a smug grin.
I used to think that smile meant confidence.
Now, all I could see was calculation.
"Nothing. Just reminding you. We're still coworkers. This project can't happen without you, and it can't happen without me," Todd said.
He was threatening me.
He was using my job and that hard-earned work of mine to force me to give in.
I looked him straight in the eye, making sure he heard every word.
"Todd, you'll regret this," I said.
I got back to my new apartment.
It was a rented one-bedroom apartment, small but spotless.
I shoved the boxes inside and didn't bother unpacking.
I sat down on the only chair and turned on my laptop.
Todd's threat stuck in my heart like a thorn.
The Southside development project was the fruit of two months of my hard work.
From the initial research and client liaisons to every single word in the bid proposal, I did everything myself.
Todd was the project lead, but all he ever did was sign his name and handle the reporting.