Chapter 2
When Calvin emerged from his meeting, I had already finished my meal, tidied up the kitchen, and was sitting in the living room streaming a show. It felt as if nothing had changed.
He turned away to take a shower and halfway through realized there were no towels. I heard him call out from the bathroom, “Babe, where’s my towel?”
Without turning, I replied, “They’re packed away in the boxes. Just use mine for now, and I’ll wash it later.”
The silence that followed was palpable.
When Calvin finally emerged, he noticed the three boxes by the entryway. He sat across from me and slid the divorce papers over with his fingertips.
"I can start with $1.5 million in child support, and the rest will be monthly payments..."
I interrupted, “No need. Let’s settle this in one lump sum. I think she wouldn’t want us to have any lingering ties either.”
Calvin’s eyes showed a hint of confusion. “The child isn’t just yours; I have a right to be part of his life. I know this is my fault, and I’m willing to make amends, but there’s no need to use our child as a bargaining chip.”
I paused the show and looked at Calvin intently. “Cheating was your mistake. Offering compensation and support is only fair. Compared to your assets, a house and a car aren’t much. I’ve raised Noah since he was little. He’s a sensitive kid with special needs. How much energy do you have for him amidst your whirlwind lifestyle? Being present isn’t just about money, it’s about time and attention.”
Calvin was at a loss for words, and after a moment, he replied, “In any case, I won’t pay $2 million to sever my ties with my son.”
I opened the divorce agreement and glanced through it. “The $2 million is for compensation and child support. If you have additional emotional needs, you can contribute to Noah’s separate account.”
Calvin suddenly laughed. “Amaia, I never realized how much you love money. You never stop talking about it.”
“Well, what else is there? Loving you didn’t seem to work out.”
Calvin was speechless again. With a sullen face, he quickly signed his name on the divorce papers. He also arranged for us to go to the courthouse tomorrow to file for divorce. After that, he called his driver.
I finished watching my show and then went to bed. When I got up in the morning, Calvin was already gone.
Noah came running out of his room, hugging me tight, eager to share that he’d had a delightful dream the night before. As I listened to him, I gently mentioned that his dad’s company had been really busy recently and he might be on trips for a while.
Noah, surprisingly, didn’t ask when his dad would be back or insist on calling him. “Oh,” he said softly, pressing his little lips together. “It’s okay, as long as I have you with me.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears welled up and spilled over, and I excused myself to the bathroom to gather my emotions. Agreeing to divorce Calvin filled me with sadness, but mostly, I felt the weight of guilt for Noah—not being able to raise him in a complete family. Yet I knew this burden wasn’t mine to bear.
After dropping Noah off at school, Calvin and I headed to the courthouse to file for divorce. There’s a 30-day waiting period before we can finalize it.
Back in the car, I circled today’s date on my calendar, marking it as the start of my 30-day countdown.