Chapter 4
I took a deep breath, kept my cool, and tightened my hold on the steering wheel.
I'd known how this would end for ages. What was there to be shocked about?
I might as well milk as much of our joint assets as I could before the divorce.
Francisco had been slacking off at work lately.
I'd better lay it on thick with the flattery.
I must get him fired up and back in the game.
That night, when Francisco walked into the bedroom, I was lying on the bed with my back to him.
He paused by the bedside, his voice carrying a rare hint of hesitation.
He said, "Christy, can we talk?
"Today really wasn't what you think it was."
I didn't even bother to lift my eyelids.
"I'm beat. Can we please save the fake drama for tomorrow?" I mumbled.
The room went instantly quiet.
Francisco's stare felt like it could burn holes right through my back. No way I was getting any sleep like this.
Francisco's voice was suddenly strained. He blurted out, "Did you see me today?"
I froze, words right on the tip of my tongue.
Suddenly, the doorbell cut through the silence.
Francisco frowned and went to answer the door.
Chloe's voice drifted in from the hallway.
She called out, "Frank, you left your files at my place.
"I thought you might need them first thing tomorrow, so I rushed them over."
I glanced at my phone. It was 1:30 a.m.
How dare she come in the middle of the night?
I got up slowly, straightened out my pajamas, and ambled over to the door.
I pasted on my usual housewife smile as I stood in the doorway.
I said, "Chloe, sorry you had to come over so late.
"Why not stay over tonight? The guest room's ready."
Chloe froze for a second and then instinctively glanced at Francisco.
"Don't bother," Francisco blurted.
He suddenly exploded. Without hesitation, he grabbed Chloe's wrist and started steering her straight out the door.
"I'll take her home," he said.
The door slammed shut behind them.
I sat back down on the bed, feeling calm.
Anyway, it was about time.
All along, my plan was to hold out until he made it big. Once his net worth hit nine figures, I'd file for divorce and collect the maximum payout.
But with the progress I'd made in my own career lately, I'd suddenly got this newfound confidence.
Maybe I didn't actually have to keep swallowing my pride just to trade it for some distant future.
Even without Francisco, I'd do just fine on my own.
It was about time to lay all my cards on the table tonight.
Maybe I should just splurge on a holiday once the divorce went through.
No, I'd better figure out how to explain to Lucas that his dad ran off with another woman first.
After what felt like forever, Francisco finally came back.
He lingered in the doorway, half-hidden in the shadows, voice hoarse and low.
"She's gone," he said.
I shot back with a casual shrug, "What a shame. I thought maybe we'd hash out the assets tonight."
Before I could even finish, he suddenly pounced, pinning me down on the bed.
His hot breath tickled the back of my neck.
I stiffened, thrown for a loop. This wasn't how the script went.
Weren't we supposed to be arguing about getting divorced?
But the next moment, he pressed his face against my shoulder.
My nightgown was damp with his tears.
Francisco's voice caught in a shaky sob.
He choked out, "Honey... are you...
"Are you really going to leave me?"
I reached out and pressed my hand against Francisco's chest.
I give him a gentle shove to put a little space between us.
I said, "Francisco, come on. You know deep down how you've treated me all these years, right?"
"In these eight years, every time I tried to talk to you, you hardly responded. Maybe once out of ten times, you just gave me a perfunctory answer.
"I kept telling myself that it's just who you are. You're just cold, all wrapped up in your work, not really ignoring me on purpose.
"But I'm done lying to myself.
"You only ended up with me because you were touched by how much I chased you, like you owed me for all that effort.
"And when it came to marriage, you just thought it was what you had to do since your girlfriend got pregnant.
"Isn't that right?"
I didn't even give him a chance to butt in, my tone cool and steady.
A wry, self-deprecating smile tugged at my lips.
I said, "Love can't be forced. Feeling like you owe me something isn't the same as loving me.
"But don't worry. I don't blame you, and I don't hate you.
"Honestly, Francisco, I'm grateful you gave me a son and a home.
"Even if our home was never really warm, at least, I was never hungry and never left out in the cold.
"So from now on, you really don't owe me anything."
I met Francisco's eyes.
I added, "Go be with the person you really want and finally live the life you've always dreamed of.
"It's about time I started living my own story, too."
When I finished, I gave him a soft, easy smile.
My eyes were bright and clear. There was no hint of resentment or bitterness.
Then, I thought about how loaded Francisco was going to be in the future.
I couldn't help adding, "Don't feel awkward. We're just cutting our losses while we can. Nobody's holding anyone back.
"But hey, if you're feeling guilty, being extra generous when it comes to dividing the assets wouldn't hurt.
"Anyway, congrats, Francisco. You're totally free now."