Chapter 8

A bank alert hit my phone soon after. After the remaining mortgage and taxes were deducted, more than three hundred and thirty thousand dollars landed safely in my account.

Mr. Lewis thanked me and mentioned the week we'd agreed on for moving, then asked if he could bring his contractor over next Monday to take measurements. I smiled.

"Mr. Lewis, there's no need to wait a week," I said. "You can have the keys today."

Both Mr. Lewis and Alex froze. "Today?" "Yes, today." I took out the set of keys I'd prepared beforehand. "I'll handle getting the current occupants out. Starting this afternoon, that house is yours." Overjoyed, Mr. Lewis thanked me again.

I handed over the keys and turned away without the slightest bit of regret.

That afternoon, I went to the bank first, opened a new account, and moved most of the sale money into it. Then I called a lawyer friend to ask about divorce and property division.

David Carter wasn't getting a single cent of my premarital property. As for what we'd earned after marriage, there wasn't much anyway, and I had records of every transfer I'd ever made.

This divorce case was mine to win.

Only after finishing all that did I take a cab back. At the door of that so-called home, I didn't use a key. I rang the bell instead. Mary opened up and immediately started nagging.

"You didn't bring your key? Why ring the bell? Don't you know Jamie's taking his nap?"

I said nothing and walked straight into the living room. David and Richard were both there. The whole family, neat and complete.

Mary kept chattering right behind me. "Where's the report? Let me see it. What exactly is wrong with you that you're acting so precious?"

I halted in the middle of the living room and slowly scanned every person present: David’s weary face, Mary’s malicious glare, Richard’s blank stare.

And James holed up in the nursery, shut away in his own bubble. I drew a breath and said evenly, “I have an announcement to make to everyone.”

"I've sold this house." The living room instantly fell into deathly silence. Everyone froze as if someone had hit pause. Mary’s jaw hung open. David’s expression turned stone-still. Richard finally lifted his lofty head.

"A few seconds later, Mary was the first to snap out of it. She let out a shriek sharp enough to split glass.

""What nonsense are you talking about?!"""

"You sold it? What right did you have to sell it?!"

David rushed over, white-faced. "Sarah! Are you kidding me? This isn't funny!" I looked at him without a trace of humor, took out a copy of the sales contract, and laid it on the coffee table.

"I'm not joking. The deed was in my name. It was my premarital property, and I had every right to sell it," I said.

"The new owner is Mr. Lewis. He'll come over tomorrow to take possession. So..."