Chapter 6
Maeve sat back down at her desk and turned on her computer.
On the screen was a page for an online course. It was an admissions brochure for a business school's MBA distance learning program.
The tuition was 60 thousand dollars. She had already saved up enough.
Maeve clicked "Submit Application."
*****
Six months after the divorce, Kayla had a baby boy.
Maeve heard the news from Rudy.
"Victor added the child to his family record," Rudy said over the phone. "The boy was born out of wedlock, but Victor claimed him as his own."
Maeve stood in the company's break room, phone pressed to her ear, pouring black coffee into a paper cup.
"Figures," Maeve said quietly.
"One more thing," Rudy said after a pause. "Kayla has started referring to herself as 'Mrs. Boyle' on her social media accounts."
Maeve's hand froze for a moment. Coffee spilled over the edge of the cup, burning her fingers.
She hissed and pulled her hand back.
"Ms. Norman?" Rudy asked.
"I'm fine," Maeve said, running her finger under cold water. "Just keep an eye on things for me."
"Got it," Rudy replied.
Maeve hung up.
She leaned against the windowsill in the break room, looking down at the street below. Traffic flowed steadily, people coming and going.
'Mrs. Boyle,' Maeve thought to herself.
Kayla wasted no time.
Maeve downed the coffee in one gulp. The bitterness spread from the back of her tongue to her throat.
She returned to her desk and opened her email.
The latest message was from a headhunter. A multinational corporation was hiring a senior translation director for its Valus division, with a starting salary of 200 thousand dollars a year.
Maeve clicked to read more.
*****
Ten months after the divorce, Maeve landed the job offer with 220 thousand dollars a year. With her MBA program wrapping up, her credentials were on a whole new level.
On the same day, she received another piece of news. There was a new development in her father's treatment plan. An imported drug had hit the market, with remarkable results, but it came with a steep price tag. Nine thousand dollars a month.
Victor used to pay for it.
Maeve sat in her office, crunching the numbers.
With her current monthly income and savings, she could easily cover it herself.
Maeve picked up her phone and texted Victor: [From now on, I'll take care of my dad's medical bills myself. You don't need to send any more money.]
Victor replied almost instantly: [What's wrong? Is it not enough? I can send you more if you need.]
Maeve: [It's not about the amount. I don't need your help anymore.]
Victor was silent for a long time.
Then he replied with just one word: [Okay.]
Maeve set her phone down.
'He probably thinks I'm being petty. Whatever,' Maeve thought.
By the time Victor finally caught on, it'd already be too late.
*****
One year and two months after the divorce.
Kayla was pregnant again.
Victor showed up at the villa for the second time. This time, he didn't bother to call ahead. He unlocked the door with his fingerprint and let himself in.
Maeve was in the living room, doing yoga. She was wearing a sports bra and leggings, mid-backbend.
The sound of the door opening made her turn her head.
Victor stood in the entryway, holding a package Maeve had ordered online two days ago. He must've grabbed it from the doorstep on his way in.
His eyes lingered on her for a moment.
Maeve straightened up and wiped the sweat from her brow.
"What brings you here?" she asked.
"Just passing by," Victor said, setting the package on the shoe cabinet and stepping inside. "You've lost weight."
"Just been working out," Maeve replied.
Victor dropped himself onto the couch. Maeve didn't pause her yoga routine. She kept going, unfazed.
"Kayla's pregnant again," he said.
Maeve stayed in her plank, elbows pressed into the mat.
"Congrats," Maeve replied.
"That's all you've got to say?" Victor asked.
"What kind of reaction do you want from me?" Maeve finished her move, sat cross-legged on the mat, and looked up at him. "Should I cry? Scream? Start smashing things? Is that what you want?"
Victor's brows knitted together. "I'm here to let you know we might need to delay things for a while."
Maeve paused, her hand still on her neck.
"How long?" she asked.
"After the second baby arrives, I guess. There's a ton of paperwork to sort out," Victor replied.
Maeve didn't say a word. She draped the towel over her shoulder, stood up, and walked into the kitchen.
"Want some water?" she asked.
"Maeve," Victor called out, stopping her.
Maeve paused.
"Are you mad?" Victor asked.
Maeve turned to look at him.
Her expression was steady. No anger, no hurt, not even a trace of sarcasm. She looked at him like he was another face in the crowd.
She said, "No. You set the timeline. I'll go with it. If you want to push it back, that's fine by me."
She turned away and poured herself a glass of water.
Victor sat on the couch, watching her back as she walked away.
Something felt off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Maeve looked nothing like a woman waiting for her husband to come crawling back.
She looked like someone who'd already turned the page.
But Victor quickly shoved that thought away. He told himself, 'Impossible. Where could Maeve possibly go? I gave her everything she owns.'
He stood up. "I'm heading out. Next time, I'll bring you some fruit."
"No need to come by anymore," Maeve said, leaning in the doorway, water in hand. "I'm moving out next month."