Chapter 14 - THE DIVORCE
The divorce became final on a Tuesday morning.
There was no dramatic courtroom battle.
No shouting.
No last-minute revelation.
Just signatures.
Questions.
Answers.
A judge.
A final order.
Garret sat beside his attorney.
I sat beside Natalie.
When it was finished, the judge wished us both well.
Then we walked into the hallway.
For several seconds, neither of us knew what to say.
Finally, Garret spoke.
“So.”
“So.”
“We’re divorced.”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
I expected sadness.
Instead, I felt relief.
Not joy.
Not revenge.
Relief.
Garret reached into his pocket.
“I have something for Maya.”
He handed me a small envelope.
Inside was a savings account statement.
Not much money.
But it was in Maya’s name under a properly structured custodial account.
“I’m putting part of every paycheck into it.”
I looked at him.
“You don’t have to show me.”
“I wanted you to know.”
“Why?”
“Because I spent years taking.”
He swallowed.
“I’m trying to learn how to build something instead.”
That sentence stayed with me.
I slipped the statement back into the envelope.
“Keep doing that.”
“I will.”
We walked toward the elevator.
Before the doors opened, he stopped.
“Audrey.”
“Yes?”
“Would you have sold Redwood Crest if I hadn’t changed the code?”
I thought about it.
“No.”
His eyes lowered.
“I figured.”
“But I probably would have discovered everything eventually.”
“Maybe.”
The elevator arrived.
I stepped inside.
He remained in the hallway.
“Do you regret it?” he asked.
“Selling the house?”
“Any of it.”
I looked at him.
“I regret that Maya’s first week began the way it did.”
“I regret trusting people who hadn’t earned it.”
“And I regret ignoring things I should have questioned earlier.”
The doors started closing.
“But selling Redwood Crest?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
The doors closed.
Paige waited outside the courthouse.
She held Maya in her arms.
The moment Maya saw me, she smiled.
A huge, gummy, ridiculous smile.
I laughed.
Paige handed her to me.
“Well?”
“It’s done.”
“How do you feel?”
May you like
I kissed Maya’s forehead.
“Free.”
