Mocked me.
Hit me for entertainment.
But hate requires energy, and Claire had consumed most of mine.
I looked at her.
“Was any of it real?”
She stared back.
“Our marriage?”
“Yes.”
Her face crumpled.
“At first.”
That answer was worse than no.
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally telling the truth.”
I picked up my shoes.
She stepped toward me.
“Cole, where are you going?”
“Home.”
“You can’t.”
Martin answered before I could.
“Actually, he can.”
Claire looked at
him.
“What about me?”
“The trust terminates your occupancy rights upon initiation of divorce proceedings combined with documented marital abandonment.”
“What does that mean?”
Martin closed the folder.
“It means when you filed your petition Wednesday and listed Mr. Mercer as having vacated the marital residence, you triggered the clause yourself.”
