Chapter 13 - The House
Liam offered me the house again.
This time without conditions.
I surprised everyone by refusing.
Danielle stared at me.
“You understand the equity?”
“Yes.”
“You could keep it.”
“I know.”
“Then why not?”
I looked around the conference room.
“Because every room contains a version of me who kept waiting for him to come home.”
Danielle was quiet.
I continued.
“I don’t want to build my next life inside the museum of my old one.”
Financially, selling made sense anyway.
The proceeds would be divided after adjustments related to the hidden assets.
I found a smaller house fifteen minutes from Mom.
Three bedrooms.
A little yard.
White kitchen.
Nothing luxurious.
The first night there, Hailey slept in her new nursery while Ethan and I assembled a bookshelf incorrectly.
“We have six extra screws.”
“They’re probably optional.”
“That isn’t how screws work.”
“They are tonight.”
Mom arrived with pizza.
Carol brought a houseplant the next day.
Rachel sent a card.
Sophia sent nothing.
That felt appropriate.
Liam found an apartment near his parents.
He started working for a small logistics firm after months of searching.
His salary was almost half what he had earned before.
Oddly, his visits with Hailey improved.
Without the lifestyle to perform, he became less interested in pretending.
He changed diapers.
Learned her feeding schedule.
Stopped bringing gifts.
Started bringing wipes.
One Sunday, when Hailey was nearly ten months old, he returned her and stood awkwardly on my porch.
“She said dada.”
I smiled despite myself.
“She says dada to the lamp.”
His face fell.
“Really?”
“And the toaster.”
He laughed.
It was the first normal moment between us in almost a year.
Then he said, “I miss this.”
The smile disappeared from my face.
“Don’t.”
“I’m not asking you to take me back.”
“Good.”
“I just…”
He looked at the house.
“You made a home.”
“So did you once.”
His eyes lowered.
“I know.”
He reached into his pocket.
“I found this.”
He handed me a small velvet box.
My wedding earrings.
I had thought they were lost.
“Where?”
“The condo.”
Of course.
I opened the box.
Pearl drops.
Dad bought them for me.
My throat tightened.
“I must have put them in your overnight bag after the wedding.”
Liam nodded.
“I think so.”
“Thank you.”
He hesitated.
“I sold the condo.”
“I know.”
“Everything after settlement goes toward restitution.”
“I know.”
He looked almost amused.
“You always know everything now.”
“No.”
I closed the jewelry box.
“I just ask more questions.”
He nodded.
Before leaving, he said, “Your dad was right about me.”
I didn’t answer.
“I hated him for seeing it.”
Still I said nothing.
Liam looked at me.
“He made me feel like I had to prove I deserved you.”
I studied him.
“That wasn’t Dad’s job.”
“What?”
“To make you believe you deserved me.”
His expression shifted.
“That was yours.”
He left without another word.
That night, I put on the pearl earrings.
Not because they reminded me of my wedding.
Because they reminded me of Dad.
I stood before the mirror holding Hailey.
She grabbed one immediately.
“Ow.”
She laughed.
I laughed too.
Then my phone rang.
Danielle.
“The financial portion of the case is finally ready to settle.”
I sat.
“What does that mean?”
“It means Liam has agreed to everything.”
“Everything?”
“Repayment adjustments.”
“Property division.”
“Your legal fees related to the forged documents.”
I exhaled.
“And the divorce?”
“If you sign next week, it could be finalized within the month.”
I expected sadness.
What I felt was peace.
Then Danielle added:
“There’s one complication.”
Of course there was.
“What?”
“Liam is requesting one thing.”
“What?”
“He wants you to withdraw the recording from the court exhibits.”
“The phone call?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He says he doesn’t want Hailey to find it someday.”
For the first time in months, Liam had made a request I understood.
But understanding it did not mean agreeing.
May you like
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