29. Chapter 28
J enna
The next morning, Jenna woke early, her resolve hardened.
Her babies were all grown up. Max and Lilly were adults, capable of looking after themselves, and she no longer felt the need to explain herself to anyone.
Her wedding rings sat on the dresser, and she slipped them into a small envelope.
Sealing it, she wrote "Troy" on the front and put it in her pocket.
The guest room was dimly lit, the air heavy with unspoken words from the night before.
She zipped up a second bag, carefully tucking her laptop and art supplies inside.
This was all she would take. Everything else-the remnants of a life built around Troy-could stay behind.
Her fingers hesitated over a small box buried in the bottom of the dresser. She lifted the lid, revealing old letters, concert tickets, and a small photograph creased at the edges. In it, she and Troy stood outside her university dorm, their younger selves frozen in time.
A memory crashed over her, vivid and raw.
It had been raining that night. She had been crying when he knocked on the door.
"Jenna, please." Troy had been soaked, his hair plastered to his forehead. "I know I messed up."
She had turned away from him, wrapping her arms around herself. "You left." Her voice had been small, broken. "You found out I was pregnant and you left to marry that Lila person. "
He had stepped inside then, hesitant, dripping onto the threadbare carpet. "I was scared." He swallowed hard. "But I came back. I want to do the right thing."
She had let out a shaky breath, wiping at her tears. "I'm not getting an abortion."
"I don't want you to," he had said quickly. "I never wanted that."
She had finally looked at him then, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. "Then what do you want, Troy?"
He had reached for her hand, his grip warm and certain. "I want to take care of you. Of the baby. I want to make this work."
There had been so many reasons not to trust him, so many fears still tangled between them. But in that moment, when he had said, "Marry me, Jenna," she had seen something real in his eyes.
And she had said yes.
The memory faded, leaving a hollow ache in its place. She touched the photograph once more before setting it aside. That girl in the picture had been hopeful, full of dreams. She wasn't sure who she was now, but she knew she wasn't that girl anymore.
She could hear Troy moving around downstairs.
He was always an early bird. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the master bedroom.
Everything was as she had left it. She took a moment to close her eyes and relaxed her shoulders consciously.
Then, she went in to the walk-in closet to start packing a suitcase with essentials-clothes, toiletries, and some inexpensive jewellery she had collected over the years.
Her laptop, and her art supplies were already packed.
She left everything else behind, including the expensive baubles and the rest of her designer clothes .
She turned to see Troy standing by the doorframe, his expression was a calm as usual but she could see his white knuckles as he gripped the door frame.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway snapped her back to the present. Troy stood in the doorway, watching her.
"You're really going back to Chester," he said, his voice thick.
Jenna straightened. "Yes."
He stepped further into the room, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "Can we at least talk about this?"
"We talked last night," she said, not unkindly. "You just didn't like what you heard."
Troy exhaled sharply. "This isn't just about us, Jenna. The kids-"
Jenna didn't answer, looking down at her ringless fingers, at the pale mark left by the rings she hadn't taken off in years.
Instead, she opened the side cupboard and began pulling out a few more jeans, tops, a coat, and her most comfortable shoes.
She folded each item neatly and placed them into a suitcase. She always did like travelling light.
Jenna finally looked up at Troy. "I would like to keep this separation as amicable as possible. I will come back in a few days to tell the kids, but right now."
Troy blinked, the words taking a moment to sink in. "What do you mean, separation? Leaving where?"
"Here," Jenna said. "This house. This marriage."
He stared at her, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find a response. "You can't just-Jenna, what are you talking about? Let’s talk about this!"
Jenna didn't respond. She zipped up the suitcase and reached for her laptop bag, slipping her tablet and a few more art supplies inside. "I need my car," she said quietly, ignoring his outburst. "I'll pay you back for it in instalments if that's what it takes."
"You're overreacting," Troy said, his tone hardening as panic set in. "We can fix this. You're just tired, or upset, or-"
"Is this a multiple-choice question? I'm done," Jenna interrupted, her voice firm but quiet. "I've been done for a long time, Troy. I just didn't realize it until now."
She picked up the suitcase and her bag, brushing past him without another word. As she walked out the door, Troy followed her to the top of the stairs, his voice rising in desperation. "Jenna! Jenna! You can't just leave like this!"
"I know a lot is unsettled. I will be back." she cut in. "Sasha's kids need me. And right now, I need them more than I need whatever this is." She gestured vaguely between them.
Troy ran a hand through his hair, frustration and sadness warring in his eyes. "I don't know how to fix this."
"Then figure it out if you can, Troy. Because I'm not waiting anymore. But I wouldn’t try too hard. Why don’t you make your entire family happy and just marry Lila once the divorce comes through. I am sure Max will applaud your good taste."
She lifted the bag and moved past him, pausing only for a moment before heading downstairs.
Her fingers brushed against the small envelope in her pocket-the one containing her wedding rings.
Her little diamond ring which she treasured.
Troy had offered to replace it with a bigger one but she wanted to keep the old one from when Troy couldn't afford a more expensive one.
..that is, until now. She left it on the mantle of the downstairs fireplace. It no longer belonged to her .
She didn't slam the door when she left. She didn't have to. The silence she left behind was heavier than any words they could have exchanged, settling over the house like an unspoken farewell.
As she pulled out of the driveway and manoeuvred around Troy's car, her hands steady on the wheel, she saw Troy step onto the drive.
He stood there, his posture uncertain, his expression helpless as he watched her go.
For the first time, he seemed truly lost, as if the reality of her leaving had only just settled in.
But Jenna didn't look back again. She had made her choice.
Later That Day
Jenna sat across from Olivia Harper, a lawyer she had seen at many of Troy's company events. Olivia, known for her sharp legal acumen, looked at her with mild curiosity. She had never been openly condescending to Jenna, just watchful and quiet.
"You'll forgive me for asking," Olivia began, her tone professional, "but why come to me? I assumed you'd use someone outside of Troy's professional network."
Jenna met her gaze, her voice steady. "Because I need someone who knows how he works. I need someone who won't waste my time."
Olivia leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "All right. What do you want out of this?"
"Nothing," Jenna said simply.
Olivia's eyebrows rose. "Nothing? You've been married for over twenty years, and you're telling me you don't want a dime?"
Jenna nodded. "That's correct. I don't need anything from him. I just want out."
The lawyer studied her for a moment, her expression softening. "You understand that prenuptial agreements are not automatically enforceable in courts in England and Wales. Traditionally, they were unenforceable as being against public policy. It is something we can fight."
"I know," Jenna said. "And I'm not contesting it.
In fact, I don't want their pittance. I am leaving most of my clothes and all my jewellery behind.
However, I want it to go on record that my earnings are my own property along with my laptop, iPad, and clothes.
They will also not contest the amount spent on my night classes for my bachelor's. "
Olivia sat back in her chair, her eyes sharp and dissecting.
After what seemed like a long time, she leaned forward and frowned, the standoffish edge in her demeanour melting slightly.
She reached for a tissue box on her desk and passed it to Jenna, who had begun to tear up.
"Do you understand that if we do this, you get nothing?
Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice quieter.
Jenna took a tissue, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke.
"Because I'm tired. Because I've spent years trying to be enough for him, for his family, for everyone-and it's never been enough.
I don't want anything from him, because I don't want him to have any hold over me. I just want my freedom."
Olivia nodded slowly, her respect for Jenna growing. "All right. I'll draft the papers. And, Jenna... if I came across as abrupt... I'm sorry."
Jenna managed a small smile, the first genuine one in days. "Thank you, Miss Harper."
"Please call me Olivia".
"Olivia, then"
She left the office with nothing but a newfound sense of determination. As she walked out into the crisp afternoon air, she felt the first stirrings of hope, fragile but undeniable.