CHAPTER FOUR
Saylor
D ivorce Papers.
I knew this would be coming but maybe not this soon.
Did Levi have these drawn up before lunch yesterday?
The last few days we’ve spent together showed no indication that this was where our marriage was heading.
I thought we were happy and blissful; we have a baby on the way and in two days we were going to find out the gender of our baby.
Is it the baby that is scaring him away?
When I first told Levi about being pregnant, his reaction was less than stellar.
It took the first two weeks to convince him that he was going to be a great father.
Between Dr. Jordan, Mitch, and myself, we finally were able to show him that everything was going to be okay.
When he embraced becoming a father, he whisked me away to a secluded island as an apology for his actions.
He even made me recreate the moment of telling him that I was carrying his child.
I thought he was crazy when he handed me a sack full of pregnancy tests to take, to make it even more real.
We laughed and cried and made promises all night, while holding each other tight.
His words from the restaurant come back in my head as I replay yesterday’s event.
I felt as though he cut me to the bone and I was exposed to everyone in the room.
How can someone tell you they love you hours before, then rip it all away in a matter of minutes?
He had never spoken to me that way or treated me so poorly before, even in the beginning stages of our relationship.
He was cold, and his eyes were pleading with me, almost as if he wanted to say more.
Did he really want to do this or was there something else?
Looking at the pages in front of me tells me everything I need to know.
A throat clears and it brings me back to the reality that is now my life.
“Just sign next to all the blue arrow tabs and then we can be done with this,” Daniel says, pushing the pen towards me.
“Why are you acting like this? I’m family—”
“In a matter of a few signatures and around sixty days, that won’t be the case.
” He leans back in the cold, hard metal chair.
“I saw the videos. Hell, the entire world apparently saw what went down yesterday; let’s try to move this along and then you can,” he swings his arm around the room in gesture, “resume your new life, shall we.”
“I’m not signing anything until I speak with Levi, and that doesn’t look to be anytime soon,” I grit out.
Our marriage might be over but I want a face to face with him if I’m going to write off the last eight months of my life, six of which we were married.
“How are you even able to file something like this while my husband is in the hospital, basically on life support? You have to have his signature to make this legit.” At least that’s what I’m hoping.
Maybe Levi and I can talk this through and work something out?
“You’re not going to get any more money out of him, if that is what you’re thinking.
This has been in the works for some time apparently.
Levi was just merely trying to give you the courtesy of saying it to your face, instead of finding out through a messenger.
” He seems as if he’s enjoying this. “As for how, I’m simply acting as his proxy.
In the event that he is rendered incapacitated, I’m the one who makes all his decisions if needed.
I was also informed that he recently spoke with Lincoln about a divorce, a few months back. ”
My heart sinks, and I’m losing the will to fight for our marriage after hearing this. If that is true then Levi and I need to have another conversation, because it’s starting to sound like he has been lying to me about our happy relationship our entire marriage.
The smug look on my father-in-law’s face makes me want to throat punch him.
“I don’t give a flying fuck about our money.” I jab about it being half mine, since I didn’t sign a prenup.
“Listen here you little gold-digger, you are going to sign these papers and then my family is going to wash their hands of you. When he came to me and started asking about advice on divorce, I knew he was trying to find a way to undo what he’d so carelessly done.
I always thought Levi was too good for you, and I plan to rectify that today. ”
“And what are you going to do about our baby ? Can’t wash your hands of this little one so easily, can you?” I place my hand on my barely there stomach.
His eyes widen briefly but then he erupts in laugh.
“You can’t really be so na?ve in thinking that faking a pregnancy will keep Levi in your clutches? I can see where the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Is he talking about my mother? Bastard!
My mother met my father while he was on leave during one of his deployment tours. They had a quick romance and before he left on his next mission, they found out she was pregnant with me. They married the next day and were together up until she died from cancer, when I was ten.
“Fuck you, Daniel!”
“Ah, there’s the trailer trash I always knew was hiding under that poor, quiet, small-town girl, looking for a handout.
I know for a fact that Levi never had any interest in becoming a father, and even made a point about it never happening to him.
I also know he never wanted to get married so, after yesterday’s events, I plan to help him rid himself of you. ”
“At least I never made him think it was okay to have escorts for years!” I admit, letting my tongue slip for the second day in a row.
I can almost bet the farm that he’s used Blaire’s services in the past. His face falls, and a confused look crosses his face.
“Parents of the century if you ask me. I wonder what Alice would think if she knew all about Blaire? Or your parents, for that matter,” I smugly say.
I know that Daniel knew of Blaire and her business.
He used to represent her before she left his practice then signed with Lincoln at his firm.
There’s no way he didn’t know that both of his sons had arm candy that often at events and couldn’t put two and two together.
And how dare he talk about my mother that way.
You hit below the belt and so will I. He doesn’t want to get me started about how they raised Reid, who’s a borderline closet alcoholic, but thinks no one knows about it.
A knock on the door keeps me from reaching across the table and throat punching my father-in-law. Detective Ford waltzes in and stands at the top of the table, as Daniel and I are both in a stare down.
“I must’ve interrupted something life shattering with the way you both are eyeing each other.” His cocky voice is like nails on a chalkboard.
“No, we’re finished here,” I say, and shove the unsigned papers back over to Daniel. “I think I’ll take my chances in front of a judge.”
Is it possible that Daniel is setting me up?
“Well, sorry to break up this family reunion but I’ve been called out, so I’m gonna need to put you in a holding cell until I get back.”
I stand, making the chair fall back tumbling over onto the floor, and make my way over to the Detective.
I need to get away from Daniel before I do something that will make things worse for me and put me away for something that I’ve actually done.
He cuffs me once again and we walk out. We head down a long corridor and through several heavy metal doors before the jail cells come into view.
“Aren’t you supposed to finger print me or something?” I ask, as several catcalls burst out and indecent gestures are made as we reach the end of the hallway.
“We’ll get to that when I get back. The DA wants to speak with you first,” he informs me as we slow our pace. “Try not to cause any trouble while I’m gone,” He says as he uses a key to unlock the metal door and uncuffs me.
The clinking of the metal sets in the reality of what is truly about to happen, and out of desperation I grasp for his shirt. “Please, you have to believe me, I didn’t do this. I would never harm anyone, much less the man I love,” I plead and the waterworks start again.
He pries my fingers off his clothes and gives me a shove away from him. The jolt sends me flying, and I almost lose my balance.
“That’s what they all say, sweetheart.” He slams the door shut and I’m left holding on for dear life to the bars as he walks away whistling.
Sobs wretch from my chest and I feel the walls closing in on me.
After what feels like hours, I finally get myself under control. I wipe my wet face and turn to find a seat, and wait until Detective Ford comes back so that I can call my dad or Everly to help me. But what I find when I turn around is like being in a horror movie.
Blaire Hutchins, and two other women are seated on benches watching me. The smirk on her face is one that I’d love to wipe off if we were in a different setting.
“Well, well look what we have here ladies. Part of LA’s golden couple,” Blaire boasts. “What in the world could you have possibly done to land yourself in a place like this?”
“I could ask you the same thing, but I think I already know the answer to that one,” I retort.
Her face morphs to one of hatred and she stands to her full height.
“I knew you were the little snitch that put me in here,” she accuses.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Leave me alone and I’ll do the same.”