6
John stiffened, but forced a paternal smile.
“Claire, honey, we weren’t talking about
anything important, just-”
“I’m divorcing your father,” I cut in.
Claire’s eyes lit up. She hugged John,
squealing, “Really? You’re finally divorcing
this awful woman!?”
“Yes! I’m staying with Daddy! I don’t want to
live with her!”
I clutched my chest, trying to steady my
breathing. John, noticing my discomfort,
<
assumed I was bluffing.
He smirked. “Are you sure about this? Claire
clearly hates you. There’s no way I’d let you
have custody.”
“Unless you agree to give up everything, then
maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you keep her.‘
Claire’s face fell. “Dad! What are you saying?
Even if she gives up everything, I don’t want
to live with her!”
“I want to live with you and Grandma! Even if
you get a new wife, I won’t be mad! I’ll be
nice to her and take care of my little brother
or sister!”
“Dad, don’t you love me anymore? Do you
want me to suffer with her?”
Her words, dripping with manipulative guilt,
momentarily silenced John.
I pretended to consider my options, then, with
a sigh, I said, “If Claire wants to stay with
you, then fine.”
John choked. “You…!”
Claire jumped up and down, ecstatic. “Yes!
You don’t want me? Well, I don’t want you
either! I’m going to have a wonderful life with Dad and Grandma! You’ll be so jealous!”
<
John stared at me, stunned. “Are you really
sure about this?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Why? You don’t want
her? Was all that affection just a show?”
Claire spat at me. “You vicious old woman!
Stop trying to turn us against each other! Dad
and I have the best relationship ever!”
“Dad, tell her, right? Show her how wrong she
is!”
John stammered, “R–right, of course.‘
“”
Claire gloated. “See? Your tricks don’t work!
You’ll be all alone, a divorced nobody!”
<
I smiled, pushing the divorce papers back
towards John. “Sign here. You get Claire, I
get everything else. We’re done.
“Dad, sign it!” Claire urged. “I can’t wait to
start our new life!”
John’s face darkened as he looked at the
agreement. “You’re not getting everything.”
I shrugged. “Then I’ll sue you for infidelity and
reclaim everything you spent on your
mistress. You’ll be left with nothing, your
reputation ruined. See if your company or
your girlfriend sticks around then.”
Claire gasped. “Dad, you cheated!?”
く
John’s face turned green.
But Claire quickly recovered. “It’s okay, Dad. I
support you finding true love! I wouldn’t want
to be with that controlling old woman either.
Being in the same house with her is
suffocating!”
“Dad, just give her the stuff! We don’t need it! You make plenty of money, you’ll earn it back in no time!”
“Besides, you’ve given tons of money to your girlfriend, right? You can just get some of it back! We don’t need her money!”
“It’s a small price to pay to be with your
く
favorite woman and your daughter, right?”
John looked like he was about to have a
stroke.
I added fuel to the fire. “Your daughter’s
right. What are you waiting for? Unless you’re
just a hypocrite who doesn’t really want her?”
Goaded, John snatched the pen and signed
with such force he nearly tore through the
paper.
He threw the pen down. “Fine, take her. But you’re never allowed to contact her again!”
I smiled. “Deal.”
