Page 2 of Beginning at the End
Rod’s face looked sad.“I am sorry.”
“I’m not.It was a matter of convenience for him and kept the socialites off his doorstep for the three years we were legally married.It was convenient for him, and I was bound to be polite and not date for some reason.Let’s just say he was having way more sex than I was.”
“Ouch.You rarely hear about situations like that.”
“Yeah.Well, I am a fan of retro.Gotta go back to the data mines.”She grinned and waved as she headed off.
She got back to her desk and prepared an advertising packet for the second episode.This was what she did, and she was extremely good at it.
* * * *
Likon Chyris answeredthe phone.“Yes?”
“It’s done, sir.She’s signed the paperwork.The filing has been completed and registered with the court.”
Likon paused.“Did she cry?”
“No, sir.She—uh—whistled.”
Eudora only whistled when she was happy.Really happy.“This was the more recent copy?”
“No, sir.She brought in the original, so she signed it as is.No changes.”
Likon whispered, “What?Why?”
“You said you wanted it done with little fuss.Dividing assets and giving her a payout would have been a fuss, so the original one stood.She was a little upset that her bank account would be frozen, but she accepted it.”
“Wait.What do you mean her account was frozen?”
“Well, until the court issues the acknowledgement it is an asset of the marriage and can’t be moved.”
“And she knew that.”
“Yes.”
“And signed it anyway?”
“Correct.You have what was yours when you married, she has what was hers, and anything she earned by exposure to your family name is divided equally.”
“Fuck.I forgot we wrote that.”
“I wrote that.It was for your benefit, and you managed to escape the marriage market of three years ago.Lik, it is for the best.You can start over now.”His friend of fifteen years stated, “She’sa mouse.You need a tiger, like Nessa.”
Likon frowned.They hadn’t had an intimate relationship, but having Eudora in his house had made it a home.When she had come home to him fucking Nessa in the living room, her smile had just turned off.She had nodded.“I will see your lawyer next week.This is over now.Good luck.”
He had thrown Nessa off him and run to Eudora’s room, where she was packing with calm efficiency.He watched her go around the gowns that he had bought her for their endless parties and events.“You can sell those.”
“No.They are yours as per the original contract.As fun as it would be to see you try to wedge into them, I am leaving them here.Jewellery is on the dresser, including the wedding ring.The phone is on the charger.”
“What?”
“It’s yours.Everything you purchased for me remains your property.That was the agreement.”She closed her luggage.
He had stood there, watched her lift the keys for her old car, and said, “Where are you going?”
“To an apartment that a friend rented for me when you started dry humping Nessa in the car.I may be a beta, but my nose works.”She snorted and left the room, brushing past him in her modest heels.
She walked smoothly down the hall.She smiled at Nessa, who was trying to look smug.
