Chapter 5 - Reclaiming the CrownThree weeks later, the divorce was finalized with terrifying speed.
Because of the ironclad prenuptial agreement and the undeniable evidence of financial fraud Greg and Daniel had committed, the judge didn't even blink. Daniel walked away with his personal clothing, his dented sedan, and a court order requiring him to pay five thousand dollars in legal fees to my representation.
Margaret and Vanessa had fled back to Florida, leaving Daniel to fend for himself in a studio apartment with peeling wallpaper and a view of a dumpster. He tried calling my office twice from burner numbers, but my executive assistant—a sharp, no-nonsense woman named Sarah—intercepted both calls and threatened him with an immediate stalking injunction.
On a crisp Friday evening, I hosted a housewarming party.
It wasn't like the miserable, stifling dinner parties I used to endure to appease Margaret. There was no pressure to cook five-course meals, no snide remarks about my career, and no walking on eggshells.
The house was filled with old college friends, colleagues from my software days, and senior executives from the Austin tech firm where I had just accepted a position as regional director. Laughter echoed off the hardwood floors, and jazz music drifted through the open French doors.
Marcus stood beside me near the kitchen island, handing me a fresh glass of champagne.
“To new beginnings,” Marcus toasted, clinking his crystal flute against mine. “Though I have to admit, watching you dismantle a family of professional grifters in under forty-eight hours was the most impressive corporate takeover I’ve ever witnessed.”
May you like
I laughed, looking around the bright, beautiful room that was entirely, unequivocally mine.
“They made a fundamental mistake,” I said softly, watching the amber lights reflect in my glass. “They thought a quiet woman was a weak woman. They forgot that the best software is the one that lets you watch the intrusion happen in real-time before you lock the system down forever.”
