«Yes, everything needs checking, you’re absolutely right, Mom. Before making such an important decision – to leave for Angela and the son, I must be one hundred percent sure he’s my son!»
That her mother-in-law was stirring trouble, turning her son against his wife, Emily had suspected for a long time. And she didn’t love her granddaughter as much as the grandsons from the older son. Olivia reciprocated. Kids sense adults’ attitudes very keenly. That’s why the girl didn’t like visiting Grandma Evelyn, Michael’s mother. She preferred Emily’s parents in that regard.
But that Michael was unfaithful, not just sneaking around on his wife but had even fathered a child on the side, that was a complete revelation for Emily. And his plans to leave them with the daughter for new relationships – that was something else!
The woman was so shocked by what she heard that she feared even moving. Because her husband might hear her, and then she’d have to come out of hiding and just kill him. Nothing else left. To avoid that, she needed to calm down and weigh everything. And only then decide how to avenge this dishonorable man her husband turned out to be.
«You know, Mom, after Steve from our department had his wife declare during the divorce that the son wasn’t his, I’ve been thinking about this warily for a long time. You read my mind as if. If it turns out all good, a new life awaits me. With a new wife and the son I’ve dreamed of.»
Michael said the last phrase while already leaving the apartment.
Emily could finally come out from behind the wardrobe and stretch her numb legs. She still held the folder she needed to take to the office urgently.
Yes, that’s exactly what she’d do now, and on the way decide what to do next. Because everything she learned now promised nothing good for her and her daughter. Divorce, property division, Olivia would grow up without the father she loved very much. All this needed thinking through.
In the most dangerous and responsible moments of life, Emily’s brain started working differently. Rational thinking kicked in, which had saved the woman in stressful situations more than once.
She was driving to work, and her brain had already activated this program. Emily recalled how they quarreled with her future mother-in-law right before the wedding. The reason was trivial, but Evelyn Thompson then let loose all dogs on her, showing her true attitude toward the future daughter-in-law.
«Where did you come from on our heads? You do everything contrary, everything to spite me! And you’re turning my son against me!» the mother-in-law yelled, upset that her son hadn’t done everything she asked that day. He was busy with Emily – there was a lot to do before the wedding.
She just listened silently then, couldn’t get a word in.
«Angela, such a good girl. And she loves Michael! And you… Where did he dig you up? Everything was so good before you!»
«Angela! Of course! Angela, that’s our Angela with little Danny! So that’s it! So the mother-in-law won’t calm down, just dreams of seeing that good girl next to Michael, who probably dances virtuosically to her tune?» Emily even shook her head at the amazing discovery she just made.
«Well, then I did everything right back then. I insured myself for just such a case. So, war!» the woman said confidently aloud. «I didn’t declare it, but I’ve been prepared for it a long time!»
After that awful scandal the mother-in-law threw a week before the wedding, Emily even refused to go to the registry with Michael. And it took him huge efforts to persuade her then.
«Okay,» she said. «But I have one condition. And it’ll be a guarantee that one day you, like your mom, won’t betray me.»
«I’m agreed to anything! And I don’t plan to betray you,» the enamored Michael declared passionately.
«Then today we’ll finalize the purchase of the apartment we’ve already chosen. We have the money. Why wait? And we’ll register it in my name. Before the marriage. You trust me, right? And if not, we’ll sign a contract with a notary stating the amount, your money that you invested in the apartment. I’ll never deceive you, so you have nothing to fear. And if something happens – you’ll have the contract. Agreed?»
«Yes! Agreed. Write it.»
Emily quickly drafted the contract in free form and said tomorrow at work she’d have it notarized.
She hadn’t recalled that funny contract even once until now, which no one signed, of course, and it had no legal force. What mattered was something else. The apartment bought by her before marriage was her property only.
Back then, no one thought about divorce and betrayal. They loved each other. And planned to live together all life.
After handing the folder with documents to her boss, Emily went to her workstation and started thinking what to do now.
Then she went out to the large lobby with soft sofas surrounded by live plants where office folks could relax a bit, and dialed her mother-in-law’s number.
«I’m listening,» Evelyn Thompson answered rudely…
«Listen carefully! Unlike my still-husband, I don’t need to wait for DNA test results; I know without a test that he’s cheating on me.»
«What? Where did you get that?» Boris’s mother faltered.
«Doesn’t matter. What’s important is something else. I don’t know where your Angela lives with her offspring and if Michael can move in there, but starting today, he won’t live in my apartment anymore,» Emily continued calmly. «And I’ll file for divorce today.»
«In what – your apartment? Are you crazy? That’s your shared apartment! And Michael invested as much as you!» Evelyn Thompson screamed. «And if you’re divorcing him, prepare for apartment division!»
«No, it’s my apartment. And we won’t divide it. Probably, Mikey never told you about it, afraid of you. Well, that’s your problem then.»
«What are you babbling? Stupid silly lie!» the mother-in-law didn’t want to believe.
«No, I don’t lie, don’t have that habit. The facts are that we bought the apartment before marriage and registered it in my name. With your family, apparently, need to keep ear sharp. So I insured myself. And as you see, not in vain!»
«This can’t be! I’ll call Michael now! I’ll find out everything!»..
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