He Guaranteed Her Loan, I Filed for Divorce the Same Day Chapter 04

He Guaranteed Her Loan, I Filed for Divorce the Same Day Chapter 04

I said nothing and ended the call.

Around noon, I went back to the house to grab my important documents.

The second I pushed open the door, soft, tearful whimpers reached my ears.

Lorelei was half-curled against Darien’s chest, her face buried against his shirt, shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

Darien leaned down murmuring comfort, wearing a tender expression I had never once seen directed at me.

They flinched apart like they’d been burned the instant they spotted me.

Darien spoke fast, irritation thick in his voice.

“Why didn’t you knock before coming inside?”

I looked straight at him.

“This is my home. Why would I knock?”

Lorelei scrambled to her feet.

“It’s not what it looks like—”

She let out a sharp cry, her ankle twisting underneath her. She fell right back into Darien’s arms.

“Did you sprain your ankle?”

He lifted Lorelei bridal-style and set her gently on the sofa.

He knelt down, slipped off her shoe, and pressed his fingers against her swollen ankle to massage it.

“How could you be so careless,” he rumbled, his voice holding a faint note of reproach.

Lorelei’s cheeks flushed bright red. She tried to pull away, but Darien held her foot in place.

She glanced toward me helplessly, her voice soft as melted honey.

“Please don’t misunderstand. It’s all my clumsiness…”

I grabbed the half-full glass of water sitting on the coffee table and splashed its contents all over both of them.

Darien shot to his feet, his chest heaving.

“Elowen Voss, have you lost your mind?!”

I tossed the empty cup aside.

“If you two are so desperate to get in each other’s pants, get divorced first—then you can take all the time in the world for it.”

Lorelei’s eyes welled up. She struggled to rise.

“I’ll leave right now. Please don’t be angry…”

Darien quickly wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her upright.

“Look at the state you’re in. Where would you even go?”

“You’re staying here for the next few days to rest.”

He shot a glance in my direction.

“This house is mine. You can stay without worry.”

I thought about all the marital income that went toward covering the mortgage payment every single month. A humorless laugh escaped me.

Before I could reply, my phone rang. The elementary-school teacher’s voice sounded frantic.

“Mrs. Voss, Kai got into a physical fight with another student. The other child’s parent is already here at the office. Please come as soon as you can.”

My expression shifted. I grabbed my bag and raced out the door.

At the school, Kai stood in the far corner of the administrator’s office.

The second he saw me, he bolted forward and punched the already-crying little boy a second time.

“Kai!”

The teacher and the other parent exploded in outrage.

Kai stared back at me, openly defiant.

The teacher’s voice trembled with frustration.

“Mrs. Voss, look at Kai! He attacked another child right in front of staff and the victim’s parent!”

I stepped to stand directly in front of Kai.

“Why did you hit him?”

He tilted his chin up, shouting loud enough for the whole hallway to hear.

“You taught me this! You bully Aunt Lorelei, so I’m going to bully other people too!”

Darien hurried into the room right behind me, his face dark with rage.

“Elowen, is this the kind of parenting you do?”

Lorelei sighed softly from behind him.

“Parents are their children’s mirrors. If your conduct is warped, of course the boy picks up bad habits.”

A smug smile spread across Kai’s face.

“I’ll keep hurting other kids as long as you keep being mean to Aunt Lorelei!”

“And I’m skipping meals. I’ll stay up late and push my body hard. I’m gonna make my heart give out completely!”

Darien barked at him.

“Apologize to this family right now. Then go get our money for Lorelei. Don’t let the boy learn to be as selfish as you are.”

I stared at him, cold and still. He thought he’d found my weakness. I suddenly smiled.

“Do whatever you want.”

I turned around and walked out.