My Husband Acted Single Before Clients, So I Produced Divorce Papers Chapter 04

My Husband Acted Single Before Clients, So I Produced Divorce Papers Chapter 04

Julian arrived quickly.

The second Sabrina saw him, tears spilled down her face. She stumbled toward him and threw herself into his arms.

“Julian, you’re finally here…”

Mrs. Grant hurried over as well and grabbed his arm, her voice urgent and demanding.

“Julian, perfect timing. Tell everyone right now—did this woman make a move on you or not?”

Julian stopped.

He glanced at me first, but the moment our eyes met, he looked away.

Then he looked down at Sabrina and swallowed.

The whispers around us slowly died away. Everyone was waiting for him to speak.

“It’s all a misunderstanding.”

His voice was quiet, but every word was clear.

“Ms. Bennett and I knew each other before this. She’s not the other woman.”

Mrs. Grant clearly didn’t believe him. She kept hold of his arm.

“Then what is she to you? Why was she getting physical with you?”

Julian didn’t answer.

He pulled free of Mrs. Grant, put an arm around Sabrina’s shoulders, and spoke quietly.

“Come with me. Don’t make a scene here.”

Sabrina froze.

“Julian…”

“Come on.”

He repeated himself, sounding exhausted.

With an arm still around her, he guided Sabrina through the crowd.

Mrs. Grant and Sabrina’s brother, Caleb Grant, remained where they were.

Mrs. Grant stood there, speechless and visibly shaken.

Caleb gave her arm a light tug.

“Mom,” he said quietly.

She shot me one last glare before leaving with him.

Only after they were gone did the crowd start murmuring again.

“So it really was a misunderstanding. They already knew each other.”

“Then why didn’t Elise just say that earlier? That would’ve taken one sentence.”

“I think she handled it right. They wouldn’t have believed her anyway.”

A few people started toward me, apparently wanting to check on me.

I stepped back, putting some distance between us.

Before I even made it back to my desk, Martin Hale had his assistant ask me to meet him in the conference room.

“Elise, what happened today looks bad.”

He studied me for a moment, clearly weighing how to say what came next.

“They’re gone now, but this could still put the project at risk. The company has to think about the business, too. Maybe you could…”

I didn’t let him finish.

“I quit.”

Martin froze.

He looked up at me, visibly caught off guard.

“You don’t have to be that impulsive. I’m not firing you. I’m asking you to think about how we can contain the damage. Worst case, apologize to Ms. Grant and smooth things over. That would be better for everyone.”

“I’m not apologizing.”

I stood, took the ID badge from around my neck, and placed it on the conference table.

Recruiters had been trying to lure me away since last year.

I simply hadn’t wanted to leave.

After nearly five years with the company, I’d grown attached to it.

But everything that happened today had finally made something clear.

At the end of the day, they were just coworkers.

That was especially true of Tara.

I had personally trained her.

She used to be all sweetness and flattery, always acting like we were close and occasionally bringing me homemade snacks.

But the moment she thought she had a shot at my job, all that supposed affection vanished.

I scoffed under my breath.

Tara had assumed that once Sabrina caused a scene at the office, there was no way I would come out untouched.

At the very least, I’d be demoted.

Then she could step into my position.

Unfortunately for her, she’d miscalculated.

I looked at Martin.

“Mr. Hale, have you thought about what role Tara played in all of this?”

He frowned.

“Tara?”

“All she saw was one dinner with Sabrina, Julian, and me, and she immediately went into the company-wide chat implying there was something inappropriate between Professor Mercer and me. Then Sabrina showed up here today, and Tara openly kept pushing the narrative against me. Why do you think she did that?”

My voice stayed even.

“Whether I actually made a move on anyone isn’t what matters to you. But have you stopped to wonder why Sabrina posted that video in the project group chat—and how that same video ended up in the company-wide chat?”

I opened the conference room door and looked back at him.

“I’m not leaving because Sabrina forced me out.”

“I’m leaving because I don’t want to share an office with people like that anymore.”

The door closed quietly behind me.

The office had gone completely silent.

I returned to my desk and started packing.

My coworkers stole glances at me, but no one said anything.

I gathered my personal things into a cardboard box and carried it toward the exit.

At the door, I let out a long breath.

Maybe this was for the best.

Maybe it really was time for a different life.

My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket.

It was Julian.

Julian: [I’ll be home tonight. We need to talk.]

I stared at the message for two seconds.

Then I closed the conversation, opened my contacts, and called Rachel Nolan.

“Ms. Nolan, could you prepare a divorce agreement for me? As soon as possible.”