The Divorce He Asked For, The Empire I Took Away Chapter 02

The Divorce He Asked For, The Empire I Took Away Chapter 02

Marcus stood in the middle of the living room and stared at me. His eyes were red, either from missing sleep or from anger.

“Did you consider the consequences before posting that?”

I crossed my legs on the couch. “Did you consider them before going to the beach with Vanessa?”

His mouth moved, but no answer came.

After several seconds, he softened his voice. “This isn’t as serious as you think.”

“Really?”

“Vanessa and I are friends who became a little too close. Nothing happened the way you’re imagining.”

“Friends hold each other by the waist?”

“She lost her balance. I supported her.”

I opened the photograph and held the screen in front of him.

“You supported her with your faces touching? You were supposed to be in Albany, but you supported her all the way to Montauk?”

His expression stiffened. Then he reached for my phone.

“Delete the picture too.”

I pulled it behind me. “Don’t touch my property.”

“Lydia! Who do you think this embarrasses?

My coworkers saw it. My supervisor saw it.

How am I supposed to face anyone?”

I watched him.

He cared about facing other people, not facing me.

“You weren’t afraid of being seen when your arm was around her. Why are you afraid now that the photograph is public?”

Marcus took a deep breath and braced both hands on the dining table.

“What do you want? Give me a condition.”

“A divorce.”

The room went silent.

He raised his head, and his eyes changed. “What did you say?”

“I want a divorce.”

“Over one photograph?”

“Over the photograph and the lies. You claimed Albany and went to Montauk.

You called it work and spent the trip with my best friend. How should I understand that?”

“I told you there was no affair.”

“That doesn’t matter anymore. You lied.

That’s enough.”

He sat across from me with his hands clasped over his knees.

“We’ve been married for three years. Are you destroying our home over something this small?”

“Small?”

“You exploded over a photograph. Have you considered that Vanessa might have done it deliberately?”

I laughed. “Did she force you beside her?

Did she press your hand to her waist? Listen to yourself.”

He fell silent.

The doorbell rang again.

Marcus opened it. His mother stood outside with uncombed hair and one button of her coat in the wrong hole.

Her first question was not what happened.

She looked at me. “Delete that Facebook post immediately.”

I stayed where I was.

She approached the coffee table and stabbed one finger toward it.

“Do you know how many calls we received this morning? Your aunts saw it, your uncles saw it, and your father-in-law’s coworkers saw it.

Do you have any idea how humiliating this is for the whole family?”

“Your son was with another woman.”

“It’s one photograph. Young people tease and play around.

Do you need to turn it into a public scandal?”

She insisted disagreements belonged behind closed doors and accused me of humiliating the Reed family online.

Marcus did not stop her or say one word in my defense.

I moved my gaze from his mother to him. “Is that what you think too?”

He hesitated. “Delete it first.

We can discuss everything else slowly.”

I stood. “It doesn’t matter now.

People already saved and shared screenshots.”

His mother’s face went white. “You meant to destroy this family.”

I carried my glass to the kitchen, poured out the water, and placed it in the sink.

“I did not destroy this family.”

I picked up my phone and keys and headed for the door.

Marcus blocked me. “Where are you going?”

“Move.”

“Explain yourself before you leave.”

“I already did. Divorce.

Find time to review the paperwork when I send it.”

I walked around him and left.

His mother shouted after me until the elevator doors closed.

My phone vibrated. Vanessa was calling.

I answered.

“Lydia…”

“Don’t call me that. Say what you need.”

She was quiet for two seconds. “Can we meet?

I need to explain this face-to-face.”

“Explain how you couldn’t control yourself?”

“It isn’t what you saw.”

“Then what is it?”

She did not answer, so I ended the call.

Outside the building, sunlight struck my eyes. I realized I had nowhere to go.

Another call came from an unfamiliar number.

“Is this Ms. Vaughn? I’m Vanessa’s mother.”