Chapter 4

For the next three days, Ethan didn't come home.

He probably thought giving me the silent treatment would force me to fold, just like before.

Whenever we fought, he would disappear for a couple of days, come back with a bouquet of flowers, tell me to “stop being dramatic,” and the slate would be wiped clean.

Not this time.

The day after he left, I visited a family law firm.

My attorney was Amanda Miller. I sat down and laid out the facts.

After listening, she flipped through the paperwork I had brought, her brows knitting together.

“Mrs. Vance, this evidence is very weak. A flirtatious late-night text and a husband tearing up at a wedding do not constitute legal proof of infidelity.”

“I know,” I replied evenly. “I’m not here to sue him for adultery. I’m here to understand asset division.”

Amanda looked up. “Three years of marriage. Any children?”

“None.”

“Pre-marital assets?”

“He has two properties in his name—the house we live in, which was bought by his parents, and a luxury condo he purchased outright before we married. I don’t own any real estate.”

“What about marital assets?”

“I’ve never had access to his main accounts. Our household expenses came from an account his parents funded, about three thousand dollars a month. I never spent a penny of it. It’s all untouched in savings.”

Amanda’s pen stopped. She stared at me across the desk.

“You didn't spend a single cent?”

“No.”

“Why?”

I hesitated, then said, “Because I knew it wasn't his money. It was charity from his family. I didn't want to owe them a thing.”

Amanda leaned back against her chair, studying me intently.

“Mrs. Vance, I’ve handled divorce cases for over a decade. Women like you are rare. Most people fight tooth and nail to squeeze out every penny. You didn't take a dime.”

“I don’t want their money.”

“Then what do you want?”

“A clean break.”

She nodded, jotting down a few notes.

“I’ll need time to investigate Mr. Vance’s financial records. If he has been funneling or hiding marital assets, we can fight for a larger settlement.”

“In the meantime, I recommend gathering whatever evidence of infidelity you can find. Even circumstantial proof gives us leverage at the negotiating table.”

Leaving the firm, I waited at a crosswalk.

My phone chimed with a SnapChat notification.

It was from Tara, my college roommate and the only real friend I had kept in touch with over the years.

*Chloe, I heard you went to Victoria’s wedding? Did Ethan really cry?*

*Yeah.*

*Are you okay?*

*I’m fine.*

*Stop acting tough. Lunch on me today? Let’s grab sushi.*

I typed back: *Sure.*

We met at a high-end Japanese restaurant downtown. Tara had already arrived and stood up the moment she saw me.

“You’ve lost so much weight!”

“Just haven’t had much of an appetite.”

She pulled me into a booth, ordered our food, and then leaned in, lowering her voice. “Don’t get mad at me, but I have to tell you something.”

“Go ahead.”

“A couple of days ago, I ran into Victoria downtown. She was shopping with Ethan.”