“Are you married?” I asked, looking up at her.
“Never was,” she replied. “My ex-boyfriend decided that my sister was hotter than me, so he ditched me and ran off to the Philippines with the skank.”
“Well then you don’t know what it’s like to completely devote yourself to one person and have them destroy everything in the blink of an eye,” I said through gritted teeth. “I gave Marcus every bit of me. I gave him my heart, my body and soul. I put my entire life on hold for him. And he took all of that and bashed it on the floor. He destroyed everything about us, and everything we’d ever stood for, just so he could get his dick wet. I’m not go to sit back and let him get away with this. I understand that it will be tough, but I’m not going to let him get away with it. I want what I’m owed. Then I’ll pack up and leave, and he’ll never see me again.”
I could have sworn I saw a satisfied grin in her eyes as I said this. She had been staring at me like I was a little girl, but now she looked at me with a little bit of respect. When she sat up, there was no more power imbalance between us. We were on a level playing field now. And I already knew that she would take the case.
“That’s what I wanted to see,” she said, chuckling. “I’ve been in enough cases like this to see that the men always get what they want. We’re always dealt the short end of the stick, and they get to walk away with everything they’ve ever wanted even after screwing us over. Well fuck that. I’ll be damned before I let another bastard walk away with a smile on his face after screwing a sister over.”
“So you’ll take the case?” I asked.
“I already did, sweetheart,” she said with a smile. “About two minutes ago when you were giving your little speech. And you have my word, we’re going to rip Marcus Reynard to shreds and get you exactly what you’re owed. He wants to fuck your best friend and get away with it? Screw that. By the time I’m done with him, he’ll be living on the streets and begging for change.”
“Thank you,” I said, beaming at her as relief flooded through my veins. I couldn’t believe my luck, and I finally started to believe that things were going to turn out just fine.
“I’ll file a petition and have the divorce papers ready today,” she said. “Since he doesn’t have an attorney yet, it might slow things down for a day or two. But we’ll get through this in no time. I’m sure the judge would want things to be concluded quickly and amicably, given the fact that the public’s eye will be fixed on this case. This will tip the scales in our favour. Chin up, Olivia. If I were you, I would already be booking a six figure vacation in the Caribbean.”
“Thank you so much, Ciara,” I said. “I really appreciate this. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“You can thank me after I bankrupt your ex-husband and destroy his entire life,” she said. “When we’re done with him, Marcus will wish he’d never been born. For now, just tell me everything I need to know. Start from the moment you first laid eyes on him, until yesterday when you caught him with your best friend.”
And so I did. I spent the next hour telling her about my life with Marcus. I told her about the early days, when he spoilt me with lavish, expensive gifts that cost more than my parent’s mortgage. I told her about the trips we took together, and how sweet and romantic he was. I told her about Rome, and how he proposed to me after a romantic dinner date. I told her about the wedding, the honeymoon, the adjustment to married life and how I was suddenly thrust into the limelight as Marcus Reynard’s wife. And then I told her about the first cracks in the marriage, the constant arguing, the fights, the ugly nights when I would lock myself in the bathroom and cry until my throat felt raw and empty. I told her about how he completely changed, and how we stopped talking completely. I told her about the moment I first started to suspect he was cheating on me, and how I slowly followed the trail until I caught him yesterday. By the time I finished, I was soaked in tears and trembling all over. But I also felt relieved, like a weight had been lifted off my chest finally.
I left that office feeling like an entirely different woman than when I’d walked in. Ciara was ready to fight for me, and I was finally feeling optimistic. As David walked me downstairs to get a cab, I started to believe that things would turn out just fine. And when he promised to swing by my apartment later to check on me, I was glad to remember that there were still some people out there who cared about me.
Perhaps if I wasn’t so happy, I would have noticed the familiar black Porsche parked across the street. And perhaps if I had been paying attention, I would have noticed Marcus staring at me from behind the wheel, a murderous look in his eyes.
I’d made my first move, but he was already ten steps ahead.
