Chapter 2

Mark' s casual expression faltered as he saw the picture on my phone. A flicker of annoyance crossed his face before he settled on a look of weary impatience.

"Ava, don't start. It's not what it looks like."

"Isn't it?" I shot back, my voice rising. "It looks like you spent our daughter's birthday playing happy family with your ex-girlfriend and her child. It looks like you broke Lily's heart."

"I was helping a friend," he retorted, tossing his keys onto the console table with a clatter. "Scarlett's a single mom, she's trying to get back on her feet. I have a responsibility to her."

"A responsibility?" I laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "What about your responsibility to your wife? To your daughter? You missed her fifth birthday, Mark. You promised her you'd be here."

I started pacing the living room, the dam of my restraint finally breaking. "This isn't the first time, is it? Let's not forget Lily's preschool graduation. You had a 'last-minute meeting.' Or her dance recital, when you were 'stuck in traffic' but somehow managed to post a picture from a gallery opening with Scarlett an hour later. You have a pattern of choosing them over us."

His face hardened. "That's not fair."

"What's not fair is Lily crying herself to sleep because her daddy was on a video call with another little girl who was bragging about all the things he buys her. What's not fair is me finding a receipt for a private school I've never heard of, a school you're paying for. For her daughter, Daisy."

I stopped in front of him, my eyes locked on his. "The whole city is talking about it, Mark. 'Tech Mogul Rekindles Romance.' It's humiliating. Do you have any idea what this does to me? To Lily?"

Mark ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration I knew well. It was the precursor to him shutting down. "Look, I'm sorry about the party. I messed up. I'll make it up to her, I promise."

"I don't believe your promises anymore," I said flatly. "Your word means nothing. The trust is gone."

"So what do you want, Ava? A divorce?" The word hung in the air, sharp and ugly.

The thought had been a whisper in my mind for months, but now, faced with his blatant disregard, it became a roar. "Yes," I said, the word tasting like ash. "Maybe that's exactly what I want. At least then Lily wouldn't have to live with a father who treats her like an afterthought. I need to protect her from you, from this... this mess you've created."

Panic finally flashed in his eyes. He hadn't expected me to call his bluff. "No. I don't want a divorce," he said quickly, his tone shifting from defensive to pleading. "Ava, listen to me. Scarlett and I... we have history. A long time ago. I was her first love, she was mine."

He took a step closer, trying to reach for me, but I flinched away.

"She came back to town a few months ago, a mess," he continued, his voice softer now, weaving a story I wasn't sure I believed. "Her ex left her with nothing. She was struggling. I felt... obligated. A sense of duty. That's all it is. I'm helping her for old times' sake. The media is just blowing it out of proportion to sell stories."

It was a plausible excuse, a carefully crafted narrative designed to soothe and placate. A part of me, the part that still remembered the man I married, wanted to believe it. But the other part, the part that had seen the look in his eyes when he was with Daisy, knew better.

"I don't know what to believe," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "But I can't live like this. I can't let Lily live like this."

I took a deep breath, my mind racing. I wasn't ready to walk away with nothing, to let him off the hook so easily. I had to be smart. For Lily.

"Alright," I said, my voice hardening with resolve. "You say it's just a sense of duty. You say you don't want a divorce. Then prove it."

He looked at me, confused. "How?"

"We're going to a lawyer. Tomorrow. We're drawing up a postnuptial agreement. It will state that if you are ever proven to be unfaithful, or if you continue to prioritize Scarlett and her daughter over your own family, I get everything. The house, controlling shares in your company, full custody of Lily, and substantial alimony. No arguments, no court battles. You sign it all away."

He stared at me, shocked into silence. I held his gaze, unblinking. This was my line in the sand.

For a long moment, the only sound was the hum of the refrigerator. I expected him to argue, to refuse, to call me crazy.

Instead, a slow smile spread across his face. "Okay," he said, the relief in his voice palpable. He thought this was just about money, about security. He thought he could buy my compliance. "If that's what it takes to make you feel secure, fine. I'll sign whatever you want."

He stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. I stood rigid in his arms, feeling no comfort, only the cold reality of my situation.

"I promise, Ava," he whispered into my hair. "It's you and Lily. It's always been you and Lily. Things will be different from now on."

His words were smooth and reassuring, but they felt as hollow as the party we'd just endured. It was a temporary truce, a fragile peace bought with a legal document. But as I stood there in the dark, I knew this was far from over. It was just the beginning.

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