Chapter 8 A Family Dinner

Dominic picked up on the second ring, his voice flat. "What is it?"

The tone was so dismissive that Kaitlin almost thought she had misdialed. "It's me... your wife. You mentioned sending a package, but I haven't gotten any delivery notice. I just wanted to ask about it."

Sitting at his desk covered with paperwork, Dominic felt irritation rise the moment he heard her voice.

To him, a woman who had betrayed him had no right to carry the title of his wife.

"We should end this, Ms. Watson. It's time for a divorce," he said coldly.

The words left Kaitlin frozen, her breath catching. "Divorce?" she repeated, almost in disbelief.

"Yes," Dominic said. "I know I've been absent for the past year, and I'll take responsibility for that. I'll transfer five hundred thousand to you as compensation."

"There's no need for that." Kaitlin's reply was steady, though her heart felt heavy. She had always known this day might come, yet hearing it spoken aloud left her hollow. "You don't owe me anything, and I don't want money."

Dominic didn't bother softening his tone. "I've already instructed my lawyer to draft the divorce papers. The papers will reach you in a few days. Sign them."

"Alright."

When the call ended, Kaitlin stayed where she was, sitting on the edge of the bed with the phone still in her hand.

It took a long time before she finally moved, the weight of it all sinking in.

Maybe ending things really was the right move.

Their relationship had always felt distant, so this separation was unlikely to leave any real pain behind.

That night, Dominic made his way back to his grandmother's place.

Khloe lounged on the sofa with a bag of chips, waving him away as soon as he walked in. "Hurry, leave!"

Dominic looked confused and was just about to speak when their grandmother, Selene Phillips, stepped out of her room wearing a hard expression. "Why have you come back by yourself again? Where is your wife?"

Khloe interjected before Dominic could answer, "Grandma, I promise I saw her yesterday. She caught a cold and didn't want to risk passing it to you, so she decided to remain at home."

Selene wasn't buying a word. "Both of you think you can fool me. I know what's going on."

Khloe looked offended. "I'd never make up a story for you, Grandma!"

Selene didn't soften at all. "You have until next weekend to bring your wife home. If I find out you're lying, I'll move into a retirement community and you won't see me again!"

There was no mistaking her seriousness this time.

Khloe gave a quick nod and pulled Dominic outside, leading him into the backyard. "Alright, spill it. What's happening between you and your wife?"

Dominic didn't hesitate. "We're getting a divorce."

"That's the best news I've heard all week!" Khloe's grin stretched from ear to ear as she clapped with excitement. "Now that you're about to be single, you should totally go after Ms. Watson. If she ended up marrying you, Grandma would be on cloud nine."

Dominic tapped the back of her head with a smirk. "You need to keep your head in your books and leave grown-up problems to the adults."

There was no denying that Khloe's teacher was impressive, but she was already married.

With that in mind, it was better to keep things simple and steer clear of unnecessary drama.

...

A couple of days passed, and the slap mark on Kaitlin's face had faded to almost nothing.

She finished breakfast, then started sorting out her materials for school when her phone buzzed unexpectedly.

Seeing "Lise" on the screen put her instantly on edge.

One swipe, and her stepmother's sharp tone hit her right away. "Don't forget, your dad's hosting a family dinner at Elysian Dining tonight at seven. I'll text you the details, so you better show up."

Kaitlin couldn't help the sarcasm in her voice. "I'm not coming."

Nothing good ever happened when she was around the Watson family. Staying away was the only way to protect herself.

Yet Lise was never the type to back down so quickly.

Her tone grew sharp and menacing. "Your mother's jade bracelet is still locked away in my jewelry box. Don't you care about getting it back?"