But I knew Claude wouldn't dare. After all, Rita was married.
His secret vasectomy, though, changed everything.
Usually, by the time a kid says they need to pee, they've already wet their pants.
The moment that thought surfaced, I knew it was over between Claude and me.
I went back to the office to finish my resignation paperwork, then stopped by to sign the papers.
"Did you guys hear? Ms. Vance and her husband are getting a divorce..."
"Aren't they always threatening divorce? With that much money tying them together, it's never going to happen. It's all talk."
"This time it's different. Apparently Ms. Vance is the one pushing for it."
"Wait, seriously? Over Claude Delgado?"
"Keep your voice down..."
I stood in the far corner of the elevator, listening to the whispers swirl around me. My heart was strangely calm.
The moment I'd signed that divorce agreement, I'd cut Claude out of my life.
"Hi, could you pass this document along to Claude Delgado for me?"
Claude's coworker looked up in surprise. When she saw it was me, she gave an awkward nod.
I didn't think much of it. I turned and walked away.
I didn't expect to run into Claude and Rita right there by the elevators.
Claude spotted me and let out a reflexive scoff. "Finally realized you were wrong?"
"Don't think showing up to apologize means I'll forgive you."
Rita smiled and patted my shoulder. "Marley, go make up with your husband. A woman really shouldn't be so headstrong..."
I didn't let her finish. I stepped aside to dodge her hand.
"Excuse me. Coming through."
I walked into the elevator and pressed the close button right in front of Claude's face.
"Marlene, you—"
Whatever he was going to say stayed on the other side of the doors.
For some reason, Claude felt a flicker of unease.
"Mr. Delgado, Marlene Pruitt left this document for you just now."
Claude took it without thinking and flipped it open. The words DIVORCE AGREEMENT across the top stopped him cold.
He spun around, disbelief twisting into fury, and stormed toward the design department.
He asked everyone. They all said they hadn't seen me in days.
It wasn't until he barged into the supervisor's office that he got his answer. The supervisor barely glanced up. "Marlene Pruitt resigned."
"You didn't know?"
The flat, indifferent tone said everything.
Claude stood there like someone had ripped the spine right out of him. He couldn't move.
He pulled out his phone and dialed my speed-dial number over and over. No one picked up.
I was on the bullet train heading home. The company group chat I hadn't had time to leave was blowing up, message after message flooding in.
Someone posted a video to the group chat.
The signal on the train was spotty, so I didn't open it. The thumbnail showed Claude from behind, looking absolutely wrecked.
Ms. Vance's husband showed up at the hospital. The cops came!
Where's Marlene?
