That same day I contacted my lawyer and filed for divorce.
Brent never expected me to go through with it. He fired off a dozen furious voice messages.
"Bella, look at you, all grown a backbone. First you drop the appeal against Tabitha, and now you've got the nerve to file for divorce?"
"From the day you married me, you've never worked a single day. Let's see how you survive in Crestport City once you leave me!"
"You want a divorce? Fine. But you walk out with nothing. Anything that belongs to the Stephens family, don't think you'll take a dime of it!"
My filing for divorce blew up into a huge spectacle, and Brent went around online spreading rumors that I'd cheated during the marriage.
He even publicly accused me of grabbing my sister's settlement money and rushing to divorce so I could run off and live it up with my lover!
Soon the day of the hearing arrived.
Because my earlier suit against Tabitha Henson had caused such an uproar.
This time countless reporters and curious onlookers showed up, packing the courthouse entrance until there wasn't room to breathe.
"Bella, last time you sued Tabitha Henson and then took the money to settle on the day of the hearing. Now you're suing for divorce. Are you addicted to shaking people down for cash?"
"Bella, word is you cheated during your marriage. Can't wait to take your sister's blood money and fly off into the sunset with your lover, huh?"
Brent stood off to the side too, looking down at me from on high.
"Bella, it's not too late to withdraw the suit. If this actually goes to court, you'll walk out with nothing!"
I looked at him and let out a cold laugh.
"I'm waiting for the moment the judge says it out loud!"
With that, I walked calmly inside.
The hearing was officially in session.
Brent sat at the defendant's table and presented the judge with the ten-million-dollar wire transfer records and photos of me coming and going from hotels with several different men.
Then he turned to me, pretending he couldn't bear to do it.
"Bella, this was supposed to be a private matter between husband and wife. You're the one who insisted on dragging it into court, so don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
"If your sister knew you were taking her blood money to go have fun with another man, she probably couldn't rest in peace down there!"
I looked at that hypocritical face of his and gave a cold laugh.
"Whether my sister can rest in peace, I'll ask her myself in a moment. But whether your sister can rest in peace, that I really wouldn't know!"
The words had barely left my mouth when a slender, delicate figure rose slowly from the jury box.
"I'm not even dead. So whose blood money exactly did my sister take?"
Brent looked at my sister's young, vibrant face and went rigid all over, his pupils contracting in an instant.
"You're alive?"
"Then who exactly is the one who died?"
