Just as I placed my hand on the door handle, I heard a knock from outside. I opened the door to see Clara Wilson standing there with a bright smile.
She said, "Maisie, these are fresh eggs from my family's farm back home. I thought you could use some extra nourishment."
I could tell Clara did not come just to drop off some eggs. She clearly had something on her mind, so I invited her in."Come on in, Clara. Have a seat."
Clara stepped inside and immediately caught sight of Damian at the dining table. She frowned and shook her head.
She told him, "Damian, I'm telling you, a married man shouldn't worry about another woman. Taking care of your own wife should be your top priority."
Damian kept his head down, silently shoving food into his mouth. Nonetheless, when he sneaked a guilty glance my way, I caught it.
I brought Clara a cup of tea, but she waved her hand. "I just came to say a few words. I have to send my kid to school soon."
I thanked her with a smile and walked her out. However, the moment I stepped outside, I noticed Waverly hovering nervously near the entrance.
"Damian, Waverly's out here waiting for you!" I called out, loud enough for him to hear from the living room.
I heard the clatter of utensils hitting the floor. Meanwhile, Waverly's face went pale, and she quickly whispered, "Maisie, please don't misunderstand. Damian and I are innocent. Nothing is going on, really…"
Hearing the word 'innocent' come from her mouth almost made me laugh.
I gave her a cold, sharp glare and spat, "Waverly, save that innocent act for Damian—he might fall for it, but I won't."
I continued, "You've been living off our money for years. I'm giving you three days to pay it all back. If you don't, I'll make sure the whole town hears about it through the broadcast station."
Waverly's expression turned stormy. "That money was just Damian being nice. He was just helping me out with groceries and the kid's stuff. What's the big deal?"
I retorted, "Has Damian actually told you how much he actually spent on you? Before we got married, he could spend whatever he wanted on you. That was his business. After our marriage, our income became shared property. Every month, he spent at least four hundred dollars on you and your kid. Over five years, that's around twenty-five thousand dollars."
I continued, "Either you pay me back, or I'll go straight to the police."
That number hit her like a punch to the gut.
Her eyes filled with panic, and she turned toward Damian, who was still sitting inside. "Damian, say something! Please!"
Damian did not even look up. His voice was weak and reluctant as he mumbled, "Waverly... Just pay her back. I-It's a lot of money."
Waverly was stupefied by his response. Suddenly, she collapsed onto her knees in front of me, sobbing.
"Maisie, I beg you, please... I'm raising a kid alone. I don't have that kind of money. Please have a little compassion..."
I was not in the mood to entertain her theatrics. Without another word, I turned and walked out the door.
After that, I headed straight to Damian and Waverly's workplace and found their manager, Simon Grande. I sat across from him and got straight to the point.
"Mr. Grande, I don't need you to mediate or take sides. I just want the money back—that's all. Whatever else happens, I don't care anymore."
Simon sighed and slid a cup of tea across the desk toward me. "Maisie, I've seen how much you've sacrificed for Damian over the years. He's the one who's in the wrong here, no question. I'll make sure you get your money back, but divorce... that's a big decision. Are you sure about this?"
I replied, "I've already applied for a study abroad program, Mr. Grande. I'll be leaving next week, and I don't know how long I'll be gone. Divorcing him and letting him marry Waverly is better for everyone involved."
He stared at me in surprise. I could tell he had not expected that from me, the woman everyone had pegged as the dutiful wife.
Nonetheless, Simon was sharp. After a moment, he gave me a nod.
"Studying abroad is a good choice, Maisie. This training will open new doors for you. Stay safe while you're out there.
"As for Damian... Well, he was on track to get the 'Employee of the Year' award, but I didn't realize he was this clueless about his priorities."
Just then, the office door burst open. Damian rushed in, his face flushed with anger. "Mr. Grande, don't listen to her! She's making things up. We're not getting divorced!"
Damian turned to me and added, "Maisie, you can't just decide something this big without talking to me! You're leaving the country? I don't agree to that!"
Before I could respond, Waverly stumbled in right after him, crying loudly.
She threw herself onto the floor and wailed, "Mr. Grande, please help me! Where am I supposed to get that kind of money? How will my child and I survive?"
Their dramatic entrance drew a crowd of curious coworkers, who gathered outside the office to watch.
I crossed my arms and spoke clearly, so everyone could hear me. "If you two don't mind embarrassing yourselves, go right ahead, but this divorce is happening. As for that money, I want every last cent of it back."
Waverly's sobs grew louder.
"Twenty-five thousand dollars... I'll never be able to repay that! How am I supposed to live after this? I might as well just die!"
Suddenly, she lunged toward the window.
