I couldn't hold back a cold laugh.
Three million was nothing.
In my last life, I only found out after I died: Dirk had taken out a massive insurance policy on me.
The moment I died in that ring, he'd collect a hundred and thirty million.
I nodded, playing the part of a woman who'd given up.
"Fine. Once we've filed the divorce, I'll go."
Something smug flickered through Dirk's eyes.
Then he made up an excuse about creditors coming around to cause trouble, and coaxed me out of the house.
I didn't care in the slightest. I turned and went straight to Rowena.
Rowena had known since dawn that oil had crashed, and she was pacing in circles, frantic.
Me, I calmly pulled up the surveillance feed from the house.
All those years I spent boxing away from home, I'd worried about safety, so I'd installed cameras with no blind spots.
I never imagined they'd come in this handy.
On the feed, the second I walked out the door, Dirk and Anita were all over each other, mouths locked.
A dull ache pressed at my chest.
When he was with me, Dirk always claimed he was cold by nature, that he could barely manage once every six months, that even holding hands was more than he wanted.
Now look at him. Burning up.
When they finally came up for air, Dirk cursed, furious.
"That bastard Faith. Racked up a billion in debt without a word to anyone."
"Good thing you found a way to get her to divorce me willingly, or she'd have dragged me down with her."
Anita leaned back into his arms, pleased with herself.
"Don't be angry, baby. Once the divorce is final, Faith goes to Thailand, fights in that ring, and dies on the mat."
"Then we collect a hundred and thirty million!"
"I'll throw some of it into a few investments, and we're set for life."
Dirk kissed her hard.
"You're something else, you know that?"
"A whole lot better than Faith, that useless idiot who's only good for throwing punches."
Holding the file Rowena had dug up on Anita, I nearly laughed out loud.
Dirk. I couldn't wait to see your face when you found out who Anita really was.
The month passed quickly.
Early that morning, Dirk and I arrived at the county records office.
He put on a show of being torn up about it.
"Faith, I don't want to let you go either, but I have to think about the children."
A whole month of watching him and Anita carry on had been more than enough.
I nearly threw up on the spot.
I couldn't be bothered to act along.
"Enough. Let's just get this filed."
Dirk hadn't expected that from me.
He froze for a beat.
Then, not quite trusting it, he pressed.
"So you're still going to Thailand to fight?"
"Yes. Definitely."
I brushed it off, though inside I was churning with impatience.
War had broken out overnight, and by this morning oil prices had shot up.
If we didn't get the papers filed fast, the moment they caught on, they'd never let Dirk go through with the divorce.
Lucky for me, his whole family had gotten dead drunk the night before, celebrating that they'd finally be rid of me today.
I was the one who couldn't wait, who drove over to pick Dirk up. The rest of them still hadn't come to.
I hauled Dirk into the office and shoved the divorce agreement across the counter before he could think twice.
The clerk gave us a glance, picked up the seal, and moved to stamp the papers.
Dirk's phone went off like the world was ending.
The second he answered, Anita's panicked shriek came through.
"Dirk, don't do it, don't divorce her! Oil jumped thirty percent this morning!"
Dirk's face changed in an instant.
He lunged at the clerk, screaming.
"Stop! Don't stamp it!"
I pressed forward too, my throat so tight I could barely get the words out.
"Stamp it, now. Don't listen to him!"
The clerk's brow knotted at the two of us shouting.
His hand stalled, and he looked up, out of patience.
Then he picked up the certificate and tossed it at us.
Dirk and I both scrambled to see the spot where the seal went.
