When Your Cheating Husband's Dream Become Your Divorce Evidence novel Chapter 76

Chapter 2

This woman in a power suit walked out with like twenty staff behind her.

“Mr. Ashford, welcome back.” She took Jake’s coat like he was the damn president.

Jake pointed at me: “This is Clara Montgomery. She’s Mrs. Ashford now.”

The woman gave me this tiny bow with the fakest smile ever: “Mrs. Ashford, I’m Margaret Walsh, head of staff.”

I just stood there like a zombie.

Walking through those doors was like entering another fucking planet-

Chandeliers everywhere, floors so shiny you could see your reflection, paintings that probably cost more than most people make in a lifetime…..

None of this shit had anything to do with me.

Jake dragged me down this crazy long hallway, stopped at a white door.

“Carson’s in here,” he said. “Sophia’s with him.”

He opened the door and holy shit–it was like Toys“R“Us threw up in there.

This kid in a little button–down was on the carpet, building with LEGOS.

He looked just like Jake, but had my eyes.

“Carson,” Jake called.

Kid saw Jake and totally lit up, came running over: “Daddy!”

Then he saw me.

His face changed completely. Suspicious as hell.

“Daddy, who’s she?”

This sweet voice answered.

“Carson, honey, don’t be rude.”

This woman in a white dress walked over, knelt next to the kid and took his hand: “This is your dad’s… friend.”

Then she looked at me with this fake–ass apologetic smile: “Sorry, Miss Montgomery. We’ve spoiled him–he’s not great with strangers.”

“I’m Sophia Laurent. Carson’s nanny.”

Jake jumped in: “Sophia’s got her Master’s from Columbia. She’s been taking care of Carson since he was tiny.”

I watched this bitch with my son. How they just… fit.

My son was hiding behind her, looking at me like I was gonna kidnap him.

Eight years. While I was losing my fucking mind, this woman got bedtime stories and hugs and first steps.

Now I’m just some creepy stranger.

Jake was still grinning, totally clueless I was falling apart: “Carson, say hi to your mom.”

Chapter 2

He hesitated on that word.

Kid backed up even more,

“I don’t want another mom,” he whispered, looking at Sophia like she was his whole world.

Every word was a slap in my face.

Sophia immediately got down on his level: “Carson, sweetie, that’s not nice. This lady is your dad’s friend–we gotta be polite, okay?”

She turned to me: “I’m so sorry, Miss Montgomery. He’s just a kid, you know?”

“Lady.” “Miss Montgomery.” Making it crystal clear I didn’t belong.

Jake looked pissed but didn’t push it.

“Clara, go shower and change.” His arm around my shoulders felt like a cage. “Margaret, show Mrs. Ashford to her room.”

Margaret led me to what was basically a palace.

Walk–in closet full of designer shit with price tags I couldn’t even read, bathroom bigger than my old trailer.

Margaret ran my bath, polite but cold as hell.

“Mrs. Ashford, I got rid of your old stuff. Mr. Ashford picked these out–hope they work for you.”

Got rid of.

That beat–up flannel I’d lived in for five years, stained to shit, sleeves falling apart.

The nicest thing I owned.

My whole fucking life.

Just… gone.

I sank into that fancy bathtub, but felt cold down to my bones.

Ten years–all one big fucking joke.

Love was fake, family was fake, my grief was fake.

After showering, I put on this silk nightgown that felt like wearing air.

Mirror showed someone I didn’t know–pale, empty, broken.

“How you feeling? Getting used to everything?”

Jake came in, sat down on the bed, and handed me some wine.

But I didn’t take it.

“Jake, you think ‘cause you gave me all this fancy shit, I should kiss your ass?”

His smile died.

“Clara, I get that this is a lot. But you’re smart–this is the best thing that could’ve happened. No more being poor, Carson’s alive, we can all be together.”

“Together?” I laughed. “What am I in this little fantasy? Your personal baby factory?”

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