Sweet Divorce

Liam was surprising Rita today. She couldn’t resist the urge to glance at him some more.

Whether it was an illusion or not, she felt that she wasn’t the only one who had changed.

He seemed to have changed as well.

Not as cold as before, a little more talkative.

“What, is there anything on my face?” Maybe she’d lapsed off for too long. Liam’s voice rang out in her ear.

Rita put the rose down and picked up her bag. “I’ve got something important to take care of.”

She’d agreed on three days with Jason, and today was the first.

If she even didn’t go to school, she also have no time to waste.

She had to take control of the situation, or she wouldn’t make it in time.

Looking at her silhouette hurrying away, Liam’s bright eyes dimmed slightly.

Zoe saw his depressed state for what it was.

She looked at the independent girl in the distance and chuckled as she turned to the man before her. “That Rita… don’t mind her, Liam. I’ve spoiled her out of manners.”

“It’s fine.”

The man took a sip of porridge and froze.

This taste… seemed to be Rita’s work.

He raised his eyes to gaze at a mild-tempered Zoe, “This porridge is great. Did you make it?”

“Not me. Rita did.”

It really was her.

He lowered his head and took another sip. The nostalgic flavor spread across his taste buds and lifted the corners of his mouth into an uncontrollable smile.

The sensation was like a small child finally tasting a long-desired piece of candy. The happiness in his heart was practically spilling out.

Maybe he’d just gone too long without having the porridge she made, but he downed the full thing in one sitting.

Didn’t leave a single speck of grain at the bottom.

After Rita left, Zoe kept Liam around for a long chat.

Mostly funny stories, like how Rita messed around climbing walls and trees when she was little.

“Look here, Liam. This box is full of pictures of when she was small. That skinhead cut makes her look like a boy, ha.”

Liam’s dark eyes scanned the photographs inside, but fell focused on a dairy.

There was a sketched design of a small mansion inside when he picked it up and opened it.

On the bottommost of the yellowed drawing paper was a line written in an elegant hand-

“No regrets now that the path is chosen.”

With a date marked alongside it.

Wasn’t that the day they’d gotten engaged?

He still remembered when the old man had discussed the matter of their bridal home.

The old man had allowed her to choose the location, design and layout of the bridal home in the spirit of the occasion. Rita had been overjoyed then. It was just that later on, he’d picked the house they had now of his own volition.

This sketch must have been the bridal home she’d designed back then. A place just for the two of them.

Looking at the drawing, Liam fell deep into thought.

It was a long time before he put the drawing away, left the Brown household and drove straight to the F City bay area.

“Whew… what’s the rush to get me out here, Liam?” Jacob panted, looking at the tall man in front of him. “I haven’t even eaten lunch yet. It’s your treat!”

He pointed towards the bay area, where the clear coastline shimmered with a sapphire hue, and spoke only

confused. What was this about five

rights to the bay

Jacob’s mouth twitched.

Five days?

get the rights to this entire stretch

How was that possible.

to go steal it outright. I’d have a better chance

it too much to ask?” Liam shot a

that Liam had finally listened to his conscience

much. Way too much. I can’t

“Okay… four days, then.”

would give him a few more days to try, Jacob almost

a certificate in four

Liam the Fascist!

***

passed since the

was clearly getting

for two days, girly. If we still don’t act, it’ll be the third day tomorrow. By then,

raised her

mildly, “My name. You can call me

Rita Brown?

her surname was

related to the Brown

on doubt, but he was sure of

was definitely related to the Brown

Someone from the family could get into the company with just a word from upstairs. They wouldn’t give a damn about the

coming up soon, so shouldn’t we

to his anxious behavior, Rita took a casual sip of

He’d be done for if they sat around

Nathan her phone, where a video was playing. “You know how Bella Colt’s husband Raymond is going to have a press conference over

“Yeah.”

Of course Nathan knew.

was a hot topic who came up on online searches with even the slightest

early in the morning, but

public declaration over how he was a pervert and how he was going to face

next door,” Rita said, glancing at the building opposite theirs. Right now, there was

that got to do with us?” Nathan asked,

and walked

girl before him, but didn’t

she was all he had right

wondered if he had gone mad putting his

thing he’d done all his

mask, and blended into the buzzing crowd of press

Nathan was actually the most innocent victim in the whole

Raymond and Bella’s marriage had long since fallen apart. It had only been maintained

of them

with Raymond’s rising popularity, he wanted the autonomy that a divorce would net him, which was

get Bella to back out of the marriage while leaving all of the assets

also why, to preserve herself, Bella had gone and accused Nathan of assaulting her

reason, in the past life, the couple had gone into negotiations

pair argued fiercely, but were united in their testimony

negotiation would be recorded

secretary had wanted to use the recording to blackmail Raymond into marrying her, but Raymond had only wanted to solve the problem by throwing money at her. After a few

released the recording, and the truth

if Rita wanted to clear Nathan’s name, what she had to do was find the secretary’s recording and expose

crew. She wanted a chance to get close to that girl, then plant something on

could sneak into Raymond’s

up and move this stuff… don’t look around, I’m talking to you, girl in

looking about for

someone was Winston Sharpe, manager for the press conference

Rita’s

was looking for a chance, it fell

could

clothes and makeup kit, and went

steps out when