Sweet Divorce

When Michael got Rita’s text, his pupils expanded, full of joy.

She’d agreed.

She’d agreed to marry him.

It was the result of a threat, yes, but Michael was happy as could be.

He typed up and deleted his message over and over until he simply sent out:

“Made up your mind?”

Soon, he received her reply.

“Yes. But I need half a month to settle everything I’ve got going with Liam and the Brown family. I’ll come register for marriage with you in half a month.”

Half a month?

Was Rita stalling?

That was a legitimate worry, but Michael agreed to it anyway.

Standing in front of his panel window, he swirled the wine in his hand, looking at the dark red liquid swishing about under his control, and smirked. “It’s just fifteen days. What can a little girl do in that time?”

Even if she had some kind of plan in this fortnight, he’d deal with it as they came.

This time, he was going to have her.

Not just the girl he liked, but everything the Browns, the Burkes and the Wilsons owed him, he was going to take it all back.

The age of the Wilson family’s monopoly over the city was finally over.

Michael sneered quietly, cold in his eyes as he drained his glass.

…

“Rita?”

Maybe because she hadn’t replied for a while, but Zoe had called her name again.

Only then did Rita take her eyes off the screen of her phone. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m fine.”

“Really?” Zoe was clearly not relieved.

away for phone, smiling.

more mature and reliable, but now, seeing her keep her

Rita’s hand. “If you don’t want to forgive Charlotte, then don’t! You’ll have Mom’s support this

Zoe say that, before Rita could

house isn’t in enough shambles, Zoe? As their mother, are you trying to turn

wrath, but she took a deep breath, gathered her courage and stepped in front of Rita. “Don’t you understand, Mom? Ever since Charlotte broke Rita’s leg, they’d long since been against

married into the brown

emerged, everyone

looked at a skinny Zoe standing in front of her. For that second, she had never

turned the color of beetroot. Thoroughly enraged, she drew her hand back

were quick. She reached out, grabbed the old woman by the wrist,

it. She wouldn’t allow the Brown family

related to her by blood or not, Zoe had brought her up. Her

arm trapped, Amelia’s brow darkened. “What, I can’t even

“I have the right to protect my mother as

to stink of gunpowder.

who backed down first. “Look, Rita, your grandma just doesn’t want to see the Brown family split apart. That’s

apologetically towards Zoe, her sharp, experienced eyes landing on the girl again. “You have to understand, child,

up the gut punch factor again. Her own gut was unmoved. “Then who’s there to understand how hard it is

not asking for much. So long as Charlotte can get out of prison, I’ll have some people escort her

Rita refused bluntly, “No!”

wasn’t open to negotiation at all, the last vestiges

her wrist. “I’m telling you now, Rita, if you don’t promise to let Charlotte go, I’ll… I’ll

inch across her skin. Crimson blood

Zoe and

knees. “What are you doing, Mom? Put – put that

I’ll die right here.” Amelia capitalized on Noah’s

expected, Noah lost his nerve with Amelia putting

knew that her father, with his blind love,

at her, she spoke first instead. “That slick show of yours might work on my Dad, but not me!

expected that approach. Instead of agreeing, Rita had

she had her appearance to consider. She wasn’t about to show weakness in front of Rita. “You – you really

go through with that slash and anything happens to you, dear Charlotte, the sole bloodline of the Brown family, is going to rot in prison.” Rita paused, then looked sideways at Amelia and sneered. “So whether you want to live or die is up to you, but I can

for

nothing. Charlotte has to pay her dues to the law,

brought all of

everything you can to get her out of prison, maybe you should just tell Charlotte to behave herself

were even, but every word she spoke was

up entirely. She shuddered twice, and with a thunk, dropped the