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.

phone, smiling.

Zoe had always hoped that Rita could be a bit more mature and reliable, but now, seeing her keep her troubles

reddening, Zoe tugged at Rita’s hand. “If you don’t want to forgive Charlotte, then don’t! You’ll

Zoe say that, before Rita could reply, Amelia panicked

are you trying to turn these sisters against each other?”

gathered her courage and stepped in front of Rita. “Don’t you understand, Mom? Ever since Charlotte broke

been married into the brown family,

emerged,

that second, she had never seen her mother so tall

color of beetroot. Thoroughly enraged, she drew her hand

quick. She reached out, grabbed the old woman by

wouldn’t allow the Brown family to

not, Zoe had brought her up.

her arm trapped, Amelia’s brow darkened. “What, I can’t even discipline my daughter-in-law

“I have the right to protect my

air itself seemed to stink of gunpowder. The keg was

backed down first. “Look, Rita, your grandma just doesn’t want to

her sharp, experienced eyes landing on the

examined how Amelia was playing up the gut punch factor again. Her own gut was unmoved. “Then

out of prison, I’ll have some people escort her out

Rita refused bluntly, “No!”

negotiation at all, the last

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

the blade an inch across her skin.

that, Zoe and

are you

die right here.” Amelia capitalized on

Noah lost his nerve with

with his blind love, was going to

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

approach. Instead of agreeing, Rita had put her on

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

is going to rot in prison.” Rita paused, then looked sideways at Amelia and sneered. “So whether you want

case for Charlotte to be let out

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

of this

everything you can to get her out of prison, maybe you should just tell Charlotte to behave herself in there. Maybe she’ll

girl’s tones were even, but every word she

willpower to never back down, Amelia gave up entirely. She shuddered