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. “Relax. I’m

mature and reliable, but now, seeing her keep her troubles close to her

hand. “If you don’t want to forgive

Zoe say that, before Rita could reply,

in enough shambles, Zoe? As their mother, are you trying

was still more or less quite scared of Amelia’s 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

had been married into the brown family, this was the first time she’d stood up against

moment the words emerged, everyone drew

standing in front of her. For that second, she had never seen her mother so tall and secure. Her iced-over heart felt

of beetroot. Thoroughly enraged, she drew her hand back to slap Zoe across the cheek. “Shut up! Shut

out, grabbed the old woman by the wrist,

the Brown family to keep her mother

was related to her by blood or not,

arm trapped, Amelia’s brow darkened. “What,

herself. “I have the right

to stink of gunpowder. The keg was about to

glares, it was Amelia who backed down first. “Look, Rita, your grandma just doesn’t want to see the Brown

Zoe, her sharp, experienced eyes landing on the girl again. “You have

examined how Amelia was playing up the gut punch factor again. Her own gut was unmoved. “Then who’s there to

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

Rita refused bluntly, “No!”

that Rita wasn’t open to negotiation at all, the last vestiges of Amelia’s patience

produced a kitchen knife from her pocket and laid it against her wrist. “I’m telling you now, Rita, if you don’t promise to let Charlotte go, I’ll… I’ll die right here in front

the blade an inch across her

Zoe and Noah both went

“What are you

Amelia capitalized on Noah’s love for her and deliberately stuck the

lost his nerve with

her father, with his

“That slick show of yours might work on my Dad,

expected that approach. Instead of agreeing,

show weakness in front

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,

make a case for Charlotte to be let

gone through hell for nothing. Charlotte has to pay her dues to the

of this on

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

girl’s tones were even, but every word she spoke was saturated with

never back down, Amelia gave up entirely. She shuddered twice, and with a thunk,