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.

put away for phone, smiling. “Relax. I’m

Rita could be a bit more mature and reliable, but now, seeing her keep her troubles close to her chest and take on the world

don’t want to forgive Charlotte,

say that, before Rita could

house isn’t in enough shambles, Zoe? As their mother, are you trying to turn these sisters against each other?”

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

into the brown family,

moment the words emerged,

her. For that second, she had never seen her mother so tall

beetroot. Thoroughly enraged, she drew her hand back to slap

reached out, grabbed the old woman by the

She wouldn’t allow the Brown family to

or not, Zoe had brought her up. Her love was

darkened. “What, I can’t even discipline my

have the right

stink of gunpowder. The keg was about to

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

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

the gut punch factor again. Her own gut was unmoved. “Then who’s there to

impossible for you to forgive Charlotte, Rita. I’m not asking for much. So long as Charlotte can get out of prison, I’ll have some people escort her out of the country. She’ll never set

Rita refused bluntly, “No!”

negotiation at all, the last

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…

drew the blade an inch across her skin. Crimson blood flowed

and

knees. “What are you doing,

Mom is like, Noah. If Rita doesn’t agree, I’ll die right here.” Amelia capitalized

his nerve with Amelia putting on that

knew that her father, with his blind

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

of agreeing, Rita had put

appearance to consider. She wasn’t about to show weakness in front of Rita. “You – you really think I won’t with my old

sole bloodline of the Brown family, is going to rot in prison.” Rita paused, then looked

case for Charlotte to be

dad couldn’t have gone through hell for nothing. Charlotte has to pay her dues to the

all of this

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

tones were even, but every

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