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.

for phone, smiling. “Relax. I’m

always hoped that Rita could be a bit more mature and reliable, but now, seeing her keep her troubles close to her chest

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

say that, before Rita could

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

and stepped in front of Rita. “Don’t you understand, Mom? Ever since Charlotte broke Rita’s leg, they’d long

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

words emerged,

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

Thoroughly enraged, she drew her hand back to

reached out, grabbed the old woman by the wrist,

wouldn’t allow the Brown family to keep

her by blood or not,

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

right to protect my mother

to stink of gunpowder. The keg was about

glares, it was Amelia who backed down first. “Look, Rita, your

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

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

know it’s 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 vestiges

her wrist. “I’m telling you now, Rita, if you

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

and

to his knees. “What are you

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

expected, Noah lost his nerve with Amelia putting

father, with his blind love,

Noah 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 to die… go right

of agreeing, Rita had put

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

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

case for Charlotte

for nothing. My dad couldn’t have gone through hell for nothing. Charlotte has to pay her dues to the law, and spend not one less day she

of this on

tell Charlotte to

but every word she spoke was saturated

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