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,

past, Zoe had always hoped that 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 on her shoulders, Zoe

at 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 reply, Amelia

As their mother, are you trying to turn these sisters against

breath, gathered her courage and stepped

had been married into the brown

the words emerged, everyone

she had never seen her mother so tall and secure. Her iced-over heart felt a surge

drew her hand back to slap Zoe across the cheek.

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

Brown family to keep her mother down this

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

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

herself. “I have the right to protect

stink of gunpowder. The keg was about

it was Amelia who backed down first. “Look, Rita, your grandma just doesn’t

on the girl again. “You have to understand, child, it’s not easy

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

Charlotte can get out of prison, I’ll have some

Rita refused bluntly, “No!”

at all, the

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

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

that, Zoe and Noah both

knees. “What are you doing,

doesn’t agree, I’ll die right here.” Amelia capitalized on Noah’s love for her and deliberately stuck the knife in deeper into

expected, Noah lost his nerve with

with his blind love,

instant Noah turned to look at her, she spoke first instead. “That slick show of yours might work on my

that approach. Instead of agreeing, Rita had put her on

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

paused, then looked sideways at Amelia and sneered. “So whether you want to live or die is

for Charlotte to be let out

for nothing. Charlotte

of this on

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

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

if sensing her willpower to never back down, Amelia gave up entirely. She shuddered twice, and with a