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, smiling. “Relax. I’m really

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

you don’t want to forgive Charlotte, then

that, before Rita could reply, Amelia panicked

mother, are you trying to turn these sisters against each

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

that Zoe had been married into the brown family, this was the

words emerged, everyone drew

she had never seen her

drew her hand back

the old woman by

said it. She wouldn’t allow the Brown family to keep her mother

not, Zoe had brought her up.

“What, I can’t

frowned herself. “I have the right to protect my

to stink of gunpowder. The keg was about to

down first. “Look, Rita, your grandma just doesn’t want to see the Brown family split apart.

Zoe, her sharp, experienced eyes landing on the girl again. “You have to understand, child, it’s not easy being a

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

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 foot in

Rita refused bluntly, “No!”

to negotiation at all, the last vestiges of

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

that, Zoe and

you

die right here.” Amelia capitalized on Noah’s love for

expected, Noah lost his nerve with Amelia putting

with his blind love,

she spoke first instead. “That slick show of yours might work on my Dad,

of agreeing, Rita had put

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

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, but I

make a case for Charlotte to be

through hell for nothing. Charlotte has

all of this on

maybe you should just tell Charlotte to

were even, but every word she spoke was saturated

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