Chapter 60
There was only one bus route that ran through The Boroughs, where the courthouse was located. Liliana waited for about ten minutes before it arrived. As the bus wound its way through the city streets, she had a strange realization: she wouldn’t be haunted by memories of him in this city. In their two years together, all their memories were confined to that one house.
And what memories were there, really? They ate at the dining table. They had sex in the bedroom. That was it.
It was laughable. How had she lived like that for two years? It wasn’t a long time, but they had lived together day in and day out. He was the last person she saw before she slept and the first when she woke. She didn’t know how long it would take to forget him, but she knew she had to. She refused to spend the rest of her life as his appendage, a placeholder in a loveless existence. She refused to be the
smokescreen for his affair with Sylvia.
She spent the better part of the day riding the bus, traversing every corner of Riverbend City.
At six in the evening, she finally returned home. The Maybach was parked in the driveway. Cedric was home? She stood frozen, watching his tall figure through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He was on the phone, his expression growing tighter as the person on the other end spoke.
“Cedric, Hale is our only son! Him going to prison will be the death of us, and of Liliana! She’s been a good wife to you all these years! How can you just stand by and do nothing? You have to get him out of there, no matter what it takes! A prison is no place for a boy like him p>
It was Chuck, trying to guilt-trip him, even throwing Liliana into the mix.
Cedric was unmoved. “If you have questions, talk to Timothy. He’ll explain the situation,” he said coolly. He knew Chuck would argue endlessly about why they should use underhanded methods to free Hale. He had come home early specifically to be with Liliana, to offer some comfort after the accident and the trial. He had no patience for this.
“Shouldn’t you be the one to give our Liliana an explanation? How can you abandon Hale and still face her? If if you’re going to be this heartless I’ll go public with your marnagels time you gave my daughter the recognition she deserves p>
Chuck wasn’t brave enough to truly threaten Cedric, but he was desperate. His attempt at emotional blackmail had failed, and now he was grasping at straws.
Cedric despised being threatened. His eyes turned to ice. “An explanation? Fine. Do whatever you want. As long as you’re prepared to face the consequences p>
“Uh, okay p>
Cedric hung up before Chuck could say another word, tossing the phone onto the sofa. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a fire of irritation burning in his chest content
The electronic lock clicked open.
Liliana walked in. Without taking off her shoes, she stopped at the entrance to the living room. Her clear eyes reflected his image, but her gaze was empty, unfocused. Her
calmness was unnerving FOD a moment, their eyes met, and an unfamiliar feeling of panfe hollowed out his chest.
After a long silence, she placed a document on the coffee table and pushed it toward him.
“Let’s finalize the divorce. I’ve already signed. Now it’s your turn p>