Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 142664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
I went and sat on the wet couch, fuming while she picked herself up and headed for the kitchen to get my coffee. I wasn’t afraid that she’d do anything to it because she knew I’d beat her ass if she did.
My Daddy wasn’t going to be home for at least another week or so. At his age, he was still going out on his shrimp boat. It’s how he’d made a living all his life, something I hated about him and the life we had led because of it.
I remember the names, the insults, and the embarrassment I used to face. Now look at me. I’m one of the richest women in the county. My husband is one of the most prominent businessmen, and I no longer stink of fish and the sea.
It's been years since I left that life behind. Even being married to my ex, who owned his own garage and was one of the best mechanics in the area, wasn’t enough. The smell of oil and gasoline was just as repugnant as the shrimp and fish smell I was trying to escape.
Now I smell like expensive perfume and body wash. I’d come a long way from those days, and I’ll be damned if I was going back. I’d had some time to think, and Corbin and I hadn’t broken up.
Just because we hadn’t been in touch in days didn’t mean anything. I was sure now that something had happened to his phone when he left the country. I’m not sure what else is going on, but he can’t blame me for the house.
In fact, I’m the one who’s going to take him to task for his negligence. For leaving me without money, which I still don’t understand. Speaking of which, I need to get down to the bank.
Between my hospital stay and having to find a place to live, I hadn’t had time. But I can’t go for too long without money so I need to go and get that taken care of.
There was a knock at the door, and I got up to answer, almost falling back when I saw the deputy standing there? “Are you Helen Archer?”
“Yes, sir, I am.” For a minute, I thought he was going to tell me that Corbin had died or something and I was already trying to figure out what face to use.
But he handed me an envelope which I took without thinking. “You’ve been served, ma’am.” He just walked away. Served? For what? Those idiots down at the Piggly Wiggly are really going to sue me? Or was it the fire department?
I opened the envelope and had to read it twice. “Divorce? Divorce? On what grounds?” No sooner had I asked the question out loud than my phone went off. I rushed to answer, thinking it had to be him and instead opened a notification that led to pictures I didn’t expect to see from anyone else.
I dropped back down in my seat just as my stepmother came into my room with the coffee. “Who was at the door?”
“None of your business bitch!” I sat there furiously, thinking of what the hell I could do.
Had Corbin seen those pictures? Is that why he was asking for a divorce? But we had a deal; he knew what I would do if… No, that little bitch got married to that rich man, richer even than her Daddy.
Would he help her, protect her? What does all of this mean? What am I supposed to do? I couldn’t think anything came to my mind. I can’t just sit here, though; I need to do something.
But I don’t have a car, and now I’m stuck all the way out here in the country. Corbin still isn’t answering his phone, and I have nowhere else to turn. The prenup, because of that, I won’t be able to get anything.
The house is gone, we don’t have any kids, and everything is in his name. Why the hell did I sign that stupid thing? At the time, I didn’t think anything of it. No, wait, maybe there’s a way around it.
As soon as I had the thought, I remembered the lawyer telling me that it was ironclad and that I should think before signing. Back then, I was only interested in marrying him and taking his name.
I took a sip of the cooling coffee and spit it right back out. “What the…” I turned and came face to face with my Daddy’s old shotgun. “Now get the hell outta my house, you little bitch. I’m glad that man is divorcing you. Now, let’s see how high and mighty you are. Don’t even think about coming back here once your Daddy comes home. I’ll be sure to tell him all about you and what those women in town have been saying. Nasty.”