Claire and Nicholas After Divorce novel · Chapter 4 of 24

Chapter 4: Corbin

"Yes," I said. "Corbin."

The lobby was full of people on their way to lunch, and several of them slowed down.

Nicholas walked up until he stood a pace from me.

His face had gone from pale to red.

"Your father is Gerald Corbin."

"Yes."

"The Gerald Corbin who took my father's firm."

"Yes."

"Say it properly."

"My father bought the debt on Linden and Son," I said, "and called it in the week your father's biggest client left."

Nicholas breathed in through his nose.

"Eight years ago, my father walked out of his own office with a cardboard box. Seven months later he was dead."

"I know."

"You know," he said.

He laughed, and it was an ugly sound.

"For five years I've told you what that name did to my family. I've said I'd spit on a Corbin store. You sat across from me at dinner and nodded."

"I did."

"Every time you turned that catalogue over, you knew."

"Yes."

A woman at the security desk had stopped typing.

"Was it a game, Claire? Did you laugh about it?"

"No."

"Then what was it?"

"Not here."

"Here," he said. "Now. Who are you?"

"I'm the person who was married to you."

"I don't know who that is!"

The sentence echoed off the marble.

Behind him, the revolving door spun, and Judith swept in with her handbag held tight against her coat.

"Nicholas, darling, I've been circling for ten minutes, there's nowhere to park." She stopped. "Why is everyone looking?"

"Mother," Nicholas said. "Her name is Corbin."

Judith stared at me.

Then her mouth twisted.

"Corbin," she said. "Gerald Corbin's girl."

"Yes."

"You little snake."

"Judith."

"You came into my son's life under a false name." Her voice rose until it carried across the lobby. "You sat at my table. You ate my food. You let me thank you for the flowers at my husband's grave."

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