Divorced, Now Watch Me Rise novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Garage

Vera stood in Brogan's living room with her gloves still on, looking out at the lake.

Hattie had taken Lydia upstairs and shut her in a bedroom.

Brogan stood by the fireplace, and I sat on the arm of a sofa because I did not want to be below her.

"You have your marriage certificate," Vera said. "You have your little audience. I congratulate you both."

"Thank you for the visit," I said.

"I am here to say that the offer is open for one more week."

"I read it."

"Two million dollars is more than a print shop has made since the Depression."

"You wrote my father's loan off as a favor," I said. "You can't write my baby off as a bill."

For the first time her smile slipped.

"You foolish girl. You have no idea what you're holding."

"Vera," Brogan said.

"Do you know how my Monday began, Brogan? A man I had hoped was in his grave rang me at six o'clock with a clause. Harlan's old lawyer, reading me Harlan's own words down the telephone. And now I am in your house, begging."

"You are not begging," Brogan said. "You're leaving."

Their eyes held.

It lasted two seconds, and in it something passed between them that I could not read.

Vera put her hand to her pearls.

"Saturday week," she said to me. "The Reeve Foundation gala. Lake Shore, eight o'clock. I'll send the invitation."

"Why would I go?"

"Because the whole city will be there," she said, "and you will not want to be the woman who hid."

She went out without looking back, and her driver closed the door of her car.

I looked at Brogan.

"What clause?"

"I don't know what she meant."

It was the first time he'd lied to me.

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