like lead i

bed. The words all blurred together-clinical, heartless. Divorce Agreement. Terminatio

he quiet room, steady and relentless, like it refused

ed around the pen,

cking from her face to the documents he'd arranged so neatly. Every page stacked, every

was low, calm, like he was askin

sharp jaw. Same posture. Same cold authority. But now, al

ning this?" she asked, voice

wrinkle between his brows.

her fingers over the corner. "They didn't

a beat-then glance

nd resting on her stomach. She looked oddly satisfied

at Lola. "They were

hing. The usual evasiveness. The way

ous calls. All those unexplained absences. They'd all

hest

ing, sure of her place in the world. Life

el pressed, now with

first. "You want me to

n a second's pause. Fin

ck on the table. Th

arrowed. "What

the morning, but finding a little stre

arms. "This marria

stayed soft, but

d. "Don't

still recovering. And you want me to sign divorce p

d. "This conversat

, knuckles white. "Wh

papers. "Dragging this out helps no one. An

rse. V

red, so considerate, "I don't want to make more trouble. Lo

ounded so rehea

about it," he told Vanessa, gentle

ears, and now he saved his

out of it, his patience all

idn't

tered th

rder than it has to

im, voice gone qui

es

the pen. The cold felt

f I don

ink. "You'll

asked, pretend

knives. "You've been living off my support for

he'd said, "I'll take care of it." She thought

divorce will get messy. You won't walk away

he man she'd trusted with everything was thr

racing her stomach, like she

ill there, sta

d it up on

m went

ocked on her. Vanessa

he page. Just for a momen

apartment, the nights she waited up for him, the posi

go

a breath

y. When she finished, she set the

ked the signature. He looked pl

, Lola felt it: something in her had died. He did

omething was