Chapter 3. Financially Broke

Katherine POV

This is the ultimate humiliation. Greg is divorcing me with his mistress by his side.

My chest heaves as I wordlessly march toward Greg’s desk, slapped the paper atop it and snatched the pen from its holder before shakily affixing my signature on the document.

Rage that I had never known took over, making my body shake uncontrollably.

“There. All done!” I told him, shoving the document to his chest.

Greg almost stumbled when he grabbed it with his hands. I don’t care. I would have wanted him to fall so hard so that he may experience at least a modicum of the pain he was inflicting on me.

My bad.

Then, I shot Noreen a glare. She sat back on the couch, preening at my expense.

“Whew! Signing the divorce paper is the most sensible thing you have done. At least Greg won’t have to put up with the farce you call marriage.” She muttered in disdain while she inspected her well-maintained fingernails with care.

I snorted. Now, her claws are showing. I realized now that Noreen was never my friend. She was out to get my husband.

Even her syrupy voice grated on my nerves.

“Don’t talk to me. I thought you were my friend, but you had been having an affair with my husband behind my back. You are a traitor!” I snarled.

I saw anger flash on her face. Noreen’s eyes narrowed, and her mouth opened, but before she could make a rebuttal, Greg spoke up in her defense.

“Don’t you dare disrespect my future Mrs. Combs. She was so much better than you. At least she did not have a bastard whose father she did not know.”

My breath hitched when, for the second time that day, Greg attacked the nature of my daughter’s conception, making it appear like I was a loose woman when I was not.

For five years, I had only been loyal to him. I never talked to any man apart from those in the office.

I snorted. “Yeah. You very well deserve each other. I hope you won’t regret this, Greg.” I told him and marched out of his room in anger.

I opened my mouth to suck in breath because my nose had been clogged with unshed tears when my eyes connected with Lorrie’s and saw the guilt lurking in their depths.

“How long have you known about my husband’s affair?” I asked in a trembling voice.

She looked away in remorse but didn’t feel like responding to my question.

I looked around us and saw the pitying looks of the employees working for Greg and sucked in another shaky breath.

Then, I took deep breaths to compose myself.

Discovering that my husband had been keeping an affair with the woman I considered my friend under the watchful eyes of his employees made me realize that everyone had been their accomplice.

The betrayal hurt, but I can’t dwell too much on my marriage.

My ship with Greg had sailed, but my daughter’s surgery is yet to push through.

The payment is due today. It was the reason I wanted to talk to Greg.

He had been avoiding my calls for over a week now.

I sighed.

With our divorce papers signed, I no longer have anyone to back me up financially.

Greg insisted we sign a prenup before we got married. And while he shouldered Erin’s hospital expenses, I took it upon myself to pay for her other expenses with my salary. But two months ago, before the merger had been finalized, I resigned from my job so I can better take care of Erin.

I need to get a loan. I thought to myself, but it all proved futile when I faced the bank manager who usually handles my husband’s finances.

“I am so sorry, Katherine. You need collateral for a loan, but since you and Greg signed a prenup and are now divorced…” he did not have to elaborate.

I get the drift.

I do not have any assets to my name that could help me secure a loan.

“Why don’t you try hooking up with another wealthy man or find a ridiculously high-paying job with your skills?” The bank manager eyed me lewdly, and my skin crawled at the insinuation.

Immediately, I stood up.

From the way he looked at me, I knew that Greg and he must have talked a lot about their low opinion of me.

Anger bristled inside me.

“Thanks for the suggestion.” I immediately rose from my seat and walked out.

On the sidewalk, I was wracking my brains for options. I needed the money for my daughter’s surgery today.

My phone rang. It was the hospital.

“Ms. Fielding, your daughter is crying and asking for mommy. You shouldn’t be leaving her alone.” There was censure in her voice, but I ignored it as panic rose within me.

I hurriedly walked to the curb to flag down a taxi to get back to the hospital fast when the person said something, adding tension to my already frayed nerves.

“The doctor is asking if you have already partially settled the bill for your daughter’s surgery to push through today.”

I sighed when the call ended.

I did not know what to do.

I kept staring into space, hoping it would give me the solution to my problems, to no avail.

Then, my phone sounded a notification for a new message. It was Greg, demanding to meet with me.