Chapter 3

Jim was stunned by his own words after shouting them.

A second later, he composed himself.

"That's right! You made 1 million dollars by selling your body. On top of paying for my emotional support, you owe me compensation for the emotional distress you caused me. After all, what man could put up with being cheated on?"

A bitter, relieved laugh escaped me. "You can't put up with it unless I pay you, right? Jim, you've completely thrown away your pride and dignity for money."

I closed my eyes in pain.

What kind of man had I married? He was even making up rumors about his own wife.

For three years, I had worked like crazy to save money because Jim said he wanted to buy a house in a good neighborhood for our future kids.

"Mabel!" Jim raised his hand and glared at me.

In the end, he slammed his hand down on the little sugar figurine beside him and smashed it.

"You won't pay up? Then we'll hire a professional to sort out our finances! You won't have a choice then. Every meal I took the time to make for you, every time I ran errands to buy you fruit, every lipstick shade I spent time researching…"

Jim grabbed my chin and forced me to meet his eyes.

"You have to pay for all my effort!"

I ignored the dull pain in my chin. Instead, I stared at the broken sugar figurine of a bride.

Suddenly, the pain in my chest disappeared.

Jim had made this sugar figurine himself for our wedding after learning from a master sugar artist. He said that just as sugar figurines could last for years, his love for me would last just as long.

Now that the figurine was broken, our relationship would end here too.

I showed no emotion. "Go on, then."

Once everything was settled, getting a divorce would be easier.

That night, we slept in separate rooms.

-

The financial settlement specialist arrived early the next day. Queenie Gerber wore a neat business suit and sat down at the dining table.

"Mr. Sully, Ms. Lennard, please authorize me to review your income, assets, and all your financial records from the past three years."

I handed over all my documents without a word.

They included everything I had stayed up late to record about what I had done and contributed to our household over the past three years.

Jim also handed over his ridiculous emotional support bill.

Neither of us spoke as we silently waited for the results.

Queenie was very professional and worked fast. She finished reviewing all the records in just three hours.

"Here is the asset evaluation report. Please look it over," she said.

I read through it line by line, and my blank expression slowly turned grim.

Jim, on the other hand, smiled. "Well? Even a professional agrees that emotional support has value! And over these three years, you really did take advantage of me."

The asset evaluation report clearly stated the following.

"After reviewing everything, Ms. Lennard paid 110,000 dollars less than her share of utilities, fuel, gas, groceries, and other household expenses during the three years of marriage.

"Mr. Sully's claim for compensation for emotional support does not violate the law and is supported.

"However, in keeping with the principles of marriage and separate finances, Ms. Lennard is required to pay only 50% of the 886,666-dollar emotional support bill."

Every word in the report left me stunned.

Was this really a report from a professional financial settlement specialist?

I stared at Queenie in disbelief.

Suddenly, she looked familiar.

"You've known Jim for a long time, haven't you?" I asked. "Did the two of you work together to trick me? What law says emotional support has monetary value?"

Jim's expression hardened.

"Just because she's making you pay, you accuse her of tricking you? Show her some respect! I'm talking about us, and you're bringing up the law. Are you really this heartless?"