Chapter 4

All Tamsin cared about was that I'd cut off her money and embarrassed her and her mother.

That was the last straw.

Tamsin must've mistaken my silence for surrender.

Her tone softened. "Trent, marriage isn't always smooth sailing. Every couple has their problems. Just come back, apologize to Mom, and reactivate the credit cards. Then we can put all this behind us."

I hung up before she could finish speaking.

There was no coming back from this.

I texted my buddy Wesley Ashford, who was a lawyer, and asked him to draw up divorce papers as soon as possible. I arranged to pick them up on my way home.

I also called a locksmith before we got back. He had the old lock cylinders out in no time.

Once Elsie was asleep, I kissed the top of her head and quietly closed her bedroom door behind me.

There was still plenty to do.

I went through the house, gathered up everything that belonged to Tamsin, Karen, and the rest of her family, and piled it all by the front door.

Then I spotted Milo's drawing on the fridge, the one Karen had been showing off for ages. I pulled it down and tossed it into a bag.

I'd bought the house before we got married, so it was mine.

For the past six years, I'd given Tamsin and Karen a monthly spending allowance of 2,000 dollars each.

Tamsin earned just 400 dollars a month, yet she drove my Mercedes around, treated people to expensive dinners, and spent her days relaxing at luxury spas. Her coworkers and neighbors were all jealous of the life she led.

Karen was no different. She constantly treated her friends to meals and posted vacation photos in the family group chat, showing off the five-star hotels she stayed in.

Every time, she would write something like, "My wonderful daughter treated me to a little getaway!"

Our relatives would shower her with praise. None of them knew that I was the one paying for every flight and hotel stay.

Tamsin had even used my money to buy another house in her own name after we got married, then let Marlowe move in after her divorce.

They lived in homes I'd paid for, drove my cars, and spent my money, all while living the high life.

And after everything I'd done for them, they'd told me there wasn't enough room at the table and sent Elsie and me off to Popeyes so we'd be out of their way.

If that was how they treated us, I was done trying to hold this family together.

Elsie was fast asleep, and I didn't want to wake her. They would be home soon, so I went to wait by the front door.

Soon, I heard Tamsin's voice coming from the hallway. "Don't worry, Mom. I know Trent better than anyone. He's all talk. I bet he's sitting at home right now, waiting to apologize to us!"

"He needs to be taught a lesson," Karen huffed. "You can't let a man get away with everything. Give him an inch, and he'll take a mile."

Then they saw me.

Tamsin looked smug. "Trent! Look at you, waiting by the door for us. So you've finally come to your senses?"

She was clearly drunk as she patted me on the shoulder. "See? I told you there's no point staying mad at each other. If you'd been this reasonable earlier, we could've avoided that whole mess tonight."

Karen looked me up and down, then nodded approvingly. "Well, at least you know you messed up. Reactivate my spending account and cards tomorrow, and raise the monthly limit to 5,000 dollars.

"Then you can treat the whole family to dinner next weekend to make up for what you did. Book the same restaurant. I want the whole family to see that my son-in-law knows how to treat his elders."

Marlowe stood beside them with Milo in her arms, smiling. "Trent, you need to show your mother-in-law some respect. Mom's 60 years old, and you're picking fights with her?

"You're only making yourself look bad. Apologize for what happened today, and we'll let it slide."

They went on and on about how I needed to make it up to them, acting like they were doing me some huge favor by forgiving me.

I let out a bitter laugh. Then I held out the divorce papers to Tamsin. "Sign these."