Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse Her lips curled into a scornful smirk .
Youre saying youre serious ? Fine , Im in .
We can get divorced .
Monday , well meet at the courthouse .
From that moment on , were done completely .
You up for it ? Elizabeth stared me down , her eyes gleaming with challenge .
I could see she still thought I was bluffing .
She couldnt believe Id come this far and still refused to back down .
Fine , you want to threaten me with divorce ? This time , Ill make sure you learn your lesson , Julian .
Youll see Im not someone you can push around .
But she hadnt expected my response .
I nodded with a flicker of relief in my eyes .
Glad youre on board .
See you Monday .
I shook off her grip and walked away without a backward glance .
A new life was waiting , and I could almost taste it .
Elizabeth stood frozen , her mind struggling to catch up .
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse No way … This cant be real , she muttered to herself .
Julian , you think I cant see through you ? Youre just holding out , waiting for me to cave .
Well , I dont back down , ever .
She was reeling , blindsided by my resolve .
It wasnt until she got into her car that the full weight of it hit her .
The fire station she knew so well was still there , but it suddenly felt empty .
Julian wasnt in it .

Her defenses cracked again .
Tears welled up as she slammed her fist against the steering wheel .
Julian , I gave you a chance today , and you threw it away .
Fine .
Ill make you regret every choice you made .
2/7 Her voice trembled with fury , tears shimmering but refusing to fall .
She sat there for a moment , steadying her breathing until her poised , icy demeanor returned .
After a brief hesitation , she pulled out her phone and called Callum .
The line connected almost instantly .
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse 3/7 Elizabeth ? Wow , what a surprise ! Whats up ? Callum said , his voice brimming with delight .
No big deal , Callum .
I just missed you , she said , her tone soft , almost wistful .
What ? Callum froze , then broke into a grin , his heart soaring .
I miss you too , Elizabeth ! You free tonight ? she asked .
Absolutely ! Whats up ? His excitement was palpable .
If youve got time , how about letting Gideon chill at home with some cartoons , and you come out with me for a drink at the bar ? Sound good ? A charming smile curved her lips .
Hell yeah , that sounds perfect ! Ill be waiting ! Callum didnt hesitate , his enthusiasm spilling over .
Great .
See you soon .
After hanging up , Elizabeth didnt leave right away .
She made another call to Edward .
Ms.
Bennett , what can I do for you ? Edward answered promptly .
Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse 4/7 Tonight , Im going to the bar with Callum .

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Be smart about this .
Make sure Julian knows Im with him .
Got it ? Uh … Got it ! Edward paused , then quickly agreed , though the request caught him off guard .
Elizabeth ended the call .
Edward stared at his phone , a frown creasing his brow .
Ms.
Bennetts getting weirder by the day … Is it really okay to provoke Mr.
Thornton like this ? Meanwhile , free from Elizabeths shadow , I wandered the streets , feeling lighter than I had in years , my mind turning to what came next .
My firefighters salary was decent , but next to Elizabeths empire at Bennett Group , it was pocket change .
However , when we got married , Id poured half my savings into our villa , making it joint property .
The cars ? All bought by Elizabeth .
The savings ? Mostly hers too .
I didnt care about the cars or the accounts .
I could let those go .
But half of that villa was mine .
I put everything I had into it .
I drained my savings , scraped together every penny from years of Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse work , and even mortgaged my parents old home to Elizabeth just to afford my share .
Even if I walked away with nothing else , Id fight to get my parents house back .
5/7 Taking stock , I realized five years of marriage had left me with next to nothing .
But I didnt care .
Freedom from a woman who never loved me was worth more than any price .
Still , I needed a place to crash .
My bank account was down to a few bucks .
Id planned to hole up in a hotel for a couple of days , but Elizabeths quick agreement to the divorce made me suspicious .

Shed probably pull some stunt on Monday to stall the process .
Hotels were pricey , and renting was the smarter move .
Since I had a job in this city and had no plans to return to my hometown after the divorce , renting was inevitable .
After thinking straight , I decided to get it done now .
Spotting a real estate agency nearby , I dragged my suitcase and walked inside .
After explaining my needs and budget to the agent , I was ready Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse to start house hunting .
The day flew by .
By evening , Id toured a handful of places and settled on a two bedroom , two bath apartment .
6/7 The style , location , and price were perfect .
Besides , it was fully furnished and ready for move in .
Seeing that I was satisfied , the agent called the landlord , a middle aged woman named Lydia Morrison .
After we signed the contract , settled the rent and deposit , and paid the agent fee , he finally left .
Lydia , however , stuck around .
She walked me through where to pay utilities and pointed out nearby amenities .
Mrs.
Morrison , thanks , but Ive lived here for years .
I know the area well , I said with a polite smile .
Oh , perfect then ! Lydia said , her eyes lingering on me .
So , Julian , what do you do for work ? Her gaze was curious , almost probing .
Im a firefighter , I said , keeping it light .
A firefighter ? Her eyes lit up , her tone suddenly brighter .
Thats impressive ! You must be in great shape , huh ? Her enthusiasm caught me off guard , her eyes sweeping over me Chapter 12 Meet at the Courthouse with an intensity that felt … odd .
7/7 Uh , I guess so , I said , shifting uncomfortably .
Lydias beaming expression was starting to feel a little too eager .