One Hundred Twenty Pages of Betrayal Novel

Chapter 6 Chapter 7 He still refused to sign the divorce papers . I had no choice but to take the legal route . My stance was absolute . No matter how Liam begged , threw tantrums , or exhausted himself , I wouldn't budge . Our marriage had been a mistake from the start . It should have ended the moment he cheated . Dragging it out this long was my own misfortune . I was done letting him drag this out . So , after another fruitless month of " discussion . " I had court summons served to Liam . The moment he received them , his face was a picture of disbelief .

He tried every way to reach me , but only got through to my divorce lawyer . My father had hired one of the best in the country . The process was almost effortless for me . The fault in this case was crystal clear . With no job , no leverage , and no allies left , Liam had no cards left to play . Though it was understandable , having enjoyed so much for so long , having it ripped away was hard to accept . The day of the hearing was beautiful . Under the sycamore trees outside the courthouse , Liam grabbed my arm , his eyes bloodshot . " Elaine , please don't do this .

Without the Carters , I'll be ruined . " I coldly shook off his hand . " It's your karma . You deserved this the day you betrayed your family , " " Fine , I deserve it ! But what about Sophia ? Do you really want her to be the kid with no dad at birthday parties ? The one who has to explain why her father isn't in the picture ? " I looked at Sophia beside me . She was frowning , glaring at her " father " with clear dislike . Liam reached for her . She kept dodging behind me , her voice crisp and clear . " I don't like you . You only loves that lady and that boy . You don't love me and Mommy .

I don't want to live with you . " Her words clearly stung Liam , but it was his own doing . I didn't bother arguing further . " It's still better than having a cheating father . " The judge's ruling came swiftly . In the end , Liam , found guilty of adultery , dissipation of marital assets , and other charges , was ordered to divorce with a settlement of ... nothing . He left with what he came in with . During the proceedings , he kept looking at me , tears in his eyes , but said nothing . Chapter 7 6.31 % I thought perhaps he truly regretted it now . But it was all too late .

After the divorce , I took Sophia abroad to unwind . We went to so many places . We watched the sunset in Hawall , skied in the Alps , and even went dolphin - watching in the Nordic seas . By the time we returned home, half a year had passed . From mutual friends , I heard that not long after we left , Liam changed completely . He drank heavily , acted erratically , and got into all sorts of trouble . Later , a psychological evaluation determined he suffered from a severe mental disorder . Before he was committed to a mental health facility , I took Sophia to see him one last time .

His eyes were vacant . He just kept shaking his head , muttering . " I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry . " I'll never know who that apology was for. Maybe her . Maybe me . Maybe the man he used to be . The memory suddenly surfaced , unbidden and sharp : a younger Liam under a string of cafe lights , his voice soft with a promise that felt like forever . Now , standing in the sterile courthouse light , I felt nothing at all . Just a quiet , hollow distance where all those years used to be . Chloe and her boy left the city . I heard she went back to her rural hometown , surviving on odd jobs .

No one knew her there . It was a hard life , but at least it was peaceful , free from the ghosts of the past . She changed her son's surname . He no longer carried the name Reynolds . The news sent Liam's father straight to the hospital . Gradually , I stopped hearing about the people and events of the past . I built a new life for myself . All the wrongs , I simply left behind . ( The End ) admin