“You’ll have the baby,” he had said.
“You don’t need the stress of managing a house.”
What he meant was that he wanted me out.
Rebecca continued.
“Mrs.
Carter declined because she had not agreed to surrender any ownership interest.
We ask that no property disposition occur until the court fully reviews the financial disclosures already requested.”
Daniel leaned toward his attorney.
“This has nothing to do with Olivia.”
Rebecca heard him.
“No, Mr.
Carter.
It has to do with the fact that you attempted to accelerate a settlement while significant information affecting your financial position and future obligations remained unknown even to you.”
That sentence landed harder than any accusation could have.
Daniel had believed he controlled the timeline.
Divorce me.
Move me out.
Marry Olivia.
Start over.
By lunch, it’ll be over.
Now the judge was looking at the same timeline and seeing reasons to slow everything down.
His attorney requested a brief recess.
The judge granted it.
The instant we stepped into the hallway, Daniel turned on Olivia.
Rebecca guided me several feet away, but Daniel’s voice carried.
“You had a child and never told me?”
Olivia crossed her arms.
“I made a decision years ago.”
“A decision about my life.”
“You weren’t ready.”
“You didn’t ask me.”
“You were building a career.
You had plans.”
“So you decided for me?”
Olivia looked toward me.
“This is what she wants.
Can’t you see that? She wants us fighting.”
Daniel followed her gaze.
I stood beside Rebecca with one hand on my stomach.
I did not smile.
“I didn’t create this,” I said.
“I found it.”
Olivia laughed bitterly.
“You went digging because you couldn’t accept that he chose me.”
I looked at her for several seconds.
Then I said, “The doctor asked for medical history because of our baby.
Daniel wouldn’t help.
The truth came from that.”
Her face tightened.
That was the part she could not turn into jealousy.
I had not hired someone to follow her out of revenge.
I had not manufactured a scandal.
I had been trying to protect the child Daniel was ignoring when I discovered evidence of another child tied to his past.
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
“How long have you known?” he asked me.
“Long enough to give the information to my attorney instead of confronting you at home.”
