Chapter 162
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Chapter 162
She was grateful she’d had two crisp hundred–dollar bills in her purse last night.
That morning, after showering and getting dressed, she waited until Jonathan stepped out of the bathroom. She made a show of pulling the two hundred dollars from her wallet and tossing them onto the nightstand right in front of him.
For a split second, Niamh was certain she’d caught a flash of wounded anger in Jonathan’s eyes.
She hadn’t expected Lana’s tip–treating money like payment for a one–night stand–would work so well.
Maybe she should read more novels, Niamh thought.
At breakfast, Clifford studied Niamh’s face intently.
He could tell, just from her expression, that things between her and Jonathan hadn’t improved.
“Nia…” Clifford set his fork down with a weighty sigh. “Are you still thinking about divorcing Jonathan?”
Niamh’s grip tightened on her fork, her chest tight with nerves.
‘…Yes.”
She nodded, hearing another sigh slip from Clifford.
She’d come here today mostly to test the waters, to see what Clifford would say.
Her worst–case plan had always been to wait out the mandatory separation–two years apart, and then, even if Jonathan refused, the court would probably grant the divorce.
But Jonathan had seen right through her.
Last night, he’d told her flatly, “Don’t think you’ll get a divorce just by living separately for two years. As long as we’re still… involved, the court won’t grant it.”
Niamh was genuinely scared.
What if, after two years, she still couldn’t get free? And with the marriage still technically intact, Jonathan would never make things easy for her–nights like last night would just keep happening.
She needed another plan.
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Chapter 162
But she didn’t want to upset her grandfather, so she’d come to lay some emotional groundwork first.
Thankfully, Clifford’s sigh wasn’t disappointment, just resignation.
Niamh chatted with him all afternoon, though she could tell his spirits had dropped after she admitted she still wanted the divorce.
Still, as she was leaving the old house, Clifford told her firmly that no matter what she decided, he’d support her.
That evening; Niamh searched online for law firms specializing in divorce cases.
But as soon as they heard Jonathan’s name, every attorney backed off immediately. She hadn’t expected much anyway.
She knew, with Jonathan as her opponent, nothing would be simple. If it were, she wouldn’t still be stuck in this endless back–and–forth.
Sitting on the curb, Niamh gnawed on a sandwich, watching the endless stream of cars and neon lights painting the city.
She still couldn’t understand why Jonathan refused to let her go.
Now that her grandfather had stepped back, it clearly wasn’t about him anymore. Was she really that good at being a housekeeper that Jonathan couldn’t live without her? The thought made her laugh and want to cry at the same time.
Tonight, the Aldenville International Speedway was hosting another race.
Ever since he’d caught a glimpse of the mysterious Speed Queen, Katarina, Preston Winslow had been obsessed. He showed up at the track every chance he got,
whether Katarina was racing or not.
And tonight, his persistence paid off–she was here. Not only did Katarina show up unannounced, she took first place again.
But Preston didn’t bother with the awards ceremony.
Instead, he slipped away early and lurked near the drivers‘ locker room.
He knew his behavior bordered on creepy, but his curiosity got the better of him.
Tonight, no matter what, he wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip by.
He was determined to catch a glimpse of Katarina–no matter what it took.
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Chapter 163
