He Chose His Ex—Then Lost Everything

Chapter 10 Nathaniel Hayes stood in the middle of the police station looking like someone had drained all the blood from his body. “What did you just say?” The officer glanced at him calmly. “According to Louisiana court records, your marriage to Claire Beaumont was officially dissolved one month ago.” “Legally, she is no longer your wife.” “Which means you have no right to request her location.” The air around Nathaniel seemed to freeze. He stood there completely motionless. “What?” He almost laughed from disbelief. “Claire was eight months pregnant when she disappeared.” “How could she possibly divorce me?” The officer turned the monitor toward him. DIVORCE FINALIZED. Claire Beaumont. Nathaniel Hayes. Signed. Filed. Approved. His pupils constricted violently. Then suddenly a memory slammed into him. That night in the study. Claire handing him papers while asking for the bracelet. He remembered signing something without reading it. Because he assumed it was another spending authorization. His heartbeat stopped for one terrifying second. No. No way. Nathaniel grabbed the edge of the desk hard enough for his knuckles to whiten. “When was this filed?” “One month ago,” the officer repeated. “The paperwork was completed immediately after submission.” Nathaniel’s breathing became uneven. One month ago. That was the same night Claire gave him the bracelet. The same night she looked strangely calm. The same night she said: “If she likes it, she can keep it.” At the time, he thought she was finally being mature. Now he realized She had already decided to leave him forever. Something ugly twisted through his chest. Fear. Real fear. For the first time since Claire disappeared, Nathaniel suddenly understood something horrifying. This wasn’t another tantrum. Claire had truly abandoned him. “Nate?” Hailey’s voice pulled him back abruptly. She stood near the station entrance wearing oversized sunglasses and designer athleisure, looking annoyed. “I told you not to come here without me.” Then she noticed his face. “What happened?” Nathaniel turned toward her slowly. His expression looked almost unfamiliar. “When did Claire file for divorce?” Hailey’s heart skipped a beat. But her expression remained perfectly innocent. “How would I know?” “Nate… why are you looking at me like that?” Nathaniel stared at her for several seconds. Then suddenly asked: “That day in the kitchen…” “Did Claire really push you first?” Hailey’s stomach dropped instantly. There it was. The doubt. Finally. She immediately grabbed his arm with trembling fingers. “You don’t believe me?” Tears filled her eyes almost instantly. “Nate, are you seriously questioning me because of Claire?” “She attacked me!” “She almost killed our baby!” Nathaniel pressed a hand against his forehead hard. His mind was becoming a mess. Ever since Claire vanished, everything felt wrong. Too many things stopped making sense. The fake crying. The panic attacks. The constant emergencies. And somehow every single conflict always ended with Claire apologizing. Or bleeding. Or crying. While Hailey somehow remained the victim. “Nate…” Hailey’s voice softened carefully. “You’re scaring me.” “I know you’re upset Claire left, but…” “She chose to leave.” “She abandoned you.” “She abandoned your child too.” That sentence snapped something inside him instantly. “No.” The denial came out harsher than expected. Hailey froze. Nathaniel’s jaw tightened violently. “Claire would never abandon her baby.” Not in a million years. Suddenly, another memory surfaced. Claire lying on the kitchen floor. Blood between her legs. Reaching toward him weakly. “The baby…” A chill shot down his spine so violently he almost staggered backward. At the time, he thought she was pretending. But what if she wasn’t? “What hospital was she taken to that night?” Hailey’s entire body stiffened. “Nate” “What hospital?” he repeated sharply. “I don’t remember.” Nathaniel turned and walked out of the station immediately. “Nate!” Hailey chased after him in panic. But for the first time in months Nathaniel Hayes ignored her completely.