Dear Ex-Husband, Watch Me Love Again

Chapter 12

Lucas returned to the house around 10 am the next day.

“Kate!” He called, walking in.

He already found it strange that she wasn’t waiting at the front door for him, ready to grab his coat and suitcase, letting him know that his breakfast was ready.

The Kate he was used to was that kind of woman.

It never mattered how long he stayed away from the house. She always waited for him.

Now, the front door was empty and the house felt lifeless.

“Kate!” He called again but the housekeeper came instead.

“Mr Carter. Mrs Carter left the house an hour ago.” She informed and a frown appeared on his face.

“Did she say where she was going?” He asked.

“No, sir. She just left.”

Lucas found it strange but told himself she had probably gone to her parents.

That was the only place she ever visited without him.

“Get the breakfast served on the table. I’ll be down in a few minutes.” He instructed and was about to take his second step when the housekeeper stopped him.

“S-sir. There is no breakfast.” She said.

He stopped and turned to look at her like it was some joke. “What do you mean?” He asked calmly, almost nonchalantly.

“Mrs Carter said there was no need to prepare breakfast since you weren’t home. She will be having breakfast outside.”

Lucas couldn’t believe his ears.

He had texted Katherine this morning, informing her that he would be returning to the house this morning.

He pulled out his phone to call her only to see that she had not sent a reply to his text.

So, he called her.

It rang and rang but no reply came.

“I can’t believe this.” He hissed, climbing the stairs furiously.

He was going to give her a piece of his mind when he returned.

This was no way to treat her husband.

******

He left the house for the firm around 11 am.

The firm was busy by the time he arrived, the usual morning energy of ringing phones and junior lawyers moving between offices with files tucked under their arms.

Lucas nodded at the receptionist and headed down the hall toward his office, but he only made it halfway before two of his colleagues caught up with him.

"Carter." Ryan, one of the senior partners, clapped him on the shoulder. "Heard you had quite the time on the cruise.”

"News travels fast," Lucas said, not slowing down. “It was fine, Ryan.”

"Fine?" The other one, James, laughed. "My wife's friend was on that same ship. Said your wife walked into the ball on the last night and half the room turned around." He shook his head. "I didn't even know you had a wife like that. You've been hiding her."

Lucas pushed his office door open. "I haven't been hiding anyone."

"Then why have none of us ever met her properly?" Ryan followed him in without being invited, dropping into one of the chairs across the desk like the office belonged to him. "Seriously though. Katherine Whitmore. I looked her up after my wife mentioned her. The Whitmore family is serious money, Lucas."

"I know who my wife's family is," Lucas said, setting his briefcase down.

"Then you know you married way above yourself," James said, grinning from the doorway. "No offense."

“Offense taken," Lucas said flatly.

"I'm just saying." James leaned against the frame. "Men like us don't usually end up with women like that. Beautiful, educated, comes from serious money and apparently has the personality to match." He laughed. "I'd want to show her off everywhere if she were mine. What are you doing keeping her at home?"

"She prefers it," Lucas shrugged.

"Clearly not anymore," Daniel said. "From what I heard she was the best-dressed woman at that ball and she wasn't even trying." He raised his eyebrows. "You're a lucky man, Carter. I hope you know that."

"I know," Lucas replied, wishing the conversation would end soon.

"I mean it." Daniel stood up, straightening his jacket. "If I had a wife like that I would be terrified of losing her. Men like us, we work hard but at the end of the day we're just lawyers. She's a Whitmore." He said it simply, like it was just a fact. "Be careful with that one."

After they left, Lucas sat down behind his desk and stared at nothing for a moment.

Then, he picked up his phone, looked at Katherine’s name on the screen, and put it back down.

He opened his laptop instead.

***

His eleven o'clock was a woman named Mrs. Hale. Mid-thirties. She sat across from him with her hands folded in her lap and explained her situation in the careful, measured tone of someone who had already cried everything out at home and had nothing left for the office.

Her husband had been having an affair with a client. She had found out three weeks ago. She was considering divorce but wanted to understand what it would mean.

"The difficulty," she said, "is that my family has money and he doesn't. Not really. Whatever he has built professionally has been supported by my family's connections whether he admits it or not. A divorce would hurt him significantly."

"And you're worried about that?" Lucas asked.

She looked at him. "I'm not worried about it. I'm just aware of it. There's a difference."

Lucas nodded slowly, clicking his pen once. "Can I ask you something honestly?"

"That's why I'm here."

"Do you still love him?"

She was quiet for a second. "I loved who I thought he was," she said. "I'm not sure that person exists."

Lucas looked down at his notepad. "What kind of man does this?" he said, and it came out quieter than he intended. "You're sitting in front of me and I can see exactly what kind of woman you are. Intelligent, composed, clearly from a good family. And he went looking elsewhere." He shook his head. "What is he looking for outside when he has someone like you at home?"

Mrs. Hale gave him a small, tired smile. "I've asked myself that every day for three weeks."

"Men like that don't change," Lucas said. "I've handled enough divorce cases to tell you that with certainty. You stop this one and he finds someone else. The behavior doesn't stop, it just moves." He leaned forward slightly. "If you're asking me what I think you should do, I think you already know. You wouldn't be here if you were planning to stay."

She nodded once, slowly. "I just needed someone to say it out loud."

"Then I'm saying it," Lucas said. "You deserve better than someone who takes everything you bring to a marriage and still decides it isn't enough."