Chapter 15
1622 Words
Summer’s POV
The morning of the settlement conference arrived far sooner than I was ready for.
I’d spent the last week convincing myself I could do this.
That seeing Ethan again wouldn’t undo all the progress I’d made.
That I wouldn’t cry.
That I wouldn’t second-guess myself.
Standing in front of Lena’s bathroom mirror while buttoning my cream-colored blouse…
I wasn’t nearly as confident.
“You’ve changed outfits three times.”
Lena’s voice drifted in from the doorway.
“I know.”
“And every single one looked great.”
“I know.”
She crossed her arms, amusement dancing across her face.
“So what’s really bothering you?”
I stared at my reflection.
“I’m afraid.”
“Of seeing him?”
I nodded.
“What if…”
My fingers paused over the last button.
“…what if I see him and remember why I married him?”
Lena’s expression softened immediately.
She walked over until she was standing beside me.
“Then remember why you’re divorcing him too.”
My eyes met hers in the mirror.
“You don’t have to erase the good memories.”
“You just can’t let them erase the bad ones.”
I let those words settle.
They were exactly what I needed.
She smiled.
“Ready?”
I picked up my handbag.
“No.”
She laughed.
“Good.”
“What?”
“It means you’re taking this seriously.”
She squeezed my hand.
“But you’re going anyway.”
“I am.”
Olivia Hayes was already waiting when we arrived.
She greeted me with a reassuring smile before walking beside me toward one of the conference rooms.
“We’ll go over everything once more before he arrives.”
I nodded.
The room itself was nothing like I expected.
No courtroom.
No judge.
Just a long polished table.
Leather chairs.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking downtown Seattle.
A pitcher of water sat neatly in the center of the table beside several neatly arranged folders.
Professional.
Quiet.
Clinical.
As though lives weren’t about to change forever inside these four walls.
Olivia slid a folder toward me.
“This is simply the beginning.”
She spoke calmly.
“Nothing has to be finalized today.”
“We’re identifying marital assets.”
“Discussing possible settlements.”
“If both parties cooperate…”
“The process becomes significantly smoother.”
“And if they don’t?”
She smiled politely.
“Then we continue negotiating.”
I appreciated how matter-of-fact she was.
She never promised easy.
Only possible.
A knock interrupted us.
Olivia glanced toward the door.
“They’re here.”
My stomach immediately tightened.
The door opened.
For one impossible second…
Everything else disappeared.
There he was.
Ethan.
Dark navy suit.
White shirt.
Tie perfectly straight.
His hair looked slightly longer than usual.
There were dark circles beneath his eyes I’d never seen before.
He looked…
Tired.
Really tired.
He wasn’t alone.
A middle-aged man carrying a leather briefcase entered behind him.
His lawyer.
Ethan’s eyes found mine almost instantly.
They stayed there.
Searching.
Hopeful.
I looked away first.
Olivia stood.
“Good morning.”
Introductions were exchanged professionally.
Names.
Firm handshakes.
Business cards.
Everything felt strangely detached.
As though this wasn’t the man I’d once imagined growing old beside.
Olivia excused herself briefly to retrieve additional documents she’d left with reception.
Ethan’s lawyer stepped outside to answer a phone call.
Before I realized what was happening…
It was just Ethan and me.
Alone.
He stood slowly.
“Summer.”
I didn’t answer.
“I’ve missed you.”
I kept my eyes on the city beyond the windows.
“Can we talk?”
“No.”
“Please.”
“No.”
“It’ll only take five minutes.”
I finally looked at him.
“I’ve already paid someone to speak for me.”
His face fell.
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.”
“You won’t even look at me?”
“I am.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Really look at me.”
Against my better judgment…
I did.
His eyes were bloodshot.
His shoulders seemed heavier somehow.
He looked like someone who hadn’t slept.
A tiny part of me hurt for him.
The larger part remembered the airport.
Remembered every lonely dinner.
Every anniversary forgotten.
Every promise postponed.
Every excuse.
He took one cautious step toward me.
“I know I messed up.”
I remained silent.
“I know saying sorry isn’t enough.”
Still…
Nothing.
“But…”
His voice cracked.
“…I’m asking you to give me one chance.”
“I’ve given you years.”
His lips parted.
“I only need one more.”
“No.”
“I’ll quit working late.”
“No.”
“I’ll fire Natasha.”
“No.”
“I’ll go to therapy.”
“No.”
“I’ll do anything.”
I held his gaze.
“That’s the problem.”
Confusion crossed his face.
“You were willing to do anything…”
“…only after you realized I was leaving.”
Silence.
“You should’ve wanted to protect our marriage while you still had it.”
His shoulders slumped.
“I didn’t realize…”
“I know.”
My voice remained calm.
“You didn’t realize.”
“I do now.”
I nodded.
“I believe you.”
Hope flickered across his face.
Then I continued.
“But realizing it now doesn’t undo everything before.”
That tiny spark disappeared.
He reached toward me instinctively.
I stepped back.
Immediately.
The movement was small.
Almost invisible.
But he noticed.
His hand slowly dropped back to his side.
That hurt him more than any words could have.
“I don’t even recognize us anymore.”
He whispered.
“I do.”
I answered quietly.
“We’re exactly who we’ve become.”
Before he could respond…
The conference room door opened.
Both lawyers returned.
Whatever conversation Ethan hoped we’d have…
Was over.
The meeting began.
Folders opened.
Pens clicked.
Legal pads filled with notes.
Olivia started first.
“Today we’re identifying marital assets and discussing preliminary settlement proposals.”
Everyone nodded.
Professional.
Measured.
Almost painfully polite.
She continued.
“The marital residence.”
My chest tightened slightly.
Our house.
The first home we’d ever bought together.
She looked at both of us.
“The property was purchased after the marriage.”
“Correct.”
Ethan’s lawyer nodded.
“Therefore…”
Olivia continued.
“…it forms part of the marital estate.”
She looked toward me.
“My client proposes either selling the property and dividing the proceeds…”
“…or one party buying out the other’s interest.”
She slid the proposal across the table.
Ethan barely glanced at it.
“No.”
His answer came immediately.
The room became still.
“No?”
His lawyer asked carefully.
“I’m not selling the house.”
Olivia remained composed.
“May I ask why?”
He looked at me.
“Because that’s our home.”
The words hung heavily in the room.
“Our home.”
Once upon a time…
Those words would’ve shattered me.
Today…
They simply sounded outdated.
I folded my hands neatly on the table.
“If you don’t want to sell it…”
Everyone looked toward me.
“…buy out my share.”
Silence.
Ethan blinked.
“What?”
“My share.”
I repeated calmly.
“You keep the house.”
“I receive the value of my half.”
Problem solved.
He stared at me as though I couldn’t possibly be serious.
“You’d really just…”
He gestured helplessly.
“…walk away?”
“I already did.”
His breathing grew heavier.
“You picked those kitchen cabinets.”
“I remember.”
“You designed the living room.”
“I remember.”
“You planted those roses.”
“I remember.”
Each memory sounded like another attempt to pull me backward.
I refused to go.
“I’m not asking for memories, Ethan.”
I said gently.
“I’m asking for a fair settlement.”
His lawyer quietly leaned toward him.
“Ethan…”
He ignored him completely.
“Summer…”
His voice broke.
“…that house is where we started our lives.”
I smiled sadly.
“No.”
“It was where we thought we would.”
The distinction mattered.
A lot.
Olivia spoke again.
“So…”
“My client is formally requesting that if the residence isn’t sold…”
“…Mr. Carter purchases her legal interest based on an independent valuation.”
Professional.
Clear.
Reasonable.
There was nothing emotional about it.
Nothing vindictive.
Just practical.
Ethan slowly leaned back in his chair.
For the first time since the meeting began…
I saw it.
The realization.
This wasn’t an angry wife trying to scare him.
This wasn’t a temporary separation.
This wasn’t punishment.
I wasn’t trying to make him suffer.
I was trying to move on.
And somehow…
That hurt him even more.
The discussion moved on to vehicles.
Joint savings.
Retirement accounts.
Investments.
Everything we’d spent years building together was reduced to numbers on neatly printed pages.
It should have felt cold.
Instead…
It felt strangely freeing.
Every signature.
Every valuation.
Every document.
Another thread quietly untangling me from the life I’d once thought was forever.
As the meeting drew to a close, Olivia gathered her papers.
“We’ll reconvene after the valuation reports are completed.”
Everyone stood.
Chairs slid softly against the polished floor.
I reached for my handbag.
Ready to leave.
Ready to breathe again.
Behind me…
I heard Ethan whisper my name.
“Summer…”
I paused for the briefest second.
Then continued walking.
This time…
I didn’t turn around.
- Writer
