The Divorce Agreement Beside the Cake

The divorce papers landed beside our three-tiered anniversary cake. Our third anniversary had been yesterday. Arthur had waited one more night to end the marriage. "Sign it, Serena." The banquet hall went quiet. Our friends and his business partners all turned to watch me. Nobody tried to pretend this was still an anniversary party. A moment earlier, Lily Vance had stumbled into Arthur’s arms and dropped her wineglass. She looked at me through wet lashes. Arthur followed her gaze. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he had hissed, loud enough for the whole room to hear. "She just wanted to congratulate us. Is your jealousy so pathetic that you have to physically push her?" I had been standing several feet away. Arthur did not bother to check. Now he stood between us while Lily sobbed behind his shoulder. I had built his empire in private. He saw a jealous housewife. Arthur looked me over. "I can't do this anymore. You do nothing but spend my money and create these pathetic scenes. You're a parasite, Serena. And I'm cutting you loose." He tapped the papers. "It’s a clean break. You leave with nothing. It’s more than you deserve." Whispers started around the tables. A woman near the cake looked me over and murmured, *Poor Arthur.* Behind her, someone wondered how long I would last without his money. Arthur’s hand went to the coat pocket where I kept the pills for his chronic stomach pain. His fingers found the bottle, and he glanced at me out of habit. He was waiting for the usual reminder about food and dosage. Lily sobbed again, louder this time. He took his hand from his pocket and faced me again. "Sign the damn papers," he snarled, pushing them closer. "Don't make this any more embarrassing than it already is." I looked at the cuff of his custom-tailored suit. That morning, I had fixed a loose thread beside the cufflink. I had chosen that pair to celebrate a deal he never knew I had arranged. The loose thread had worked free again. The pill bottle made a small shape against his coat. I reached past the divorce agreement and picked up the heavy gold-plated pen beside it. He had received it with his "CEO of the Year" award. My money had funded the event. Arthur leaned forward. He was still waiting for the fight. I uncapped the pen and signed on the marked line. *Serena Sterling.* It took less than ten seconds. I slid the papers back and pulled the diamond ring from my finger. Arthur had given it to me with a speech about undying love. I dropped it into the nearest glass of champagne. It sank under the bubbles and settled against the bottom of the glass. My chair scraped across the polished floor as I stood. Arthur stared at the signed page, his mouth still open. He had prepared an answer for tears and bargaining. The silence left him with nothing to say. I turned away from him and Lily and walked toward the exit. "You'll be back!" Arthur shouted after me. "You won't last three days on the street! You'll come crawling back to me, begging!" I kept walking. Rain hammered the glass doors ahead. A black Maybach stopped at the curb. My chauffeur stepped into the rain and opened the rear door. I got in and gave him my penthouse address. The chauffeur shut the door. Through the rain-darkened glass, the banquet hall slipped out of view.