Right Time

Sometimes things in life don’t always go as planned. Those things can be great or they can be devastating. When things are great, you ride the high. But when things go wrong, you have two choices. You can either wallow in self-pity or you can use that pain and focus on good. As I sat across the table from my soon-to-be ex-husband, I decided I was going to focus on all this hurt and pain I was feeling and make a stronger independent me. “As you can see, Mr. Christopher Davenport clearly was having an affair with this Claudia Mason. Due to the prenuptial, my client Ms. Miah Cameron is entitled to 51% of Davenport Incorporated. However, my client is proposing a new offer but only if you sign the divorce papers now.” I watched as Chris and his lawyer looked over the papers. My lawyer slid across the table. I didn’t want the Davenport corporation, I just wanted to get away from Chris. Once he agreed to my terms, I could walk out of this room and never have to think about him again. “Give her what she wants.” Was all Chris said. I knew he would accept the offer without issue. He never wanted to be a part of this marriage and I knew he only agreed to marry me to help his family. The sad thing was, I thought that after 5 years of marriage I meant something to him. But after catching him cheating with his high school girlfriend, I realized how pathetic I had allowed myself to become. My Father raised me to be stronger and I feel I had failed him and myself and that I would not allow it to happen again. I never really had the chance to meet my mother. She passed away from ovarian cancer a year after I was born and my Father never once let me feel anything less than loved. My Mother’s Mother also passed away from ovarian cancer. My entire life, my father has taken me to a yearly check-up. Between him and his parents, I always felt loved and they raised me to be strong and independent. I spent hours with my Dad learning every aspect of Cameron Corporation. It all came crumbling down when my father got sick. Not long after he was diagnosed, a long-time friend of my father’s approached him about an arranged marriage to his son. Being life-long friends, my Father thought it was a great idea knowing he would not live to see me graduate college. Chris is 4 years older than me and he never seemed to notice me at any events our families shared, but I noticed him. He was gorgeous, smart, and charming. His green eyes were perfectly offset by his jet black hair and a chiseled jaw. When my father approached me about marrying my childhood crush, I was young, naive and I thought I was in love with him. Our marriage was more beneficial for the Davenport family. They would have lost everything if it had not been for my father joining our families in marriage. On my 23rd birthday, the plan was to merge the two companies. Davenport Inc was poorly run and, even with Chris taking over, it wasn’t getting any better, but merging the companies would benefit the Davenport family. That was why Chris thought we were meeting today and instead I presented him with divorce papers. He signed the paper and slid it back to my lawyer. “So it’s agreed, Ms. Cameron would collect her belongings from the shared apartment and Mr. Davenport will keep all the joint assets that he came into the marriage with him and Ms. Cameron will leave with the assets she bought to the marriage.” “My client agrees.” Why was my last name different from Chris? That was his choice. He didn’t want me taking his last name. I didn’t question it. I always trusted him blindly. Without shedding a tear, I removed the wedding band and engagement ring and placed the wedding band on the table, keeping the engagement ring. The engagement ring belonged to my mother, but the band which held so much meaning meant nothing to me now. I didn’t bother looking at him before I turned and walked out of the room. I had only asked him for 4 hours to stay away from the house, allowing me to retrieve my personal belongings. Parking my car outside of the apartment building we shared. I made my way into the apartment and went right to the bedroom and pulled out my suitcase. It didn’t take long for me to pack the clothes I wanted to take with me. Once I was done, I walked through the place I had called home for the past 5 years. Our wedding picture is hanging on the wall. I could feel the tears burning to come out but I refused to let them. I had given him everything. How could I have been so foolish? I knew our marriage was arranged and we only had a few dates to get to know each other, but I thought he was genuine. I was so young and stupid. I believed every word that came out of his mouth. He made me feel wanted and beautiful. He flattered me every way he could. Telling me he was the lucky one getting to be with me and that he couldn’t wait to start a family with me. The thought of our wedding day and how my father was still around to walk me down the aisle. Chris looked so handsome in his dark tuxedo. That night, I gave him my virginity and I thought he felt the same way I felt for him. Shaking away the memories, I stood up and grabbed a few books I wanted to take with me and finished packing the few things I wanted to take with me. It only took me 4 trips from to the car before everything I wanted was loaded and I drove away from the apartment. The drive seemed to go too quickly and before I knew it, I was pulling into my grandparents' driveway. I felt like a failure running back to them. I managed to get married and graduate college only to end up divorced and running back home. Before tears could escape my eyes, I saw my grandparents walk out the door. I stepped out of the car and was engulfed in a huge hug. As soon as my Grandmother let go, my Grandfather pulled me in for another hug. “Oh honey. Let’s get you inside.” My Grandmother said, reaching for one of my boxes as my Grandfather and I grabbed some of my belongings and made our way into the house. “I had your old room made up for you.” My Grandmother said as we made our way up the stairs. I have spent most of my life in this house. My father, being a single parent, found it easier to live here. This house was huge and to be honest, I loved having my father and my grandparents in the same house growing up.