Chapter 5

I scrolled through the posts.

Every place Lance took her was somewhere he had once promised to take me but never did. His promises had been fulfilled, along with the photography skills he had learned to take flattering pictures of me. But the woman who got to enjoy all of it was Lucinda, not the wife he had spent the last ten years with.

Under one of the photos, I found a comment where Lance identified himself as her boyfriend.

He used to do all of this for me. Now it was all part of Lucinda's experience.

I doubted he would be back anytime soon. He seemed to be having far too much fun.

…

I took the divorce decree with me and went to a restaurant I had always liked.

To my surprise, I overheard the laughter and chatter of Lance, his family, and Lucinda.

They had apparently reserved a private room, but the door was slightly ajar. His mother, Leah Vedel, held Lucinda's hand affectionately and looked at her son.

Leah said, "She's such an angel, dear. Divorce that one and bring her into the family already! Don't you know how insufferable Brianna has been all these years?

"It's been a decade, and she still puts on airs whenever she's around us, as if she's too good for us! Pfft. Arrogant girl. She wouldn't even give you a child!"

"But this darling? I heard she's incredibly capable. She brings in huge profits for the company and gets along with everyone with ease!

"What you're missing in your life is a sweet, warm-hearted cheerleader, Lance. She's that girl!"

Lucinda lowered her head as though embarrassed while stealing a glance at Lance's reaction.

Lance took a quiet sip of his coffee. "I've been married to Brianna for ten years. A divorce could attract unnecessary attention and bad press."

He conveniently left out the fact that we were childless only because he never wanted children, and that every one of Lucinda's so-called achievements had been built on other people's work and claimed as her own.

I was about to enter the room when Marlene, Lance's sister, chimed in, "Really?! You think people are going to think you're weird for that? Get with the times already! People divorce for far less, even after being with someone much longer!

"Honestly? I hate having Brianna as my sister-in-law. She's embarrassing to talk about. People at school have been laughing at me because of her!"

"I know, right?!" Nolan, his brother, added. "Just marry Lucy already, Lance. She's better than Brianna in every way. I really don't want to be the laughingstock of my class when the next semester starts."

These two ingrates had only gotten into university because of me. I had found the best tutors to give them private SAT prep. I was the one who had contacted college administrators to help secure their admission. I had even tutored them myself when they struggled with their coursework.

And now I was suddenly too embarrassing for them?

I let out a snicker. Ingratitude clearly ran in this family. They even used the same excuses to put me down.

Back when I invested so much of my money and effort into the company, Leah had praised me to the skies. She would tell everyone she met that I was the best daughter-in-law anyone could ask for. She would go on and on about how I was Lance's greatest blessing.

Now? The company was bringing in huge profits, so they no longer needed me. Suddenly, I had become the stain on their otherwise perfect record.

I pushed the door open and told the waitress, "I don't need my own room, thanks."

Lucinda and the Mitchells froze in surprise.

Lance quickly took another sip of his coffee to hide his expression. He managed to put on a frown and asked, "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be working?"

I wondered whether he already knew I had quit. My resignation had caused quite a stir, after all.

There was no way no one had reported it to Lucinda. And since he had apparently been spending the last three days with her, why would he be unaware? Besides, HR must have emailed him about it.

If Lucinda had quit her job, I was certain that he would have noticed much sooner.

I met his gaze. "I've resigned. I can be anywhere I want."