Chapter 7: The Divorce I Never Requested
The divorce papers shook in my hands.
Not because I was surprised.
Because somewhere deep inside, I already knew this was the final piece of their plan.
They didn’t just want my money.
They wanted my life.
Richard stared at the document like it had physically wounded him.
“My signature.””
His voice was barely a whisper.
“That isn’t my signature.””
Daniel nodded.
“We know.””
He pointed to the bottom of the page.
“But whoever created this document wanted it to look like Mrs. Bennett requested the divorce.””
I looked closer.
My name was there.
My address.
My personal information.
Everything was accurate.
Except one thing.
I never signed it.
I never wanted it.
Chloe covered her mouth.
“Mom…”
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
“Don’t look at me.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She looked offended.
“I didn’t create that.””
Richard laughed quietly.
“You expect us to believe that?””
“Yes.””
Her voice became defensive.
“You’re all acting like I’m the only person here who made mistakes.””
I stared at her.
“Mistakes?””
She looked at me.
“Yes. Mistakes.””
I held up the divorce papers.
“Forging legal documents isn’t a mistake.””
The room went silent.
The police officer stepped closer.
“Mrs. Carter, we’ll need you to answer some questions.””
Vanessa’s face changed.
For the first time, she realized this wasn’t a family argument anymore.
This was something bigger.
She looked at Richard.
“You’re really going to let this happen?””
Richard’s eyes were empty.
“I don’t even know who you are anymore.””
That sentence hit harder than anger.
Because anger meant there was still something left.
Vanessa looked away.
Chloe sat down slowly.
She stared at the floor.
“I never wanted this.””
I looked at her.
“What did you want?””
She didn’t answer.
“Chloe.””
Her eyes lifted.
“I wanted everything to be perfect.””
I almost smiled.
“Perfect?””
She nodded.
“The wedding. The photos. The life everyone thought I had.””
I looked around the ballroom.
The expensive flowers.
The crystal decorations.
The giant wedding cake sitting untouched.
All of it suddenly looked fake.
“You wanted people to believe you had a perfect life.””
She whispered.
“Yes.””
“And you were willing to destroy mine for that?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I thought I could fix it.””
“That’s what everyone says after they break something.””
Brandon suddenly stepped forward.
“Chloe, we need to leave.””
She looked at him.
And something changed.
Maybe it was finally seeing him clearly.
Maybe it was realizing she had protected him while he destroyed everything.
“No.””
Brandon froze.
“What?””
She stood.
“You’re not leaving.””
His expression hardened.
“Chloe.””
“No.””
Her voice shook.
“But this time, you’re going to answer.””
The guests watched silently.
For the first time all day, Chloe wasn’t defending him.
She was standing against him.
“You told me the money was temporary.””
Brandon said nothing.
“You told me Emily would never find out.””
Silence.
“You told me we would pay everything back.””
His jaw tightened.
“Chloe, not here.””
She laughed bitterly.
“That’s what you care about?””
She pointed around.
“The embarrassment?””
Her voice cracked.
“You used me.””
Brandon looked angry.
“I did what I had to do.””
Everyone heard him.
The words hung in the air.
Richard stepped forward.
“What did you say?””
Brandon realized his mistake.
But it was too late.
“I said I did what I had to do.””
Daniel immediately wrote something down.
Richard looked disgusted.
“My daughter was a tool to you.””
Brandon looked away.
Nobody defended him.
Not even Chloe.
Then Daniel’s phone rang.
He stepped away to answer.
A minute later, he returned.
His expression was serious.
“We found the source of the forged divorce filing.””
Everyone waited.
Daniel looked at me.
“It came from a computer registered to Bennett Family Events LLC.””
My heart dropped.
“The company opened under my name?””
“Yes.””
Richard looked toward Chloe.
Because he already understood.
I didn’t want to.
But I did too.
“Chloe.””
She started crying before I even asked.
“Tell me you didn’t.””
She shook her head.
“I didn’t create the company.””
“Then why was it connected to you?””
No answer.
Richard’s voice broke.
“Chloe.””
She finally whispered:
“Because Mom told me to sign the paperwork.””
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The truth.
Not a misunderstanding.
Not confusion.
A choice.
“You signed?””
She nodded.
“I didn’t know what everything meant.””
I looked at her.
“You signed legal documents without reading them?””
She cried.
“I trusted my mother.””
The words hurt.
Because I remembered how many times she had trusted me.
And how many times I had shown up.
But when it mattered, she chose someone else.
Daniel gathered the papers.
“We need everyone involved to stay available.””
Vanessa suddenly looked toward the exit.
The officer noticed.
“Mrs. Carter?””
She stopped.
“I just need air.””
“No.””
The officer’s voice was firm.
“You need to stay.””
She looked at me.
And for a second, I saw the woman who had once hugged me on my wedding day.
The woman who told me she was happy Richard found someone kind.
I wondered if any of that had ever been real.
Then my phone buzzed.
I looked down.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
*You found the documents. Good. But you haven’t found the person who started this.*
My blood ran cold.
I looked at the message again.
Then another one arrived.
*Ask Richard what happened six years ago before your wedding.*
May you like
I slowly lifted my eyes.
Because suddenly, the person I trusted most was the person I needed answers from.
