Chapter 2
I moved out and spent the next few days staying with my friend Kaia.
On the third day, Nolan called with an arrogant tone. “I gave the money to Andrea. If you want a divorce, fine by me!”
“We’re married,” I replied calmly. “Half of that 300 thousand dollars you gave her is mine. Even if we divorce, she needs to return my 150 thousand dollars.”
“You want the money back? Impossible!” he roared. “I gave it to Andrea. Don’t even think about getting it back!”
I hung up. With only a junior high school degree, it wasn’t surprising he didn’t understand the law.
Kaia had been listening, and after thinking for a while, her expression changed.
“Selena, doesn’t something seem off about Nolan?” She leaned forward. “No matter how generous he is, would he really give 300 thousand dollars to his first love to help raise someone else’s child? Nolan’s always been so stingy–it just doesn’t add up.”
Kaia knew Nolan’s penny–pinching ways all too well.
At our wedding, local tradition called for giving nice gifts to the
1/3
Chapter 2
bridesmaids, but Nolan had chosen cheap candleholders instead.
The wedding banquet had been all vegetarian dishes–no meat in sight.
He’d even transported the guests in a borrowed bus from his rural hometown.
The memory of that wedding was still fresh for Kaia and me.
Kaia had a point. Nolan was incredibly conceited. Even if he could forgive Andrea’s betrayal and reconcile with her, would he really accept raising another man’s child?
Kaia and I locked eyes, mutual surprise dawning as we reached the same conclusion–the child might be Nolan’s.
Since our marriage, he’d constantly pressured me to have a baby. I’d refused, focused on my rising career and concerned about my health.
He’d berate me every few days about “ending his family line“-until suddenly, the next year, he stopped mentioning it entirely. I’d thought he’d finally accepted my decision and felt relieved.
But what if he’d had a son elsewhere?
Andrea’s child was two years old now. The timing fit perfectly.
“No wonder he was so generous with his first love,” Kaia sneered. “He must have been having an affair with her all
2/3
Chapter 2 along!”
3/3
Her eyes suddenly brightened. “Selena, if you can prove he cheated, you can divorce him without giving up any property.”
I nodded, thinking it through carefully.
Nolan had said Andrea left her divorce with nothing–perhaps her husband had discovered the affair.
It would explain why Andrea, who had been so materialistic and dumped Nolan for money, would walk away without a penny.
Nolan’s infidelity seemed certain. Now I just needed proof.
B
