CHAPTER 2: The House Was Never His
Noah stared at the documents.
Then he read them again.
And again.
"This... this isn't possible."
Ava folded her arms.
"Oh, it's very possible."
Diane grabbed the folder from Noah's trembling hands.
Her confident smile vanished almost instantly.
The deed listed only one owner.
Ava Thompson.
Not Noah.
Not both of them.
Only Ava.
Claire looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
"It means," Ava replied calmly, "that neither of you lives here."
Noah slammed the papers onto the table.
"We've been married fourteen years!"
"Correct."
"And I've paid bills in this house!"
"You paid household expenses. You never paid for the property."
Noah opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Because he knew she was right.
Years earlier, Ava's grandfather had left her a large inheritance.
Using that money, she purchased the house before the wedding.
At the advice of her attorney, she had kept the property solely in her name.
Just in case.
At the time, Noah had laughed.
Now he wasn't laughing.
"You planned this?" he demanded.
Ava shook her head.
"Noah, I planned for emergencies."
She glanced at Claire.
"I just never imagined the emergency would be you."
Claire's face burned red.
For the first time, she seemed embarrassed.
Lily slowly came downstairs.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
"Mom?"
Ava opened her arms.
Lily immediately ran to her.
Noah watched his daughter choose a side.
And it wasn't his.
Then Ava delivered the next blow.
"I've already called my lawyer."
The room froze.
"What lawyer?" Noah whispered.
"The divorce lawyer."
Silence.
For the first time all night, Noah looked genuinely scared.
Because suddenly he realized something.
He wasn't losing a wife.
May you like
He was losing everything.
END OF CHAPTER 2
