I opened it to find Evelyn holding a sleek leather briefcase and a massive bouquet of white peonies—my favorite.
“Happy Independence Day, Clara,” Evelyn said with a warm, triumphant smile, stepping into the foyer.
“Is it officially over?” I asked, setting the flowers on the table.
“Every single document has been recorded,” Evelyn replied, pulling out a thick, leather-bound volume stamped with the gold crest of the Sterling Trust. “The Richmond estate has been formally placed on the private luxury market. We already have two cash offers above asking price. The proceeds will go directly into a irrevocable educational trust for Cora.”
She handed me a single piece of parchment—the finalized decree of dissolution.
I ran my fingers over the raised seal of the court. For years, I had believed that marriage required endless sacrifice, that enduring disrespect was simply the price of keeping a family together. Sitting on that hospital bed six months ago, waiting for seventeen missed calls to be answered, I had hit absolute rock bottom.
