Chapter 13 - Preparing for a Different Family
Claire did not decide immediately whether to divorce Ethan.
She did decide how the baby would enter the world.
Separate residences.
Separate finances.
A written temporary parenting plan after birth.
No unscheduled access to the villa.
No business discussions mixed with marriage discussions.
And no Monica.
Claire’s attorney communicated with Ethan’s.
Her therapist helped Claire distinguish punishment from boundaries.
Her obstetrician helped create a delivery plan focused on reducing stress.
Ethan attended parenting classes alone after Claire declined to go with him.
He stopped asking her to rescue the company.
That mattered more than his apologies.
He sold his ownership in one unfinished development at a loss and negotiated extensions with creditors.
The company survived smaller.
Ethan survived less impressive.
Claire suspected that might be the first useful thing failure had ever done for him.
Three weeks before her due date, prosecutors informed Claire that Monica’s case would likely continue long after the baby arrived.
There would be hearings.
Possibly a plea negotiation.
Possibly trial preparation.
Claire accepted that accountability moved more slowly than dramatic stories suggested.
Monica sent one message through her attorney.
Not an excuse.
An apology.
I blamed you because blaming him meant admitting everything I believed about my future was fake.
Claire read it once.
She did not respond.
Understanding Monica was not the same as forgiving her.
Then Ethan made one request.
May you like
He wanted to be present when their child was born.
Claire did not answer immediately.
