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“I don’t want to talk about him.”
“Please, I need to know.”
“Why? You can’t change what he did.”
“Lana, what did he do?” I demand.
“He was rough with me at times, especially when he had a few drinks in him.”
“Did he force himself on you?”
“He tried a few times, but I pushed him away.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Not physically. You have to understand; he wore my defenses away. I had no one to help me. My father was on his side. He thought Declan could do no wrong.”
“You don’t know how angry that makes me. I feel like going over to The Plaza and hurting him.”
“I know. Sometimes I’m afraid of what you’ll do. Please promise me you won’t touch him?”
“I won’t. He would make sure to press charges, and I would probably do jail time. I couldn’t bear to be away from you again.”
“I strongly believe in Karma. Declan will get what’s coming to him.”
“I hope you’re right. Men like him escape time and time again. It’s an unfair system. They pay fines and walk away only to do their misdeeds again. I didn’t grow up rich, and I know what it’s like to work hard to get what you want.”
“Suppose he takes away all you’ve built?”
“Then I’ll start over. I have friends who will help. I’m a survivor. I told you that I would be happy living in a small apartment as long as I have you by my side.”
“You know I don’t care about what you can buy me. I saw what caring about material objects got me. It’s wrong. I just need your love.”
“You have it. You will always have it.”
“I wanted to remind you that we have to make an appointment with Dr. Amundsen for couple’s therapy.”
“I will when I see him on Thursday. I have a regular appointment. You might want to see him on your own too. I think you have a few things to work through.”
“I know. Zane, I don’t want you spending money on me. I’ll find a way to pay for things. I could get a job.”
“You could, but I want you to straighten things out before you add something else into the mix. Get your divorce from that asshole taken care of. Emily told me that if there is no dispute about property or assets, you can be divorced from Declan in a few months.”
“I have nothing, and he’s giving me nothing so there won’t be any disputes. I just want to be free of him.”
“We’ll see what Todd Ashburn says on Wednesday.”
“I hope it’s good news.”
I didn’t want to tell her what I read in the document about her paying a share of their wedding costs—no need to worry her until Todd took a look at the divorce papers.
“We’ll retain him if need be. I’m willing to play hardball with Declan if it comes to that. He’s not going to destroy everything I love.”
Chapter 18
“What!” Lana said, stunned by the sentence.
We were sitting in front of Todd Ashburn, and he had just read the passage about Lana splitting the cost of the wedding with Declan. Todd was a small man with short dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Emily had said he had a reputation for getting what his clients wanted when it came to divorce, which is why I chose him.
