Chapter 7
At exactly 11:30 AM, Claire’s personal cell phone began to vibrate violently on her desk. The caller ID flashed with Grant’s name. She let it ring until it went to voicemail. It immediately started ringing again.
Claire took a slow sip of her coffee, savoring the bitter, rich taste, before finally swiping to answer. She didn't say a word, just brought the phone to her ear.
“Claire, what the hell is going on?!” Grant’s voice exploded through the speaker, frantic and panicked, all traces of his arrogant barbecue swagger completely vanished. “I just tried to pay for a business lunch at The Capital Grille and my card was declined! The waiter cut it in half in front of my clients! I called the bank, and they said the accounts are frozen!”
“They are,” Claire replied, her voice smooth and entirely indifferent. “I am no longer funding your life, Grant.”
“Are you crazy?!” Grant shouted. “You can’t just cut me off! We are married! Half of everything you make is mine!”
“My lawyers will happily debate that in court,” Claire said. “But until a judge orders me to open my wallet, you are completely on your own.”
Before Grant could respond, a second voice pierced through the line. It was Madison, sobbing hysterically in the background. “Dad! Dad, you have to do something! The headmaster just pulled me out of AP Chemistry!”
“Hold on, Madison!” Grant yelled away from the receiver, then brought the phone back. “Claire, what did you do to my daughter? Her school just told her she’s being expelled for non-payment!”
“I told her yesterday, Grant,” Claire said coldly. “I told her she was transferring to a new school. Her tuition at Oakridge Prep was thirty thousand dollars a semester. I cancelled the wire transfer this morning. Tell her she can enroll at the public high school down the street. I hear they have an excellent character-building program.”
“You vindictive bitch!” Grant roared, losing all control. “She is a junior! This will ruin her college applications! You are destroying her life over a stupid prank!”
“It wasn't a prank, Grant. It was cruelty,” Claire said, her grip on the phone tightening, the maternal rage flaring back to life. “And the fact that you still don't understand that is exactly why I am divorcing you.”
“Divorce?” Grant stammered, the word hitting him like a physical blow. The reality of his situation was finally crashing down. Without Claire, he was bankrupt. “Claire, wait… let’s just calm down. We can talk about this when you come home.”
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“I’m never coming back to that house, Grant,” Claire said softly. “You can keep it. I’m sure you and Kevin can figure out how to pay the mortgage. Goodbye.”
She hung up the phone, blocking his number with a swift, decisive tap of her thumb.
