It had been two weeks since I'd filed for divorce, and still, there had been no word from Dominic. I wondered if he would reappear at the door or send someone to me.

As much as I doubted it would be easy, I prayed he would sign the papers and free me.

Finally, my lawyer informed me that Dominic's lawyer had invited us to a meeting at his office to discuss the divorce.

"This is good. Right?" I asked Jayden.

"I don't know." He pulled me close after hanging up on Attorney Newland and tossed the phone to the other end of the bed. "We'll find out tomorrow."

I rested my head on his arm and hugged him tightly. It was going to be one of the longest days of my life. I wanted it all to be over. I wanted an hour sooner to forget about the family that brought me so much shame. I couldn't stop thinking about everything Dayna told me. How could such heartless people exist? To abandon a child who was their blood? I didn't even want to ask if the girl in question got pregnant during my relationship with Dominic. It broke my heart to know that a child grew up without a father.

"Savi, don't worry," Jayden interrupted my thoughts. "Everything will be fine. We will get through this together."

"I hope. But I have a bad feeling."

"Don't—"

Jayden was interrupted by a knock on the door.

He got up and opened it. "Hello," he greeted. I looked up to see who it was, but I couldn't see it from the bed. "Yes, she's here. Come in."

At that moment, my mother and father entered the caravan.

"Savi! My girl!" my father exclaimed.

I jumped out of bed and threw myself into his arms. "Hi, Dad! I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, honey. I wish you would have let us be there for you with what you've been through."

"I needed to be alone."

"Not quite alone as far as I can see." Dad took a step back and looked at Jayden with a half-smile.

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw my mother rolling her eyes. But I paid no attention to her.

"Dad, Mom, this is Jayden."

Jayden, leaning against the table, reached out to my mother, but she looked away and crossed her arms.

But my father reached out. "Thank you for watching over my girl," he told Jayden warmly. "I'm Harold." His green eyes, which I had inherited from him, smiled along with his mouth.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. You have a wonderful daughter." Jayden replied.

"Yes, she's lovely. And living in a caravan isn't suitable for her at all," my mother interjected.

I took a step towards her. "But somehow, living at a mansion like a palace with my husband cheating on me, hurting me, and making a fool of me—that is all suitable. Is that so, Mom?"

"I didn't mean that. Okay, you want to divorce Dominic; you have a right to do that. But you might want to seek a more fitting company."

"Vivian!" Dad scolded her.

I glanced awkwardly out of the corner of my eye at Jayden. But he stood calmly, leaning on the table, and even smiled.

My mother seemed unfazed by Dad's remark and turned to Jayden. "Look, boy. You seem nice and well-mannered, and you obviously care about our daughter. But what can you give her?"

That was ridiculous! How could she be so brash?

Before I could remark to her, Jayden answered, "The things your beloved rich son-in-law has failed to give her for so many years—love and respect."

I smiled as a result of Jayden's words.

Dad did too. He tapped Jayden on the shoulder. "Will you show me around?"

Jayden nodded. Before he and my father left the caravan, he turned to me. "Savi, there's coffee in the coffee maker. It's still warm."

They both went out. I poured coffee into two cups and placed them on the table.

"Come here, Mom."

My mother sat across from me. "I'm worried about you, Savi." She gave me a concerned look after taking a sip of her coffee. "What on Earth is this?"

"Coffee. Black. Bitter. And why are you worried?"

"How, why? Look around. How did you even get here? This place is not for you, honey."

"Why?"

"Because it's ridiculous! You weren't born for this kind of life! Are there any shops in this town?"

"Yes, there are. There's a Vera Wang store down the street. And two down is Valentino." I placed two fingers discreetly in front of my mouth to stop the smile and keep my tone serious. "Soon, they will also open a Dior store."

"It's not funny, Savi."

"I know it's not. I don't need Jimmy Choo to walk; I step barefoot on the grass. I don't need $10,000 dresses; I wear a $50 t-shirt and jeans, and hey, I'm still human. I don't need Cartier—my smile is my jewel. Do you understand, Mom? I lack nothing. Because I have everything that money can't buy."

"It's temporary, Savi. You're still in control of your emotions. You're walking barefoot now, and you like it. But this is a rebellion, Savi. You want to prove that you don't need Dominic. But time will pass, and you'll realize. You'll understand your worth again. You're going to need someone who can take care of you. Who can give you what you deserve."

"You're wrong. I've experienced getting what you told me I deserved. From the one, you thought I deserved. But he broke me. You have no idea what I went through, Mom. If I hadn't met Jayden... I don't know how I would have survived. And I'm not just talking physically. I didn't know how I was going to survive the betrayal. Jayden was there for me the whole time. He showed me what true feelings mean. So now, I already have the one who gives me what I deserve. And I love him, Mom."

"Savi, are you sure you love him, or are you just grateful to him for helping you out?"

"Of course, I'm grateful for what he's done for me! But did you even see him? He doesn't need millions of dollars to look like he came out of a magazine. He's a hundred times more of a man than Dominic in every way. He knows how to soothe me. How to hug me. To keep me warm. He knows how to make me feel special. Loved. Protected. He knows how to make me feel like a woman. And every morning when I wake up in bed, and he's not there, even though I know he's a few feet away in the garage, I miss him. I need him every second. And I can't wait for the night when I fall asleep snuggled in his arms. We can talk for hours or just walk and be silent. Every moment with him is a moment of happiness. So, I don't know what that means in your eyes, but in mine, that is the definition of love."

"But—"

"No 'but,' Mom. I'm sorry, but I'm not looking for your approval. It's your choice whether to share my happiness or not."

My mother ran her fingers through the ends of her perfectly styled mahogany hair and sighed. "Okay. I'll try. But—"

"No 'but.'"

She laughed. That was new.

Just then, Jayden and my father returned from their tour.

"Would you like some coffee, Dad?"

"No, honey. We're leaving. I have to get back to work."

"Why don't you come over sometime for a longer visit? You could stay at..." I looked Mom in the eyes before continuing, "...Jayden's motel."

My mother said nothing for a moment. Then, in a deliberately casual voice, she asked, "So you own a motel, Jayden?"

Dad and I burst out laughing, and Jayden himself couldn't help but laugh too.

"Come on, Vivian. Let's go." Dad urged her.

"Okay." She kissed Jayden on the cheek, then hugged me. "See you soon, kids."

I pursed my lips, raised my eyebrows, and shook my head as I closed the door behind my parents. "She's incorrigible. Don't mind her." I walked up to Jayden and hugged him. "But I'm glad they came."

"I like them."

"Really? Even my mother?" I asked in amazement.

"Even your mother. In her own way, she wants the best for you. Don't fight with them. There is no greater happiness than having parents."

That was true. And the pain in his eyes said it even better than words.

***

The following day Jayden and I got in the car and drove to Boston.

We traveled for a little over two hours. We parked in front of a luxury building with a glass facade, which rose high among the hundreds of similar structures in the big city. It was suffocating. The noise was relentless, the traffic unnerving, and people ran left and right, caught up in their hectic daily lives.

"Hello, Mrs. Lewis," Attorney Newland greeted me as I got out of the car.

"Hello. I'm worried."

"Don't worry. Scheduling this meeting is a good sign."

"I hope so."

I leaned through Jayden's window and kissed him.

"Everything will be fine," he reassured me. "I'll wait for you here."

My lawyer and I headed to the 15th floor.

We entered a large conference room.

Peter Newland went directly to Joshua McNamara, Dominic's lawyer, or in other words, the best lawyer in the city. The two greeted each other.

I walked over to the table, but before I could sit down, Dominic got up from his chair and walked over to me. "Excuse us, gentlemen. I want to speak with my wife alone before we begin."

The lawyers retired to the office at the end of the room and closed the large glass doors.

I stood still, my heart racing, my stomach in knots, waiting to hear what Dominic wanted to talk to me about.

"Where's the mechanic, Sav?"

Why had I thought he might say something nice?

"He's waiting for me in the car."

"Let me guess: an '83 Chevrolet?"

"You are awful!"

Dominic shrugged. "Too bad. I was hoping you'd change your mind, but alas. I've come for nothing, apparently. I won't waste much more of my time. I can barely look at you right now. You look like a slob."

I stood motionless. Speechless. My eyes filled with tears. It hurt the cruelty of the one I had once loved.

"I see you've removed your ring..." He continued. "Here's what we're going to do. McNamara let me know you have no claims. You can't have any—our prenuptial agreement doesn't allow you to anyway. So, give me the ring back, and I'll sign the papers."

I trembled. "I... I don't have it. I lost it."

"Okay. Then pay me back $500,000, and I'll give you a divorce."

I started shaking all over. My hopes of a smooth divorce were evaporating before my eyes. "You have no right to ask that of me. You gave it to me."

"I have the right, and I can do whatever I want. I can drag out the divorce as long as I want. I can make it hell. And I will if you don't give me back the ring or the $500,000. Well, you also still have a choice to come back home."

Dominic nodded to McNamara through the glass door, and the two lawyers entered the conference room.

"The meeting is over," he told them shortly. "Mrs. Lewis is aware of the terms. There is nothing further to discuss."

Dominic opened the room door wide, indicating it was time for me to go.

Peter Newland went ahead, and I followed him.

"By the way, Sav." Dominic started as I walked past him. "Did you know your lover is a criminal?"