Chapter 12 - NO EASY FORGIVENESS

Ryan sold his truck.

Then his watches.

Then his share in a vacation property.

He put the money toward the company's creditors.

Nobody applauded.

It was what he should have done.

He entered therapy.

Nobody applauded that either.

Vivian called therapy "humiliating."

Ryan told her to stop.

It was the first time I heard him set a boundary with her without looking at me for approval.

Margaret returned to the mansion after four days.

She brought groceries.

"I live here too?" she asked.

"If you want."

"Do I have to cook?"

"Absolutely not."

She smiled.

We were not fixed.

We were speaking.

Leah filed suit against the clinic and several contractors, including Ryan's company.

Ryan did not fight liability where evidence was clear.

His insurer did.

The process became ugly.

Experts argued about temperatures, embryo viability, timestamps, causation.

Leah sometimes called me after hearings.

We did not become best friends.

That would have felt false.

We became two women who understood one specific hallway.

One afternoon, Vivian arrived with a box.

Inside were statements from her clinic investment.

"I want to give the profits to Leah."

I looked at her.

"Ask Leah."

"You think she'll say no?"

"Probably."

"Then what's the point?"

I stared at her.

"The point is that it isn't your decision."

Vivian actually laughed.

"Bennett women are exhausting."

"I'm not a Bennett anymore."

The divorce petition had been filed that morning.

Vivian's face changed.

"Ryan told me you were considering separation."

"He was wrong."

She sat down.

For the first time, she looked old.

"Will I still see the twins?"

"That depends on whether you can follow boundaries."

"You're punishing me."

"No. I'm protecting them."

The sentence sounded dangerously familiar.

So I corrected myself.

"And I'm protecting myself. I'm allowed to do that too."

That evening, Ryan was served.

He called once.

"Is there any chance?"

I looked across the lawn at Margaret pushing Oliver in a toy car while Emma shouted instructions.

"No."

Ryan breathed out.

"Okay."

Then he said, "I won't fight you on the marriage."

A pause.

"But I will fight for my children."

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