“Adam, if you want to keep making these outlandish claims and be a bully, I’m hanging up,” I interrupt him.
He can’t control me anymore.
“You know he’s fucked every woman in this city.You’ll just be another hot cunt he uses, but this time his career is over.My attorney will make sure of it.”
I cringe.
Shaking my head, I shuffle to sit on the edge of my chair.“Nice, Adam.Really nice.Please don’t use that term while speaking to me.”
He’s always been crass, but never directly at me.
He snorts.“Listen to you.Not the poor girl from South Tucson anymore, are you?”
A knot forms in my stomach.
He knows everything about my life and where I came from.He’s my husband.He’d console me when they’d ring and tell me I didn’t deserve to be treated that way.
Where was that man now?
Once, two years into our marriage, Adam answered the phone, threatened my father and told him never to call again, or there would be consequences.
It worked.
Until news of our separation came out, I never heard from Mom and Dad again.
“Don’t do that.I never pretended to be anyone I wasn’t.I was honest with you from the start.”I say, rubbing my forehead as I stare at the carpet.“Can we do this civilly, please?”
“Tell me you aren’t fucking him.Or that asshole, the painter.Jesus, I can’t believe you posted those photos from Hawaii.You made yourself look like a slut.Made me look like an idiot.”
Maybe you shouldn’t have hit me and kicked me in the tummy while I was curled up on the ground.
I go quiet.I don’t have to explain myself.Everything I’ve done with other men took place after I left the marriage, and I was well within my rights to do so.
When he doesn’t speak again, waiting for my response, I say, “We’re separated Adam.”
I can almost hear his fury.
“So that’s a fucking yes.Jesus, Court.Can’t keep your legs closed.Well, I’m not surprised.The painter was poor, so now you are fucking your billionaire attorney.Wouldn’t take much to Google his network.Clever.Fuck.I knew you only wanted me for my money.”
“That’s not true.I loved you!”I start crying.
How dare he minimize what we had all those years?We were a family.We had dreams.We tried to have a child.
“Past tense.As soon as the money is turned off, hmm.Nice.Real nice.The internet is right.You are a gold digger from the slums.”
I wiped away the tears, trying to turn them off.
Adam immediately canceled my credit cards the night I left him.I doubt he’s even shed a tear since.
I’d moved funds into my personal account the day I left, knowing he would.I took enough for the legal retainer and to live off for a year.
I knew he’d get a notification that I’d withdrawn funds, which he’d told me never to do.I wasn’t sure it would work.Everything hung on me being able to do it.I got a hotel room that night and then, a few days later, rented my apartment, which is furnished.
“You know that’s not true.We were trying to have a baby.I’m sorry we couldn’t—”
“I don’t want to hear it!”Adam snaps.“You won’t see another dollar from me, so tell your attorney to fuck you all he wants.Vanguard is going to destroy both of you.”
Adam hangs up.
