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‘So, he is your ex-husband now. Doesn’t that solve the problem?’
‘If only it were that simple. Unfortunately, he’s taken to blathering about our marriage to anyone who’ll listen. As I speak, he’s locked away for Celebrity Housemate—you know, that fly-on-the-wall reality show?—and the promotional clips they’re airing are all about me.’
His silence wasn’t particularly encouraging.
‘Every time there’s an article maligning me, or our family, it affects Dad. I need it to stop.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed, arms crossed over his chest again. ‘I can see that. Would you like me to speak to my lawyers?’
‘That won’t work.’ She shook her head. ‘I’ve tried it. He won’t sign an NDA, as it’s far more profitable to sing like a canary.’
‘He’s significantly underestimating your net worth, then.’
‘He’s trying to parlay our marriage into lasting fame and fortune.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘It’s not his fault. He had nothing, and he doesn’t want to go back to that.’
‘Was the divorce settlement not generous enough?’
‘I don’t think it would have mattered what I gave him; he’d have always wanted more.’
Disapproval curved Alex’s symmetrical lips. ‘He sounds like a catch.’
He was only echoing her own thoughts, but she wasn’t in the mood to be spoken down to. ‘I didn’t come here to appraise my husband’s shortcomings.’
‘Ex-husband,’ he corrected factually. ‘And apparently, you came here because you need my help. Tell me how.’
‘I want to take back control,’ she said with a small jut of her chin, quiet determination steadying the words. ‘Part of the reason he’s been able to blather on in the press is because I completely withdrew.’
Alex’s eyes were heavy on her face, but she didn’t look directly at him.
‘Why? What have you been doing?’
Great question, without an answer. Her art had largely stalled, as stress about her father, her marriage, her mother, had all bundled together to paralyse her creativity. ‘I never expected to get divorced,’ she murmured, ‘then again, I never expected to be married to someone like him.’
A sharp exhalation drew her eyes to Alex’s face. ‘What does that mean?’
She shook her head, lost for words.
‘It doesn’t matter.’ The awful truth of her marriage was something she needed to hold close.
Alex tensed. ‘Did he hurt you?’
Theresa shook her head. ‘He didn’t hit me,’ she whispered, eyes moist. ‘But he hurt me in other ways.’ Her eyes hid from him. ‘He was controlling. Angry. Jealous. Possessive. And when he felt that I wasn’t paying him enough attention, he sought to destroy my confidence. He insulted me, always. Sometimes subtly, sometimes not. Sometimes privately, sometimes not. It’s amazing how quickly a person can break you down, and make you lose all faith in your own abilities. And when he didn’t get what he wanted, he went out and slept with someone else, then made sure I heard all about it.’ Bitterness flooded her words.
‘And yet you stayed with him?’
How could she explain to Alex? Her marriage had been untenable after only a few months, but Jonathan had too much over her, and the idea of divorcing him, of upsetting her parents, had kept her right where she was.
‘He always threatened to do this, if I left him,’ she said with soft resignation. ‘I didn’t want this to be my life, my parents’ life, and so I stayed with him until I really couldn’t bear it any longer.’
‘You should have given him nothing in the divorce,’ he spat angrily.
‘In the end, I just wanted him to go away.’ Her eyes were haunted.
‘No wonder your parents hate him.’
She nodded awkwardly. ‘I have put them through hell, Alex.’
‘It sounds to me as though you are the one who’s been through hell.’
