Chapter 9 - THE DIVORCE DECREE
The final mediation to sign the ultimate decree was almost anti-climactic.
They met in a sterile conference room in Rachel Moreno’s office. The autumn leaves outside the window were the same color they had been seventeen years ago in Vermont, when Claire and Ethan had made their vows.
Ethan sat quietly, reading over the final division of assets. He had a public defender of a divorce lawyer, a tired-looking man who just nodded at everything Rachel proposed.
“Sign here, Mr. Whitmore,” Rachel instructed, pointing to a blue sticky note.
Ethan picked up the pen. He hesitated.
“If I sign this, it’s really over,” he whispered.
“It was over the night you paid for a hotel with Savannah and let Claire wash your clothes the next morning,” Rachel said bluntly.
Ethan signed.
Claire signed after him. Her signature was fluid, confident.
“The judge will stamp this by Tuesday,” Rachel announced, packing up her files. “You are officially, legally separated. Congratulations, Claire. Mr. Whitmore, I wish you luck.”
Ethan stood up. He didn't look at Claire. He just picked up his briefcase and walked out. There was no grand speech, no final explosive argument. Just the quiet, pathetic whimper of a man who had traded gold for brass and realized too late what he had done.
Claire walked out of the office a few minutes later, stepping into the crisp air. Rachel gave her a fierce hug.
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“You did it, Claire. You survived.”
“No,” Claire smiled, looking up at the sky. “I didn’t just survive. I won.”
