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Tommy came back from his trip in a much better mood.I brought him and my mom to live with me.I was busy with work,so my mom took care of Tommy’s meals and daily needs.
Every evening,I’d go square dancing with my mom,and Tommy would make new friends on the playground. Over time, he became much more outgoing and confident.
Ethan would text me daily about the divorce,and I’d reply with a single, cold line“Fine,but we split the debts.”
Of course,he didn’t want that.With $800,000 in debt hanging over his head and his old salary, it would take him years to pay it off.
But dragging this out wasn’t sustainable.His family decided to meet me for a proper talk,not wanting things to get uglier after years as a couple.
Ha,now they care about appearances.
In a private room at a fancy restaurant,Ethan sat across from me,his mom beside him,glaring at me like she wanted to skin me alive.
“Let’s talk,”I said.
“Sarah,we’ve been together for nearly a decade—dating,getting married, and having Tommy.I may not have achieved much,but I’ve worked hard,right?”
“Take Tommy—wasn’t I the one raising him?”
Since he brought up Tommy,I had a lot of pent-up frustration and things I wanted to say.“Last time you took Tommy to your mom’s and sent him to my parents,my mom said he hadn’t bathed in days.And he was eating like he was starved.You didn’t even feed him?”
Ethan’s face flushed red with embarrassment,and he opened his mouth but said nothing.
His mom jumped in.“Little boys don’t need to eat much—it keeps them lean and lively!”
“He refused to bathe.I told him to shower with his aunt,but he wouldn’t.”
I slammed the table,furious.“Do you know what boundaries are?Tommy’s six!I don’t even bathe with him anymore,and you wanted him to shower with your sister?”
“Ethan,are you even human?”
“Why are you so worked up?It’s just a kid.Why make it sound so dirty?”
I took a deep breath to calm myself.“I’m done talking.Divorce,split the debts,and I get custody of Tommy.”
“I can wait.”
“Sarah!”his mom pounded the table.“Don’t you have any shame?Ethan gave you a child!”
I sneered.“Yeah,he just provvided a bit of sperm.Other than that, he's completely useless.”
“You!”
“Sarah,I can’t manage all that debt,”Ethan said.
“Fine,”I said, nodding.“Your sister can pay back the money, and I'll take care of the rest of the debts.”
“No way!”
“Then I can’t help you.”I shrugged.
Ethan gritted his teeth.“Fine,but my sister can only pay half—$200,000.That’s all we’ve got.”
I considered it.That was probably all Ethan could scrape together.I nodded.“Deal.”
We signed an agreement,got the divorce papers,and went to the courthouse.
After the cooling-off period,we met at the courthouse.He transferred$200,000 to me,and we finalized the divorce.
Holding the divorce certificate,I felt a rush of indescribable excitement.
No wonder they say marriage is like a trap—easy to get into, but getting out takes a piece of you.
I sold the house,used the money plus my mid-year bonus,and bought a spacious apartment,bringing my parents to live with me.
Just a month into this peaceful life,Ethan contacted me.
