Chapter 5

Ella went straight home and called a lock smith. She asked to have all the locks on her house changed as quickly as possible. They promised to have a man out within the hour. She locked his security code out permanently. He would have to call her to be let in. She didn't expect him to come back for awhile anyway, but just in case. She wanted to know when he was coming and going.

She set to work finishing up things from the fundraiser for the next few hours. When she needed to get up and move, and get away from her computer, she decided to pay her family's lawyer a visit. She would not be using his lawyers. She called from the car to make sure at least one of them would be at the firm. When she arrived, she suddenly felt sick. Was her marriage actually over? It was hard to process. Divorce had never crossed her mind. In fact, she'd vowed to stay loyal, in it for the long haul, to make a real loving marriage out of this. She'd kept her vows, he had not. The thought of him being with Vera when he'd also been with her many times over the last year was sickening.

She got out of her car and slammed the door. Damn him! She wanted to make him pay. To make him feel what she was feeling. She needed a lawyer to help her make rational decisions. When she entered the office of her family's long time lawyer, in the firm he ran, she was ready for a calm discussion.

"Ella, you look... good today," the lawyer said.

"Oh..." she looked down, forgetting what she'd put on. "I needed the confidence boost of a new look today."

"Uh oh, that's not good..." Elden Huntly had been her family's lawyer since her grandfather had first gained his wealth. He was a new law school graduate back then. She'd used one of his employees to help with the prenup, since he'd been out of town at the time of her marriage.

"I'm afraid it's not. I have concrete proof that Nathaniel is cheating on me. He has been for awhile."

"I take it you're not going to turn a blind eye like a good little wife?" he said.

"Absolutely not."

"Good. I'd hate to lose respect for you. You want a divorce I take it?"

"Well... I guess so. I certainly can't remain married to him. Plus, there's this." She raised her hand and pulled down her sleeve. She'd begun to bruise where he had grabbed her.

"He's abusing you?"

"This was the first time. I confronted him and he got angry," she shrugged.

"It'll be the last," he said firmly. He took out his phone and took her hand. He got the best lighting he could and snapped a picture. "Just in case we need this," he explained.

"I don't know the first thing about divorce."

"That's why you have a lawyer. Has he made moves to file yet?"

"Not to my knowledge. He just found out I know today. I changed the locks."

"Possibly not the best idea under normal circumstances, but with the photo I took we can say you were afraid. If he chooses to make that part a problem."

She nodded, hardly able to take it all in. It felt like she was living in a dream state.

"I think it's best if we wait for him to file for divorce, unless he drags his feet, then you can do it. You have a prenup, you should be protected."

"Why wait? Doesn't that just give him more satisfaction?"

"You're thinking with your emotions. Here, the one who files is seen as the "bad guy", for lack of better terminology. You can be the jade wife throwing away her husband, hoping to get his wealth. Or you can be the wife betrayed, abandoned by her husband for another woman. Forced to humiliate yourself by going through a divorce. The judge looking over your case will take things like who filed first into question. It's just how it works in our state.

"That makes sense, I guess."

"Don't sweat things like this. This is why you have me. You, go home and try to relax. Dress like the sweet woman you are. Media will get wind of this and we don't want them making bad assumptions about you based on what you're wearing. Make the media wonder how your husband could leave you.

She blew out her breath slowly, but nodded in agreement.

"I'll look into the prenup, I'll try to handle the press the best I can. Be prepared for your name to show up in all the local papers.

Ella put her elbows on the table and buries her face in her hands. She was beginning to feel very overwhelmed and like the world was spinning too fast.

"I'll handle your parents, especially your mother, for now..." the lawyer added.

She snapped back to attention at the mention of her mother. "I hadn't thought of that..."

"I'll make sure you don't for a little while longer."

Ella was her parents' disappointment in all things. This would seal her fate. She'd never get back into their good graces. She wouldn't forgive Nathaniel for this though. This was over.

By the time she got back home she was drained. She went straight to bed and fell asleep. The stress from everything was just too much.