Chapter 4 - A Proposal Before the Divorce
Vanessa did not want to remain a secret.
She wanted Mark’s name, his company and the fortune she believed he controlled.
“Anna is going to have the baby soon,” she told him. “If you wait, she’ll use the child to keep you trapped.”
Mark paced across the penthouse he had purchased with diverted contract funds.
“She has no idea about us.”
“Then tell her.”
“I need the divorce handled carefully.”
Vanessa held up her hand.
The diamond sparkled beneath the chandelier.
“You already asked me to marry you.”
“That was private.”
“It won’t stay private.”
Mark sighed.
He had proposed during a weekend trip while Anna was attending what he believed was an administrative conference.
In reality, Anna had been briefing senior commanders about a new military medical communications division. General Hayes had informed her that she was the leading candidate to command it.
The position came with promotion authority, a national program and direct responsibility for thousands of military medical personnel.
Anna had returned home intending to share the news.
Mark had barely looked up from his phone.
“Can it wait?” he asked. “I have an important meeting.”
Anna never told him.
A week before her due date, Mark finally demanded a divorce.
He entered their bedroom while she was folding baby clothes.
“I’m not happy,” he said.
Anna placed a tiny white shirt into the drawer.
“How long have you been with Vanessa?”
Mark froze.
Then his expression hardened.
“This is why I can’t talk to you. You turn everything into an interrogation.”
“How long?”
“Several months.”
“And the ring?”
His eyes narrowed.
“You went through my things?”
“No.”
Mark folded his arms.
“I was going to tell you after the baby was born.”
Anna stared at him in disbelief.
“You planned to let me give birth believing my husband was still committed to our family?”
“I didn’t want to cause stress.”
The cruelty of the statement was so absurd that Anna almost laughed.
Instead, she said, “You need to leave.”
Mark walked toward the door but stopped.
“The house belongs to both of us.”
May you like
Anna looked at him steadily.
“No, Mark. It belongs to my trust.”
