Chapter 2: The Assessment
293 words
The pink slip fluttered in my grip, the word EVICTION burning into my retinas. Richard snatched it from me, his laugh a wet, hacking sound that made my stomach churn.
"Forty-eight hours is generous, considering what you cost me," he said, walking back to the island and tapping furiously on a calculator. "Let's review the portfolio, shall we?"
He didn't wait for an answer. He began reciting numbers, his voice booming with the arrogant cadence of a man who believed his own lies.
"Credit card one: maxed. Credit card two: delinquent. The home equity line? Drained dry." He looked up, his eyes gleefully cruel. "All in your name, of course. I was just an 'authorized user' trying to save our sinking ship."
My knees gave out. I sank onto a barstool, the vinyl cold through my thin pajamas. "Richard, you bought the boat with that card. You bought your suits..."
"And you bought coffin liners for your dead father!" he roared, spit flying. "You drained us, Loretta. Now, look at you." He gestured vaguely at my worn slippers and the premature lines etched around my mouth. "I'm a visionary. I need a trophy wife, not a... liability."
The cruelty was absolute. He wasn't just ending the marriage; he was dismantling my existence. I had no savings. No credit. No home.
"Speaking of liabilities," Richard said, glancing at his expensive watch. "It's 9:00 AM."
Before I could ask what that meant, the hum of the refrigerator died. The overhead lights blinked out. The digital clock on the oven went black. Silence rushed into the room.
"I canceled these utilities this morning," Richard grinned, his teeth yellow against his dyed hair. "Consider it motivation to pack faster. I won't pay for electricity you don't deserve."
End of Chapter 2
