“Oh. My. God. So, you’re telling me that even if we can prove that she cheated on you during your marriage and frame Leon again, you won’t get anything from her?!”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. Most of our assets are joint, excluding the penthouse and her practice’s office building. Annika owns the majority of the practice shares, so if our divorce hearing goes to court, I’m sure her having an affair would work in our favor. I could get the penthouse in full or half her shares of the practice, maybe even both. Either way, her status as a family doctor can only get her so far. Annika comes from a poor background like me, but she doesn’t have the resources I have now. You don’t have to worry,” Jeffrey reassured her as he held her securely in his embrace. However, throughout the entire time he told Sadie those words, the slightest flash of guilt riddled his face, pricking his conscience. He quickly tried to conceal it, but it didn’t matter; the seed had already been planted within him. Jeffrey was no longer certain he would be able to face Annika if she was sleeping with Sadie’s ex-husband. What kind of sick and twisted fate awaited him if it were true?
“I knew you were more than capable, baby. Soon, all of our dreams will come true, and we will have the best life together. Just wait and see,” Sadie said as she hugged him. All Jeffrey could do was simply nod in response as his thoughts were a million miles away. Was he genuinely ready to give up eleven years of his life for a one-and-a-half-year fling? He loved Sadie, there was no mistake about that, and sure, he was sick and tired of his mundane marriage to Annika, but he couldn’t deny that he still loved her. A sudden burst of reality descended upon Jeffrey and threw him into disarray, shaking him to his core. Did he really want a divorce?
After their shopping spree was cut short, Annika and Kenzie decided to call it a day and rescheduled the rest of their plans for another time. True to her word, Kenzie held her tongue and didn’t bring up Leon anymore, and even though Annika was quiet throughout the drive to Kenzie’s and back home, it was clear that her mind was running a marathon.
Annika unceremoniously threw her shopping bags onto the couch and dragged her feet upstairs once she arrived home, a sense of relief washing over her now that all the locks, passcodes, and RFID scanners were updated. As expected, her family continued to pester Annika for details regarding her sudden change in attitude. They weren’t naive, and the Silverton family knew something extreme must have occurred for Annika to lash out in this way. Despite their concerns, her family would never question her motives or decisions because Annika was a competent person, and this was something her entire family viewed as an indisputable fact.
Annika decided to soak in the tub to wash away the drama that unfolded earlier that day. While partially submerged in the water’s warm embrace, the tension in her body melted away, and fatigue took its place as she pondered what Kenzie had told her earlier. After soaking for an hour and much deliberation on what to do about her unrequited feelings for Leonardo Von Doren, her phone pinged with an incoming text notification. This prompted Annika to get out of the tub finally, and she wrapped herself in a towel before strolling toward her nightstand to retrieve her phone.
Asshole: Annika, why can’t I get into the penthouse?
Annika: What do you want?
Asshole: What do you mean, what do I want? I’m trying to get into my house, so why can’t I get in? Did you change the locks and passcodes? Even my car is being denied entry into the garage!
Annika: Yes, that’s exactly what I did. Why do you care? Why aren’t you off fucking your mistress?
Asshole: Annika, I don’t have a fucking mistress! Why can’t you just fucking believe me!?
Annika: Leave the premises, Jeffrey. You’re not welcome here. Leave now, or I’ll call security to remove you forcibly.
Asshole: YOU CAN’T DO THAT!!! WE’RE MARRIED!!!
Outside the front gate of the penthouse garage, Jeffrey sat in his car with a bruised ego, becoming increasingly irritated that Annika went as far as to change the locks and passcodes to keep him out.
Annika: Of course, I can. Hunter should have sent the separation agreement to your office, and you also walked out of here with your own two feet, if I remember correctly.
Annika’s words felt as though he was metaphorically kicked in his groin, and the implications of his actions last night finally dawned on him. Jeffrey did voluntarily walk out of the penthouse with his belongings. Despite Annika telling him to leave, this would still be interpreted as a verbal dispute in front of a judge, and it was in his authority as her legal spouse to not follow through with it. But since he did leave of his own accord, Jeffrey realized Annika knew her right to change the locks. Although one could argue she kicked him out, it was an argument full of holes, and CCTV in the building would show him leaving the penthouse with his suitcases with a smile on his face. Jeffrey wanted to leave, and that’s what he did without considering the possibility that he would not be able to return.
Asshole: Annika, honey, don’t do this. Come on. Let’s talk about this like grown-ass adults. I promise you; I’m not cheating. I only left because you asked me to. I was just trying to give you space as requested, but it’s been a few days now. Don’t you think you’re being rash, changing the locks and passcodes?
Annika: Nope. Leave now. You have one minute.
Jeffrey was in denial that he was dealing with the same Annika he had married seven years ago. He was confident in his ability to manipulate Annika at will, which explained his complacent attitude over her cheating allegations. Still, Jeffrey had never expected Annika to give him the cold shoulder and show zero remorse for leaving him homeless. All he wanted was to come home and spend a night with his wife to determine if he was making the right decision by divorcing her, but he was denied an opportunity to do so. Jeffrey tried to text her back but to no avail. All his messages were bouncing back, and when he tried to call, he was sent straight to voicemail. After multiple attempts with no luck, it finally registered that Annika blocked his number.
Unbeknownst to Jeffrey, Annika decided to keep an eye on him from the security room in the penthouse, and she could see everything as clear as day. After his minute was up, Annika spared him no mercy and called building security to have him removed. She passively observed as Jeffrey’s eyes filled with disbelief and disdain at being told to leave by building security. Although his driver’s license showed that his physical address was indeed the penthouse, because his car was no longer registered and his information was removed from the system, he had no choice but to surrender and leave.
Jeffrey finally experienced a taste of what Sadie had felt every time she had a run-in with Annika—utter humiliation. But rather than eat his humble pie, Jeffrey was feeling aggrieved, as if somehow what Annika was doing was unfair and that he was the victim. Jeffrey sped off with a renewed sense of determination while plotting his next move, blissfully unaware that Annika already had substantial evidence of his affair. He was even more oblivious that he was being tailed constantly. And all the while, the information gathered on his whereabouts, and his frequent rendezvous with Sadie were being recorded, saved to a hard-drive, and sent to the two scorned individuals he and his mistress had betrayed.