Page 36 of Marrying My Ex's Boss

Like when he said that things were harder this year with inflation and whatnot, so we weren’t going to be able to take the kids on their yearly vacation to Disney, I didn’t kick up a fuss. I just decided that the beach house vacation was going to have to be enough for the girls this year.

I’d even started looking for carnivals or anything of the like that was coming to town or going to be close to us. But it wasn’t true; he’d been hiding money and assets. “How do I get what my girls are due? Are they entitled to anything, I mean.”

“You’re their representative here. Of course, there’s child support, which we will be going for the maximum you can get according to his pay. But the properties are rightfully half yours by the laws of this state. Since you were a stay-at-home wife, your alimony is going to reflect that.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that since you’ve been home and haven’t used your degree, which will make it harder for you to get back into the workforce, your alimony is going to be fat. I know just the judge to make that happen. She has a boner for deadbeat dads and husbands, especially the ones who hide their assets.”

I was feeling better already. “So, we can get as much as I want for my daughters?”

“Yes, ma’am. But is that all you want? You don’t want to….?”

“Caleb! No.” I looked from Marcus to him and back.

“No, what?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing. There was one more thing I wanted to ask. Has he ever been threatening to you or the girls?”

“No, he hasn’t.”

“Pity, that doesn’t matter at this point anyway. Has he been back to the home since the night you confronted him at the party?”

“No!”

“Perfect.”

“Why is that perfect?”

“It’s an issue of abandonment. Since he abandoned the home and kids, we’ll file an injunction that keeps him from returning to your home for now. Has he paid anything towards your children’s upkeep since he’s been gone?”

“No, come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve bought anything lately, so I haven’t been shopping. I have no idea if there’s any money in the account.”

“Check now.”

How did I go for a month without spending money and not realizing it?

‘Big dick energy. Your man’s, OUR man’s been taking care of shit like a boss.’

Hush, Justice, don’t show your ass now; I need to think.

‘What’s there to think about? He had groceries delivered, and your kids are being driven everywhere, so you didn’t even have to fill up that junk heap you call a car in weeks. That’s why you didn’t even notice.’

I looked at my phone, where I kept the bank app. There were about thirty dollars in the account, and that’s all that had been in there for the month. Paul has no idea that Marcus has been helping me and the girls. So was it his plan to leave me with thirty dollars for a month to feed four people and all the other shit that needed doing throughout the month?

I didn’t realize I was vibrating with anger until Marcus reached over and took my hand. “It’s okay; it’s okay.”

“The thing is, you have a job now.”

“She doesn’t. She hasn’t been paid since she’s still training as an intern until she gets a handle on things here.”

“That’s good then, that’s good. I’ll be filing today. It’s the weekend soon, so your ex-husband won’t be able to do much of anything. I’ll ask for an emergency fund for you and your girls, but if you think of anything else you want….”

“Caleb!”

“Okay, okay-okay, I’m just saying, that bastard needs to be taken down a peg.”

“Yes, but I don’t want her reliant on him. Trust me, he’s not going to get away with anything.”

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