Page 65 of Hate the One You're With
A wave of disappointment washes over me. Is he really giving me an out? Getting rid of me because, deep down, he doesn’t love me. I mean, I knew he didn’t—it was always about the benefits of living together. Sex. He likes it, and let’s be honest, he’s pretty fucking good at using his dick when I need it. But . . . the stupid, hopeful girl buried deep in the darkest corners of my heart, wanted to believe there could be more. Believe in his love.
She was trying to claw her way out, reaching for something more than just physical satisfaction. Thank fuck I didn’t let her out, or this would’ve been a disaster.
Maybe this is for the best,I think, trying to convince myself that walking away would be easier. But the truth is, I don’t think I wanted easy. See: stupid girl wanting love and believing in fairy tales. They usually end with the main protagonist finding true love. I just don’t think that exists, at least not for me.
The drive is quiet, almost unnervingly so. The kind of silence that fills the space when two people know something is ending but aren’t quite ready to say it out loud. I sit there, watching the city lights blur past, knowing that this is it—the end. And honestly? It’s fine. More than fine, really. It’s almost a relief.
I pull out my phone and text Jane, asking her to have the divorce papers ready to courier over. Once I have them, we’ll sign and file them right away. Maybe by the end of this, I’ll be free of him . . . although I have no idea how long it takes for a divorce to process. Weeks? Months? Who knows? All I know is that freedom is on the horizon, and I’m ready for it.
At the bank, Percival is already waiting for us, his expression unreadable as he leads us through a series of security doors. We reach a private vault room, and he unlocks a box that’s been waiting for us.
Inside, there are documents—lots of them, stacked neatly in folders, each one more imposing than the last. Caleb dives right in, his brow furrowed in concentration as he flips through the paperwork. I can see the tension in his shoulders and by the way his jaw clenches as he reads through what’s likely a mountain of legalese and carefully constructed traps.
While he’s busy with those documents, I start going through some of the other files, the ones pushed to the side, almost like an afterthought. That’s when I see it—the money she paid, itemized and accounted for like a twisted ledger of transactions. Every payment, every cent, carefully documented alongside the other things Grandma orchestrated to keep us apart.
There are letters, contracts, and memos outlining thelengths she went to in order to sabotage us. Deals made, debts called in, favors exchanged—all to ensure that Caleb and I would never have a chance.
I swallow hard, the realization sinking in like a weight in my chest. She wasn’t just trying to keep us apart—she was dismantling lives, tearing apart an entire family without a second thought.
I glance over at Caleb, who takes a deep breath and hands the papers to Percival. “It’s clear this is her final will and testament,” he says, his voice steady. “Destroy the other one.”
“What is it?” I ask, taking the document from Percival.
I skim through it. It’s just the same will, leaving me everything—everything, including what’s in this vault, which wasn’t mentioned in the previous version. “What’s different?” I ask, my voice tinged with confusion.
“You get everything, no conditions. We don’t have to spend six months together,” Caleb says, his tone laced with something I can’t quite place. “You decide what to do with your life and your future. No need to endure six months with me.”
“Oh,” I mouth.
He turns toward the door, a devilish grin tugging at his lips. “That’s it?” I ask, unable to mask the uncertainty in my voice.
He glances back, his eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and something deeper. “For now, of course. I told you it’s not over. But this time, it’s on my terms. I’ll bring her back, Em. You might be hiding her, but I know how to find her.”
With that, he leaves, and I’m left standing there, feeling both confused and strangely hopeful.
Chapter Forty-One
Emmersyn
“So, this is it?”I ask, my voice wavering between disbelief and relief.
Percival nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Why are you smiling?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Your grandmother was right.He’d do the right thing.”
“Leaving me is the right thing?” I shoot back, feeling the sting of the words.
He shakes his head. “Nope. Taking away your grandmother’s power was the right thing to do.”
I let out a laugh, one that’s more bitter than amused. “Sure, until you show me some other condition or . . .” I trail off, half-expecting another twist.
“I assure you, that was it,” he says, his tone sincere.
I glance at the safe, still trying to process everything. “What else is in the safe?”
“Jewelry, some of your mother’s keepsakes that Trudy saved for later, but I guess later never came,” he replies gently.
