Page 15 of Laws of Love
His mother stopped with her fork halfway to her mouth to look at him. “Knox, that’s wonderful!” she responded happily, placing the fork down. His mother’s enthusiasm had more to do with him not suffering than the actual separation.
“It is, but we all know that girl, and it will not be easy,” his father stated.
He was correct, and Knox would say, at some point, his parents knew her better than he did. While he’d always been aware that Mia was spoiled, it was his father who pointed out to him it would get worse, that she would want the world to revolve around her. Knox should have believed him. Especially when she became pregnant with Yasmine, but he just assumed motherhood would bring the best out of her. It had not.
“You aren’t wrong,” Knox replied. “No sooner than she was served, she called and had some choice words for me. She couldn’t believe that I was going to pay her the stipulated prenup amount. Mia felt she deserved much more for the time she put in.”
His mother scoffed. “She deserves less for her behavior and the stress she’s caused over the past couple of years, and how she uses Yas to get more out of you. The prenup is more than generous.”
Knox hummed in acknowledgment as he took a bite of his cobbler. His mother had a point, but Mia would never take less. He didn’t mind paying her what he’d said he would if it would get her as much out of his life as possible.
“I requested sole custody of Yasmine through the divorce, and she seemed to overlook that in favor of telling me I owed her more.”Mia still liked to go out with her friends, which would be fine if it wasn’t almost every night and she wasn’t out until the early hours of the morning, leaving Yasmine with the sitter if she wasn’t with him. Knox wanted their daughter in a stable environment with a parent that would be home with her for more than a couple of hours a day.
His father shook his head, the look of disgust also mirrored on his mother’s face. Knox knew his parents would be just as upset that the only thing that seemed to be on Mia’s mind regarding their divorce was the monetary gain.
“You’re going to be in for a fight with her. I don’t see her letting go of her want for more,” his mother stated, picking up the fork she’d discarded in favor of his news. “But don’t stoop to her level.”
“I hate to say this, son, but it may be worth it to pay her a little more just to get rid of her,” his father threw out. “Or as much as you can be with Yasmine linking you.”
“I don’t think he should pay her a cent more, Ray.”
“Even if it would make both his and Yasmine’s lives better, Cheryl?”
Knox continued eating his cobbler as the table fell quiet at his father’s question. Not that he hadn’t thought the same thing his father brought up. It was simply that he knew Mia enough to know he would not pay what she was asking for.
It wasn’t as if Knox couldn’t afford to do so. His net worth was substantial. He’d made hundreds of millions in the eleven years he’d played. His initial five-year signing contract renewed for a six-year contract, and he’d received several endorsements, yielding him a hefty sum. Though he’d gotten hurt the second time a year and a half from the end of his last contract, he’d stayed on to help train his replacement, knowing he’d be retiring.
Knox had also not been a fool and started a couple of businesses while he’d been playing, bought some vacation property which he rented out when he wasn’t using them, and bought rental properties, which he allowed his agency to handle for him.
So, no, it wasn’t that he could not afford to do so; it was simply that he was of a similar mind to his mother. He didn’t think she deserved much more than what he was offering her. It wasn’t as if the cost of living was extremely high, and he would give her the house which was paid for. She could live comfortably for the next thirty-plus years if she lived within her means. She wouldn’t have Yasmine to worry about if he got his way, so she would be fine.
After dessert, Knox helped his mother clean the kitchen while his father went to take his medicine and rest for a bit before they ventured out to the work shed to see his birdhouse.
“You have a good lawyer, correct?” his mother questioned as she passed Knox a plate to dry.
“I do. Her name is Aiva Neel. I did extensive research, and there isn’t a better firm in the city or surrounding areas.”
“Good. I hope she’s able to make this at least a bit smooth for you.”
Knox refrained from telling his mother that he was sure Aiva would do her best to make that happen regarding the divorce proceedings and mediation. However, she was making it hard on him personally, and Knox was fine with that. He’d deal with it until after the divorce went through, and then he’d make his move.
Once he finished helping his mother, he went into the living room to ask his father if he was ready to show him his birdhouse. Only to find the older man leaning back in his recliner asleep. Knox should have known.
Taking a seat on the couch, Knox stayed a bit longer and watched some television with his mother. Maybe his father would stir and show him the birdhouse before he left.
Aiva sat on her couch, going over a couple of different client files and making sure she knew how many days were left for those who’d served their partners and had yet to receive a response. She updated her numbers on her chart as she did every few days, setting reminders for those who only had seven days left.
It felt like divorce was in the air, or perhaps this year had chosen a specific season because she found herself with almost a forty percent workload increase from the same time last year, and twenty-five percent more than the previous couple of months. She hardly ever turned down a case unless she got a bad reading from the person trying to solicit her services. Unless she felt she was going to be on the wrong side of the divorce.
Now, she thought that she may have to turn some down because of the workload alone. She was hoping some of these would come to a close soon. Several of her clients and their soon-to-be exes were cordial, so she had faith they could wrap up quickly.
Aiva knew she wasn’t the only one. Her sister also had a heavy caseload, but she wasn’t as lucky as Aiva was. It seemed like all of Meila’s clients were divorcing on terrible terms, and she knew her sister was at her wit’s end with a few of them.
Unlike her, Meila didn’t mind which side of the line she was on. It was more than likely because if her clients were being difficult or unreasonable in what they were asking for, her sister always humbled them and put them in their place. Aiva preferred to avoid them.
She’d been working for another twenty minutes when she heard a key in her door. She glanced up to ensure the deadbolt wasn’t engaged. Seeing that it wasn’t, she turned her attention back to her laptop screen. A few seconds later, her sister walked through her front door.
“I come bearing Indian takeout and wine.”
