Page 14 of Laws of Love
“Thank you for that,” Knox responded. “And thank you for the heads up.”
“It’s no problem. Whenever she retains a lawyer, and they respond, I’ll get with you to go over everything, and we’ll set up mediation as soon as we can because I feel she won’t waste any time.”
“That sounds good. I’ll be looking forward to your call. Enjoy the rest of your day, Aiva.”
“You as well, Knox.”
Aiva hung up the phone, glancing at the time again. It was just after three, and she rarely left work early, but today she planned on making an exception. She’d done everything she needed to and figured she’d shut down everything and head home.
As she left her office, she thought about stopping by Meila’s but decided against it. Aiva waved at Finx, who was on the phone, on her way out.
Sliding into her car, she pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. There was nothing she needed to do in particular, so she decided to start a new book and make herself some pasta. Aiva would spend her evening relaxing before taking on a monster and their lawyer in court the next day.
Knox had been off the phone with Aiva for ten minutes when his phone began ringing. He didn’t have to look at the screen to know who was calling. He thought for a moment about not answering it. However, Knox figured it would be better to get the initial screaming and yelling out of the way. If he waited, if she called him multiple times before he answered, then he knew it would only get worse. He didn’t want to deal with that. He didn’t want to deal with her at all, but he didn’t have a choice.
Knox grabbed his tablet and brought up the camera, making sure that the timestamp showed as he started recording. He answered the phone on speaker, and before he could say anything, Mia immediately began screaming.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” she all but screeched, and the pitch of her voice made him wince. “How dare you have me served with divorce papers! Have you lost your mind?!”
“I have not,” Knox told her calmly.
“You must have because there is no way I’ll agree to this. You want to only pay me the measly two million in the prenup? I will not accept that. You owe me more for the years I put in.”
Knox didn’t owe her anything. He’d taken care of her their entire marriage. Lost count of the amount of money she’d wasted because she often bought things on a whim that she either never wore, used, or needed to begin with.
He also wasn’t surprised that was the first thing she’d said. The first thing she’d been worried about. Knox knew Mia well and knew that was the only thing she cared about. It pissed him off she hadn’t even mentioned his petition for full custody and hadn’t brought Yasmine up.
Knox decided when they’d separated that he would not engage in any conversation with Mia that wasn’t about Yasmine. When he’d filed for divorce, Knox again decided that he wouldn’t discuss anything with her regarding their divorce without their lawyers. However, that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t allow her to rant and rave. To give weight to his case.
“You just wait until my lawyer gets a hold of you. You will regret devaluing me, treating me like I’m not worth more.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Knox responded before ending the call.
He stopped the recording, giving it a title with the date, and leaned back on his couch. Knox hadn’t been on the phone with her for five minutes, hadn’t said but two sentences to her, yet he felt a headache coming on.
While Knox was upset that Mia hadn’t even thought about their daughter when she was served, hadn’t mentioned Yasmine he also knew that it would give him the advantage of getting full custody. Whether she hadn’t asked because the money was the first thing she’d seen and didn’t finish reading, or that it was the only thing that clicked for her. Either way, her not bringing their daughter up would show that Mia thought about herself above all others to a judge.
Knox knew Aiva was right. Mia wouldn’t waste any time trying to get more out of him. So, while he knew he wouldn’t have to wait long for her answer, or rather, her retaliation, he knew it would be a long process. He’d prepared himself for it.
Knox thought about calling Aiva back, but what could he say to her? Honestly, he just wanted to hear her voice again. It was why he’d initially called her back, even though he’d listened to her voicemail.
That was another part of this process he’d prepared himself for, asking Aiva on a date. Knox was a man of patience. He had to be dealing with Mia all these years. So, he was fine waiting until after his divorce to ask her. It would be unfair to her if he attempted to do so while still attached, even if it was just by a piece of paper.
Knox wanted the opportunity to date her properly, pursue her properly, the way she deserved to be. He always went into things 100 percent, and he wanted to do the same when he finally asked her out.
Turning on the television, Knox leaned back and flipped through the channels, exhausted after a brief conversation with his soon-to-be ex-wife.
8
Knox sat at the table with his parents as they ate dinner. His mother cooked his favorite meal, and he was planning on giving them the news that evening. They knew he planned on filing for divorce from Mia if things didn’t improve. Knox just hadn’t given them the time frame, though he knew his mother already thought the length he’d gone was far too long.
While they ate, his father filled him in on the latest birdhouse he was working on. A couple of years ago, the older man took a woodworking class, and ever since then, he’d taken to making birdhouses, doghouses, and squirrel feeders for anyone who wanted one. He liked to make them as miniature versions of the homes they were going to. He insisted Knox should see it after dinner, and he agreed.
The conversation then shifted to his mother’s garden and how well her flowers were coming in. She was especially proud of the camellias she’d planted with Yasmine. His mother enjoyed gardening, and Yasmine enjoyed the pretty colors of the flowers and playing in the dirt. So, it was one of the quality time things they did together. Yasmine also often helped paint his father’s birdhouses.
When they finished dinner, his mother brought in slices of peach cobbler for dessert, and Knox figured it was a good time to break the news.
“I filed for divorce, and Mia was served with the papers a few days ago.”
