Page 6 of Laws of Love
Knox took her hand, shaking it. “Ms. Neel, it’s a pleasure.” He recalled the assistant referring to her as Ms. Unmarried.
“Please, call me Aiva,” she requested, gesturing to a chair.
Knox took a seat. “Then I insist you call me Knox.”
He watched as she retook her seat and leaned forward, intertwining her hands on top of the desk. Knox placed the folder he’d brought with him on it.
“I understand that you’re looking to file for divorce,” Aiva spoke, and Knox nodded. “Can you tell me about your marriage, how things have been going, and what you’re wanting out of the separation?”
“My wife and I separated a year ago. We’d been having problems for several years. It started shortly after our daughter was born. We’re on different paths and have been for a while. She’s never going to give up the house, and that’s fine. She can have it. I had her sign a prenup before we were married. I have no issue paying her what’s agreed upon in the document. But I want full custody of our daughter.”
Knox hadn’t had to think about it. When he decided to proceed, the first thing that came to his mind was that he wanted full custody of Yasmine. He also wanted to have Mia under supervised visitation. Knox knew better than to think the first time she had Yasmine over that she wouldn’t try to take her somewhere just to spite him. He was sure the only reason she hadn’t already was because he was paying all the bills. Once she had her settlement, he couldn’t be 100 percent sure what she would do.
“I’d also like supervised visitation with Mia, my wife, if that’s possible.”
Knox watched Aiva sit back in her seat. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t be if there was a legitimate reason to place her under supervised visitations.” She gestured towards the folder. “Can I look at that?”
“Sure,” Knox responded, picking the folder up and handing it to her. “You can keep that. I took the suggestion given when I submitted my questionnaire. There are documented text messages, voicemails, and other incidents. There’s also a copy of the prenup inside.”
“I’ll look over everything inside. It’ll build a good case if we can’t settle this out of court.” Aiva placed the folder aside. “I want to verify that I get everything down that you’re wanting. So, stop me if I say something incorrect, or forget something.”
Knox nodded, watching as she picked up the pen that had been sitting neatly beside her on top of a tablet. She wrote something on the screen before she began speaking again.
“She can keep the house. You’re willing to pay her the agreed amount in the prenup that she signed.” She paused, looking up at him. “Can you tell me what that figure is?”
“Two million,” Knox responded, and Aiva nodded, going back to writing.
Knox knew well that Mia would argue that she deserved more. Especially since the prenup was signed when he was still in the first few years of his career. When his contracts increased, and he got into more investments, they never revisited the terms.
“Are there any joint assets? Bank accounts, vehicles, vacation homes?”
“No,” Knox responded. “We have separate bank accounts. I bought her car, but it’s in her name. I don’t want it. We don’t have any vacation homes.”
“So, nothing other than the house?”
“Correct. I have vacation homes, but they’re investment properties. They all fall under my LLC, and she has no connection with them.”
“Is that stated in the prenup?” Aiva inquired.
“It’s worded as, ‘no future assets, properties, etc. belonging to’ the name of my LLC.”
He watched as Aiva nodded. “The lawyer that drew this up for you was smart.”
They fell into silence for several moments as she wrote on her tablet. As she did, Knox studied her again. Her hair was pulled up into a bun on the top of her head, with slim tendrils on either side of her face. His attention was momentarily drawn down to full lips before his eyes returned to hers as she spoke.
“Alright. I’ll write up the petition once I’ve reviewed everything you’ve given me. That way, I can have a jumpstart if this has to go to court. Give me about a week, and I’ll call you back in to go over it before I file it.”
“Okay, and once it’s filed?”
“We hire a company to serve her with papers, and from there, it could go in a few different directions. She and her lawyer could read it over, agree, and sign. She may not agree with something, and we go into mediation, and if mediation doesn’t work, we may find ourselves in court.”
Knox nodded, aware that they would end up in mediation simply because Mia wouldn’t agree to giving him full custody. He was sure she’d also come up with whatever other reason she could.
“Do you have questions for me?” Aiva asked him.
“I think that’s all for now,” Knox stated, standing. “Thank you. I look forward to your call.” She held her hand out, and he grasped her soft hand in his once again. He almost didn’t want to let it go, but bid her farewell and exited the office.
Aiva stared at the door Knox had just left through for a second or two longer than she knew she should have or needed to. The man was fine. He was tall, over six feet, with a build that told her he still worked out regularly. She knew he’d played football professionally in the past. His goatee was well manicured, pool-deep cerulean eyes, and she knew his cologne would linger in her office, reminding her of him until it dissipated. Yes, he was attractive. That was plain enough to see. However, that was all she would be doing. Looking, because she wasn’t one that mixed business with pleasure. At least, not when their firm was representing him.
