Chapter 5: Bargaining and Goodbyes

Derek sent Emily out. She hesitated, glanced back at me, but didn’t argue.

Derek and I stood there, just us. He broke the silence first.

"How long have you been planning to quit?"

"Six months."

"So you were ready for a divorce six months ago, weren’t you?"

I didn’t answer.

He let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Natalie Harper, what right do you have to ask for a divorce?"

I met his eyes. "Is there any point in talking about rights now?"

"Right. No point."

He pulled a divorce agreement out of his desk. "Name your terms. Whatever you want. Just one thing: I don’t want anyone saying Emily’s a homewrecker. Our divorce stays secret. Actually, I don’t want anyone knowing we were ever married."

I skimmed the agreement and nodded. "No problem."

Then I picked up the pen and tacked another zero onto the property split.

Derek’s lips twisted in a bitter smile. "Natalie Harper, is cash really all you care about?"

A flicker of something—pain, maybe—ran through me, but I just curled my lips. "After all these years together, you really do know me best."

For a second, I saw the old Derek—the one who once swore to protect me from everything, even himself. Now, all that was left was paperwork and signatures.

That day, I packed my things and left the company. Some people looked smug, some were genuinely sorry. The most conflicted was Emily—she seemed like she wanted to say something, but the relief on her face was obvious.

I stood in the elevator, hugging my box of stuff, remembering how Derek and I used to race to beat the doors. I jabbed the button extra hard, as if that could erase the memory.

Back home, with no job to rush to, I felt lost—like a cat with its tail chopped off, not sure what to do with myself.

I drifted around the house, opening cabinets, sorting through mail, rearranging books that didn’t need rearranging. Even the quiet sounded different—too sharp, too heavy.

That afternoon, my assistant texted:

[Mr. Young was on a rampage today—he even chewed out the new Mrs. Young-to-be.]

[Ms. Harper, I bet he’ll realize soon he cut off his own lifeline.]

[If you find a good opportunity, take us with you. We all want to follow you, lol.]

I smiled and replied:

[Don’t overthink it. As long as Pinecrest goes well, the company will be fine.]

[At least your paychecks are safe.]

As for me—

I didn’t plan on working for a while.

For the first time in ages, I took my coffee out to the porch and just sat, watching the neighbor’s dogs bark and the mailman making his rounds. There was a strange freedom in having nothing to do.

That night, Tanya texted: drinks? Like she did every day.

I shot back: [Send me the address.]

She called instantly.

"Wow, the workaholic is actually taking a break? Did Derek go bankrupt or something?"

Her voice was so lively, I couldn’t help but smile.

"So, am I invited or not?"

"Of course! Get over here. Private room, drinks, men—whatever you want."

I met Tanya through Derek, but we became real friends on our own. She’s one of the few who knew about my marriage. So when Derek’s affair went public, she didn’t just look down on him—she made it her mission to set me up with someone else.

Her motto: "He steps out, you step out. That’s only fair, right?"

When I arrived, Tanya was already in full party mode—dancing, laughing, surrounded by a pack of tall, model-types, wine glass in hand.

"Natalie! Over here!"

She shoved the most handsome guy toward me. He played along, calling me "ma’am" and pouring me a drink. I smiled and knocked it back in one.

"Alright, you boys go have fun somewhere else."

"What? Natalie, you’re such a buzzkill."

I massaged my temples. "Too loud."

She grinned. "I thought you were shy."

I arched an eyebrow. "Do I look shy to you?"

"Not even close. That’s why I don’t get it—Derek acts like that, and you’re still loyal to him?"

Tanya was blunt—sometimes to the point of being annoying.

"He steps out, you step out. That’s only fair, right?"

"‘Revenge’ is too strong. We’re not there. Besides, he cheated after we were already over."

She scoffed. "Always making excuses for him, Nat."

…

"Does he admit it?"

Tanya straightened up, eyes glinting. "I think I just figured it out."

I asked what she meant, but she just smirked.

"Anyway, I mostly wanted to tell you I’m going abroad soon."

"Why, for travel? Work?"

"Grad school."

"Wait, really?"

"I got into a business master’s program."

"What about your job? And you and Derek…"

"Already quit. As for Derek, we’re hitting the courthouse tomorrow."

Getting to this point with Derek felt inevitable. I always thought I’d feel nothing. But when Tanya’s eyes went red, I felt a pang in my chest.

"He giving you a hard time again?"

"No."

"Targeting you?"

"No."

"Then why are you the one leaving? Shouldn’t it be him?"

Tanya and I drank glass after glass. She cursed Derek, felt sorry for me, and told me I deserved better.

The sticky floor, the smell of spilled beer, and the pounding bass made it impossible to think straight. For a while, I let myself drift—leaning into the blur of laughter, Tanya’s hand squeezing mine, her warmth the only anchor I needed.

In this world, love’s always lopsided—what you put in, what you get out. Somehow, two people who once loved each other both end up feeling like they lost.