But now I'd been run over, hospitalized, and my baby was barely hanging on.
And Zachery had chosen to stand with the person who did this to me.
The betrayal cut deep.
I turned it over in my mind again and again. In the end, I swallowed my hurt and decided to give him one more chance.
As long as Zachery stopped defending Gertrude. As long as he never brought up that pardon letter again.
I would forgive him one last time.
But the moment I picked up my phone, his message was already waiting.
"Ellie, I signed the pardon letter for you."
"But Gertie's parents promised they'll bring her to apologize to you in person."
In that moment, my heart finally died.
I called Vivian Cole directly.
"Draw up a divorce agreement for me. The sooner, the better."
On the other end of the line, Vivian frowned. "You're the one who got him his job. You bought the house, the car, all of it. If you divorce him now, you're the one getting screwed."
My voice was flat. "He'll be walking away with nothing."
Before my parents passed, they left me a sizable inheritance and a network of connections. More than enough to support me and my paralyzed brother.
Even if I never married again, I'd be just fine.