April Fools “Surprise” Husband Divorcing Me For His “Pure” Girl novel Chapter 101

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next morning, Claire called.

Emma, about yesterday… don’t take it personally.”

Take what personally?”

You know… the whole inheritance thing.” She paused. “The way Dad divided everything-1 mean, even I think it’s kind of messed up.”

I’m fine.”

You’re really not upset?”

Nope.”

Okay, well…” She hesitated. “There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”

What.”

So, Dad’s medical expenses, the nursing care, all those bills over the years-you covered all of that, right?”

didn’t answer.

I ran the numbers. It’s gotta be close to $300K.”

$348,000.”

Right, exactly. $348K.” Suddenly her voice got all sweet. “Emma, I really think that money should come out of the estate. You spent five years taking care of Dad nd paid all that yourself. Just leaving you a photograph? That’s insane.”

omething twisted in my chest.

What the hell are you getting at?”

What I’m saying is-Jake and I talked it over, and we think we should reimburse you. We’ll split it down the middle. I’ll cover half, he covers half. About $174K ach. Fair, right?”

sat there, staring at nothing.

hen I laughed. Cold. Sharp.

Jaire. Wow. You’re so fucking generous.”

We’re family, Emma. We should help each other-”

I’m not thanking you.” My voice dropped, but the edge in it could cut glass. “I’m saying you’ve got one hell of a talent for creative accounting.”

he stopped. “…What?”

That $348K?” My hands were shaking now. That’s just the medical bills I paid. But what about the fifteen years I gave up? Fifteen fucking years at that factory DI could take care of him full-time. Did you factor that into your little spreadsheet?”

Emma, that’s not really the same-”

Why not?” My voice rose before I could stop it. “If I hadn’t quit. I’d be making 56K, $7K a month by now. Plus bonuses. That’s over $400k across five years

lead silence.

So add in the $348K 1 fronted.” I kept going, voice trembling, “that’s $750K I lost. And we’re not even touching the fifteen years before that-from seventeen to

Chapter 3

thirty two-when I sent home my paycheck every single month so Jake could go to college. So Jake could go to grad school. So jake could buy a fucking house.”

Emma-

“How much did you send home, Claire? While you were living it up in Paris?”

1-

Thirty thousand dollars.” I didn’t let her finish. “Over five years. You called it for Dad’s treatment. It didn’t even cover one hospital stay.”

Her voice cracked. “Emma, why are you-”

Why am I what?” I was almost shouting now. “Why am I bringing up the truth? You just offered me $348K like it’s some generous gift, and I’m supposed to hank you? You walked away with $5 million, Claire. Jake got the house and $5 million. And you think throwing me pocket change makes it fair?”

ong, heavy silence.

hen, quietly: “Emma… what do you want?”

laughed again. Bitter, Hollow.

I don’t want anything.”

Then what-”

J

I want to ask you one thing.”

What?”

In the five years Dad was dying… how many times did you come home?”

he didn’t answer.

Three times.” My voice cracked. “Once when he had the stroke-you stayed three days. Once for his sixtieth birthday-two days. And once for his funeral-one

reek.”

Flights are expensive-”

five years. Twelve days total. I cut her off, voice shaking. “And of those twelve days, how many did you spend actually taking care of him?”

ilence.

1l tell you.” Tears were burning my eyes now. “Zero. Every time you came home, I cooked for you. I cleaned up after you. You wouldn’t even go near Dad’s

>om.”

didn’t–

You said it smelled.” My voice broke. “You said you couldn’t handle it. You sat in the living room for five minutes and then ran outside for fresh air

leavy breathing on the other end.

Emma, what the fuck do you want me to say?!”

I want to know if you can sleep at night.” My voice was barely a whisper now. “Knowing that $5 million you got? I earned most of it. Me. Not you

ause.

hen her tone went ice cold.

Emma, I get that you’re pissed. But Dad wrote that will. Not me. You want to be angry? Be angry at him.”

I know he wrote it.”

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