Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 3

As the call connected, the strains of the 'Happy Birthday' song swelled inside the banquet hall.

Muffled by the heavy double doors, the children's laughter, the guests' applause, and the emcee's exaggerated enthusiasm spilled out in layers.-

Wren stood at the end of the corridor.

Her back was turned to the festivities, her arms still cradling the gift box she had prepared for Leo.

On the other end of the line, Mr. Clarke sounded hesitant.

"Mrs. Langford, did you just say you wanted to consult about a divorce agreement?"

Wren lowered her eyes.

The corridor lights were glaring, casting stark relief on the prominent veins on the back of her hand. Her fingertips gripped the edge of the box, turning white from the force.

She heard herself say, "Yes."

Silence hung on the line for several seconds.

Mr. Clarke had dealt with her a few times. He knew she was Lawrence's wife, and he knew just how flawless this marriage appeared to outsiders.

The CEO of Langford Medical Group, and the eldest daughter of the Whitaker family.

A perfect match in status, a stunning couple in looks.

Whenever people brought them up, they always mentioned how lucky Wren was to land a man like Lawrence.

But only she knew the truth about her so-called luck.

Mr. Clarke lowered his voice. "Are you absolutely sure? A divorce agreement involves shared assets, child custody, visitation rights, as well as equity in Langford Medical and marital property. If this is just a momentary emotional reaction..."

"It's not."

Wren cut him off.

Even she was slightly startled by how easily the words slipped out.

She hadn't realized she was capable of admitting it so calmly.

At the time, she had just returned from paying the emergency room bill. Her hair was a mess, her coat was stained with medicine the baby had thrown up, and the back of her hand was bruised from an IV drip.

Standing before him, she found herself completely speechless.

It turned out that in his eyes, her messy reality wasn't a result of having no one to rely on.

It was a result of her not being polished enough.

Over the years, she had felt wronged more times than she could count.

But every time the bitterness surged, she forced it down, telling herself to just wait a little longer.

Lawrence was just too busy.

Leo was still small; he would eventually understand his mother.

The Langford family was strict, and she just needed more time to adapt.

Willow was her sister, frail from childhood, and yielding to her wasn't that big of a deal.