Sweet Divorce novel Chapter 189

When Michael got Rita’s text, his pupils expanded, full of joy.

She’d agreed.

She’d agreed to marry him.

It was the result of a threat, yes, but Michael was happy as could be.

He typed up and deleted his message over and over until he simply sent out:

“Made up your mind?”

Soon, he received her reply.

“Yes. But I need half a month to settle everything I’ve got going with Liam and the Brown family. I’ll come register for marriage with you in half a month.”

Half a month?

Was Rita stalling?

That was a legitimate worry, but Michael agreed to it anyway.

Standing in front of his panel window, he swirled the wine in his hand, looking at the dark red liquid swishing about under his control, and smirked. “It’s just fifteen days. What can a little girl do in that time?”

Even if she had some kind of plan in this fortnight, he’d deal with it as they came.

This time, he was going to have her.

Not just the girl he liked, but everything the Browns, the Burkes and the Wilsons owed him, he was going to take it all back.

The age of the Wilson family’s monopoly over the city was finally over.

Michael sneered quietly, cold in his eyes as he drained his glass.

…

“Rita?”

Maybe because she hadn’t replied for a while, but Zoe had called her name again.

Only then did Rita take her eyes off the screen of her phone. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m fine.”

“Really?” Zoe was clearly not relieved.

Rita put away for phone, smiling. “Relax. I’m really fine.”

In the past, Zoe had always hoped that Rita could be a bit more mature and reliable, but now, seeing her keep her troubles close to her chest and take on the world on her shoulders, Zoe felt an unspeakable ache.

Eyes reddening, Zoe tugged at Rita’s hand. “If you don’t want to forgive Charlotte, then don’t! You’ll have Mom’s support this time!”

Hearing Zoe say that, before Rita could reply, Amelia panicked first.

“Do you feel like this house isn’t in enough shambles, Zoe? As their mother, are you trying to turn these sisters against each other?” Amelia glared at Zoe angrily.

Zoe was still more or less quite scared of Amelia’s wrath, but she took a deep breath, gathered her courage and stepped in front of Rita. “Don’t you understand, Mom? Ever since Charlotte broke Rita’s leg, they’d long since been against each other.”

For the twenty-odd years that Zoe had been married into the brown family, this was the first time she’d stood up against Amelia.

The moment the words emerged, everyone drew back, stunned.

Rita looked at a skinny Zoe standing in front of her. For that second, she had never seen her mother so tall and secure. Her iced-over heart felt a surge of warmth.

Amelia’s face had turned the color of beetroot. Thoroughly enraged, she drew her hand back to slap Zoe across the cheek. “Shut up! Shut up!”

Rita’s reflexes were quick. She reached out, grabbed the old woman by the wrist, and stopped the blow midair.

She’d said it. She wouldn’t allow the Brown family to keep her mother down this life.

Whether she was related to her by blood or not, Zoe had brought her up. Her love was real, too.

With her arm trapped, Amelia’s brow darkened. “What, I can’t even discipline my daughter-in-law now?”

Rita frowned herself. “I have the right to protect my mother as well!”

The air itself seemed to stink of gunpowder. The keg was about to blow.

As they exchanged glares, it was Amelia who backed down first. “Look, Rita, your grandma just doesn’t want to see the Brown family split apart. That’s why I…”

Amelia deliberately glanced apologetically towards Zoe, her sharp, experienced eyes landing on the girl again. “You have to understand, child, it’s not easy being a grandmother.”

Rita coldly examined how Amelia was playing up the gut punch factor again. Her own gut was unmoved. “Then who’s there to understand how hard it is for me?”

“I know it’s impossible for you to forgive Charlotte, Rita. I’m not asking for much. So long as Charlotte can get out of prison, I’ll have some people escort her out of the country. She’ll never set foot in the city again in this life. Will that do?”

Rita refused bluntly, “No!”