Chapter 8 - The Ghost of the Past
The signing of the final divorce decree took less than ten minutes. Grant surrendered all claims to the Newport house, agreed to assume sole responsibility for all corporate and personal debts, and signed a promissory note to repay the $64,000 over the next ten years, though Evelyn and I both knew I would likely never see a dime of it. I didn't care. The money was a small price to pay for my complete and total freedom.
As we walked out of the courthouse into the bright October sunshine, Grant stopped me on the steps.
"Tessa," he said, his voice quiet. He looked around the plaza, as if worried someone might see him talking to his ex-wife. "I... I’m leaving Oregon. I took a job as a junior leasing agent at a property management company in Boise. It’s an entry-level position. I’ll be living in a studio apartment."
I stopped and looked at him. "Good luck, Grant. I hope you actually work for your success this time."
"I just wanted to ask..." He swallowed hard, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Did you ever really love me? Or was I just someone you were trying to fix?"
I thought about it for a long moment, looking up at the clear blue sky. "I loved the man you promised you were going to be, Grant. But it turned out that man was just a character you invented to get what you wanted. You should try being yourself for a change. It might be less exhausting."
May you like
He didn't reply. He just nodded, turned around, and walked down the courthouse steps, carrying his worn briefcase. He didn't look back.
I watched him go, feeling a profound sense of closure. The chapter of my life that had been defined by doubt, manipulation, and walking on eggshells was officially over.
