Chapter 5

Maybe they really did hate me.

The moment I brought up divorce, Chloe called me multiple times, screaming that I was an irresponsible mother and a terrible wife.

My voice was dead calm. "Who taught you to say those words?"

Chloe sounded proud of herself. "I'm older now. I know how the world works."

"Other moms either make a lot of money or take perfect care of the house. They do a great job."

"Why don't you make money, and you can't even do the chores right? You're failing as a mom."

"My friends' moms respect them. They let them have cats and dogs, and the moms are the ones who walk them and clean up after them."

"But you? The moment you found out I got a snake, you ran away and didn't even come home."

I listened to her entire rant patiently, then calmly replied, "Right. And remember when I wanted to get a dog? Did either of you let me?"

Chloe choked on her words.

Leo hated dogs. He claimed they shed too much.

He said walking a dog was a waste of time and would lower his quality of life. But we all knew I would have been the one walking the dog anyway. At the end of the day, he just didn't want me to have any distraction from serving him and his daughter.

Chloe didn't really care about dogs either way.

But Leo had sat her down, telling her how much of a hassle a dog would be, and insisted on "majority rules" to get her on his side.

If Chloe had agreed to the dog, she would have stepped on her precious father's toes.

So, to show "respect" to her beloved dad, Chloe voted against it.

And that was the end of the dog.

"You know your friends have cats and dogs," I said. "Go ask them how many of their parents would tolerate a snake living in their house."

Chloe tried to argue. "But everyone is different! Why shouldn't I be allowed to have a snake?"

"Oh, I am allowing it. That's why I'm giving you the house so you can raise it."

"You can let it sleep in my old bed if you want. I don't care. None of this has anything to do with me anymore."

Leo chimed in over her shoulder, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let her go. Who cares if she comes back? Like we can't survive without her."

I was actually really excited to see the answer to that.

I reminded Leo: "Don't forget to meet me at the family court tomorrow to file the paperwork."

I wanted to get out before they realized how much they actually relied on their live-in maid.

Unfortunately, there was a mandatory thirty-day separation period before the divorce could be finalized.

"Thirty days. See you then. Don't go regretting this. Let's see who else is going to spoil you like I did."

At the lawyer's office, Leo was smugger than ever.

He was absolutely convinced I couldn't survive without him.

But in this day and age, I had a working brain and a healthy body. There was nothing I couldn't do to support myself.

Without the two of them dragging me down, my real life was finally beginning.