Chapter 15 - Before the Divorce

The date on the document was May 18.

Taylor and I didn't separate until July.

That meant Evelyn was planning to remove me from Lily's life while I was still living in the house.

I confronted Taylor during our next supervised meeting.

"Did your mother want us divorced?"

Taylor closed her eyes.

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Years."

"Why?"

"Because you didn't need her."

I stared at her.

Taylor laughed bitterly.

"That's what she hated about you. You never asked for money. You never asked permission. You didn't care if she approved."

"So she wanted me gone."

"She wanted control."

The social worker stayed silent.

Taylor twisted a tissue between her fingers.

"After Dad left when I was fourteen, Mom decided everyone leaves unless you make it impossible for them to leave."

"That's not an excuse."

"I know."

"Stop saying you know. Tell me what you did."

Taylor flinched.

Then she finally did.

She told me Evelyn had been poisoning our marriage for years.

Every disagreement became proof I didn't love Taylor.

Every business trip became evidence I was hiding something.

Every time I wanted boundaries with Evelyn, she called it isolation.

Then, six months before our separation, Evelyn started sending Taylor anonymous messages from a prepaid number.

Photos of me entering restaurants.

Screenshots of fake dating profiles.

Claims that I was cheating.

"You believed them?"

"At first."

"And later?"

"I wanted to believe them."

That honesty cut deep.

"Why?"

"Because if you were the villain, I didn't have to admit my mother was destroying us."

I looked at her for a long time.

"Did you ever know the profiles were fake?"

Taylor whispered, "Yes."

"When?"

"Before I filed."

I stood up.

"We're done."

"Ben, wait."

"You filed anyway."

"I was angry."

"You let me walk into court while you knew some of the evidence against me was fake."

She started crying.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't rebuild trust."

As I walked toward the door, she called my name.

"There's one more thing."

I stopped.

"The night you moved out," she said, "Lily saw Mom put something under the porch."

"What?"

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Taylor looked terrified.

"A metal box."