The Divorce

Chapter 12

Charles assistant looked surprised to see me as I walked up to his office, I guess she would be I mean we were married for seven years, four of which he worked here and she'd never seen me. She stood abruptly and rounded her desk intercepting me on the way to his office.

"Mrs. Van Der Houston, How can I help you?" she asked meekly, it was clear she was terrified of me what had Charles done to this poor woman.

I smiled politely causing her to sigh in relief at me being nice, "I would like to see Charles and its Ms. Van Gard," I corrected her.

"I will just check to see if he's free," she answered racing back to her desk and lifting the phone to call through to his office.

I wanted to laugh at her actions but thought the woman was scared enough of Charles and his companions she didn't need embarrassment added to that so I settled with saying kindly, "Take your time there's no rush."

"Hello, Mr. Van Der Houston.... I know you told me not to disturb you but you have a visitor.........I would say it is important...Eh Yes, Sir, its your wife, I mean ex-wife," she was met with silence on the other end before he finished and she put down the phone and turned to me, "You may go right in."

Standing from my seat across from her desk I thanked her and went into Charles office closing the door behind me. Charles sat behind his imposing black desk in his huge leather chair, I took a seat in a smaller leather seat across from him. If he was trying to intimidate his clients and employees he was going the right way about it.

"How are you?" I enquired while surveying his appearance his hair was disheveled and he had big black bags under his eyes giving the impression he hadn't slept.

He smirked before replying, "Great. My divorce got finalized last night or did you not hear?"

"I didn't come here to argue, even though we are not together anymore we still have to communicate for Trent's sake," I reasoned.

He looked taken aback at my change of subject, "I thought you came to gloat. You came to talk about Trent?"

"Yes, he told me you barely spend anytime with him when he's with you. The whole point of him staying with you for the night or weekend is to spend time with him. You need to spend time with him, he needs his dad." I explained.

He frowned, "He seems to be doing fine he has Jayden and now Liam."

"No matter how hard they try they can not replace you, his dad. He wants to spend time with you. Now if you excuse me I have to get to work." I spoke getting up and heading to the door.

Charles stopped me, "I've really lost you. Haven't I?"

"Yes," and with that I left the room.

Arriving at work was a mess again, cameras everywhere, I really need to watch the news before coming to work to prepare myself. My driver stopped in front of my office building rounding the car to open my door where security was. I stepped out the car and was immediately bombarded with questions and flashes of cameras.

One question I heard loud and clear and surprise it came from Cole, "Ms. Van Gard, what do you say to allegations you plan to overthrow the Van Der Houston's ruling of the Upper East Side?"

I looked at him as if he was crazy, "What are you talking about, no one rules anybody, if you mean am I in the middle of a disagreement between my family and my ex-husband's then that would be correct."

With that I walked away smiling at the look of shock covering his face. I still had the smile spread across my face as I entered the buildings lobby only to have it wiped off me by the scene in front of me.

There stood Margaret Van Der Houston, my ex-mother-in-law, her smile was an evil one giving me chills right through to my bones.

"Hello, my dear." She greeted me.

I frowned as I answered warily, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I was just letting you know Charles is filing for full-custody of Trent," she revealed as her smirk grew.

This made me blanch, "Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged, my dear." She said then left.

I stood there for what could have been an hour going over what just happened. My ex-husband was going to try to take my little boy away from me, a tear rolled down my cheek at the possibility I might not get to see Trent. This was a new low even for Charles.

Arms encircled me and I looked up to see Tatiana guiding me towards the elevators, I noticed Cole standing there staring at me with a sympathetic look in his eye. Great, he just seen all that it's going to be in tomorrows paper or better yet live on the news.

Somehow I ended up in my office sobbing into my best friends shoulder. After a while I lifted my head and wiped my tears looking up at Tatiana's questioning gaze, she wanted to know what happened but wasn't going to push me and for that I was grateful.

I cleared my throat and began, "There going to take him away from me."

"What are you talking about?" she asked confused.

I sat back and looked her straight in the eye speaking as confidently as I could, "Charles is filing for full-custody of Trent."

"WHAT?" Tatiana shrieked.

I shrugged in nonchalance at her.

"Wait, how are you not freaking out. Never mind, c'mon." she said as she grabbed my hand pulling me out the office as she brought her phone to her ear chatting away to whoever was on the other end.

Just as we were leaving the building a guy walked up to them.

"Isabella Van Gard, you have been served." The man handed her papers and walked off. Well if the world didn't know they do now.

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