The Life I Want To Live With You

What did you do? - Chapter 39

After the meeting with the lawyer, Lisa struggled to think about anything other than Michael and how he would react to the situation she was putting him in. She drove back to her apartment with Danny, who could see she wasn't alright and wanted to help and support her.

They walked into her apartment, and as Lisa locked the door, Danny looked at her with concern. "You want some water?" she asked as she headed to the kitchen.

"Sure." Danny looked around and noticed a picture on the coffee table of Lisa and Michael. "That's you and him?"

Lisa glanced at the photo and put two glasses of water on the table. "Yup." She sat down. "That's me and him."

"Well, every time I saw people divorcing, they wouldn't have pictures of their exes around," Danny said as he sat down.

"Maybe because they usually don't love those people anymore," Lisa replied, waiting for his reaction.

Danny frowned. "You do? I thought..."

Lisa adjusted herself on the couch. "I don't want this; I have to do it. I told you."

Danny sighed. "You definitely didn't explain the full reason. You're just repeating yourself."

Lisa sipped her water and stayed silent for a while before putting the glass down. "Can I trust you?"

Danny chuckled. "I think if you couldn't, I'd already be at David's office spilling some tea, right?"

Lisa smiled a little. "I guess." She took a deep breath and then explained to Danny what had happened before she joined Scientology, what had driven her to it, and why she decided to leave.

Danny sat in silence, processing everything she told him. After a moment, he looked at her with sad eyes. "That explains a lot about you. I'm glad you told me. Michael should know about this so he can try to help you."

Lisa nodded, feeling a mix of relief and apprehension. "I know, but I'm scared of how he'll react. Everything's already so strained between us."

Danny reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Whatever happens, you're doing what you need to for yourself. That's important. You deserve to find peace and happiness, even if the road to get there is rough."

Lisa felt a tear slip down her cheek. "Thank you, Danny."

"You should take control of your life," he said with care in his voice.

Lisa nodded, feeling a little stronger with Danny's support. She didn't know what the future held, but at least she knew she wasn't facing it alone.

Michael's POV

Michael had been burying himself in work ever since the ball, trying to avoid thinking about his marriage and what he might have done wrong. Whenever he paused, thoughts of Lisa and her words haunted him, replaying the moment she pushed him out of the apartment. She had shown that she didn't need him. It felt as if she was better off without him. For her, their night together meant nothing, but for him, it meant everything. At least, that's what he thought.

"Focus, Michael," he muttered to himself, forcing his attention back to the system analyses sent to him.

His receptionist abruptly interrupted his concentration. "Mr. Jackson, Frank is on the line."

Michael frowned, confused about why his lawyer would be calling. He thanked his receptionist and picked up the phone. "Hello, is it something serious? I'm quite busy," he said, sounding tired.

"Mr. Jackson, I just received documents from your wife," Frank said.

Michael stood up so quickly that his chair nearly toppled over. "What documents?"