Convenience

Part 12

She suddenly felt very sad. Which was ridiculous really. 

She should be feeling relieved. Another loose end tidied up. But this felt sad. She hadn't seen him in five years, ending this sham of a marriage should not feel sad. It shouldn't feel anything other than over.

"I didn't come looking for you." He replied. Typical she thought. Of course he wouldn't come looking for her. He hadn't come looking for her in five years. So why start now? His next statement confirmed her view about where Beatrice featured in his life. "This was a fluke meeting." David told her deliberately blunt. "I happen to be staying at this hotel. I was told there was some awards ceremony on today. Your name was mentioned as the receptionist, and said we had it in common." All true. It was a fluke, them being at this hotel at the same time. But he had come looking for her when he had learnt she was here. "It was fortuitous."

"Fortuitous." She murmured. Nothing about their relationship was fortuitous. Well, not for her at any rate.

"Yes. An opportunity to mention to you, face to face, that I want a divorce. Just lucky we bumped into each other here." Which was partly true. This was his stopping off point on his way to Raglan to see her. But she'd saved him the time, and effort. "I want a divorce."

Beatrice did tip her chin, and turned to look back at him over her shoulder, "Fine. I'll expect papers in due course." She reached for the door, hesitated, not wanting the conversation to have a further paragraph once she opened the door, for she was sure there would be many a curious person in attendance. "Is there anything else?" Beatrice asked with regal hauteur, turning to face him.

Her coolness annoyed him. He wasn't sure why exactly. It was just that she seemed to be treating him like an irritating fly. One that she simply had to bat away. The mention of a divorce hadn't rattled her, not in the slightest.

His wife was one cold fish.

David stepped closer, knowing his movement was designed to intimidate.

"It might be an idea if we met to discuss property and shared assets." David squared his shoulders. He'd had five years of experience in negotiating at boardroom level, managing recalcitrant colleagues, shepherding his workforce, defusing difficult situations, managing irritations. But for the life of him, he seemed unable to draw on those generic skills to deal with this woman who was his paper-wife. Everything David tried had made not a single dent in that haughty armour she used as a cloak. Even now, she was facing him as if this was nothing of consequence.

Beatrice did her best not to show her displeasure or her irritation. "We do not have any property or shared assets." She reminded him quietly and logically. How could they have shared property or assets? They'd never lived together. They didn't even co-own a toaster. What property? What assets?

David folded his arms, and looked unperturbed by her coolness, "I intend to repay the loan." He knew he was starting to sound belligerent and annoyed. How was it that a woman who had barely registered on his radar when he married her, could be having such an impact now that he wanted to divorce her?

"Loan? What loan?" Beatrice frowned, puzzled by his comment.

Finally, David thought as he stepped that inch closer, finally he'd shaken that armour. Beatrice looked perplexed. Her brow furrowed as she studied him. David jammed his hands into his pockets, "The one your grandfather supplied." David reminded her.

He was in a position to settle his debts. He did not want any loose ends left. They'd been pushed into marrying each other, and clearly, given their relative positions now, that marriage had helped them both. But now was the time to cut ties. Time to move on. When he got married, he wanted his second wife to know that there were no loose ends to deal with. No skeletons in the closet. He wanted a clean slate. No baggage from a sham of a marriage. He wanted to ensure there was nothing that would come back to destabilise his future happiness. This was over. Done and dusted. He just had to pay her off.

Beatrice took a step back when she realised she was having to tip her head back to look him in the eye. When had he moved so close? With her eyes flashing with distaste, she said, "We both know that wasn't a loan. My grandfather invested in your company on condition that you married me."