Chapter 6 - The Broken Covenant
By morning, the rain had cleared, leaving the London sky a pale, watery blue.
Alexander sat at the dining table, a cup of black coffee untouched in front of him. Across the table sat Charlotte, looking immaculate in a tailored cream suit, her lawyer’s documents spread across the polished mahogany.
"I want the Kensington house, Alexander," Charlotte said, her voice businesslike, devoid of any of the warmth they had once shared as college sweethearts. "And I want full custody of the girls. You can have liberal visitation, of course, but their primary residence must be with me in Chelsea."
"You want to take Iris away from the only person who is helping her walk?" Alexander asked, his voice dangerously calm.
"Grace Ellison is an employee, Alexander," Charlotte snapped. "I can hire ten more just like her. Or I can hire Grace myself. I’ll double her salary to come with me to Chelsea."
"She won't go with you, Charlotte," Alexander said.
"Oh? And why is that? Because she’s in love with you?" Charlotte laughed, a dry, bitter sound. "Do you think I’m blind? I’ve seen the way she looks at you when you return from your trips. She looks at you like you're some kind of savior. And you look at her like she’s the first clean thing you've touched in years."
"She looks at me as an employer who finally protected her from being thrown in prison for a crime she didn't commit," Alexander said, his voice rising in volume. "A crime your mother-in-law orchestrated while you stood by and watched."
"I didn't know Eleanor was going to plant the bracelet!" Charlotte protested, her perfect composure finally cracking. "I knew she wanted Grace gone, yes. Eleanor thinks Grace is 'low class.' But I had nothing to do with the framing!"
"But you didn't stop it," Alexander said, leaning forward. "You didn't say a word until I proved it on the screen. You were willing to let an innocent woman’s life be ruined just to make your divorce negotiations easier."
He stood up, gathering the papers on the table and tearing them in half with a single, brutal motion.
"The offer is off the table, Charlotte," Alexander said. "You will not get the Kensington house. You will not get full custody. I am filing for sole custody of Clara and Iris on the grounds of maternal neglect and emotional instability."
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Charlotte gasped, her face draining of color. "You can't do that! The courts will never give sole custody to a father who spends half his life in Singapore and New York!"
"I am retiring as active CEO of Whitmore International today," Alexander said, his voice ringing with absolute certainty. "My board has already been notified. I will remain as Chairman, but my office will be in this house. I am not leaving my daughters again. And I am not leaving them with you."
