The Invisible Wife-Dump Him for $18.80

Chapter 5

"You'll only get $18.80."

That clause had always been Gabriel's safety net. It never once crossed his mind that I might actually walk away.

Without hesitation, I pulled out my phone and opened my payment app. "Send me $18.80, and I'll sign the papers right now. I'll even throw in a little bonus."

Gabriel's face went ghostly pale.

Gabriel Whitmore never expected that Alexandra "Lexa" Hawthorne, his once submissive and compliant wife, would one day stand her ground on the path to divorce.

As he looked into her furious eyes, an unfamiliar ache hit him, sending a chill through his chest. He tried to calm himself, forced his mind to focus.

Was it because she didn't want to care for his parents? But wasn't that just part of a daughter-in-law's job?

Was she jealous of Serena Sterling? But in three years of marriage, Lexa never showed even the slightest hint of envy.

After a few minutes of wrestling with his thoughts, he concluded: Lexa was just throwing a tantrum.

That had to be it. She only ever acted out like this when something upset her.

Gabriel relaxed his tense lips and gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Aren't you a bit old to be throwing tantrums?"

A tantrum?

He thought this was a tantrum?

I let out a bitter laugh, cold and sharp. "Gabriel, I'm serious. That $18.80 divorce settlement? It's a steal, both a lesson and my freedom. Honestly, it's the best deal I've ever made."

The flicker of hope in his eyes vanished in an instant. His lips trembled as he asked, almost helplessly, "Lexa, what do you want me to do?"

"You know I've been busy," he said, his tone defensive. "I admit I haven't been as attentive as I should've been, but I've done my best. The only thing I haven't given you is the wedding. I promised, just one more year. Can't you wait?"

His justification made me feel nothing but disgust.

His "best"? Was that ignoring his parents while I took care of them? Was it expecting me to clean and cook while I dealt with painful cramps? Or was it treating me like some hidden mistress when I was supposed to be his wife?

I wasn't even getting the basic respect a mistress would get. And now, after everything, Gabriel still couldn't see where he went wrong.

I didn't waste another second. I pulled out the divorce papers I'd already prepared and held them out, my resolve as cold as ice. "What you can do for me is sign these."

"Stop joking around," Gabriel said, his voice incredulous. "You're just upset."

His eyes widened in shock when I didn't reply. In a fit of rage, he snatched the papers from my hands and ripped them to shreds. "I won't sign. I'm not divorcing you."

"Is it because you don't want to care for my parents? Because you're jealous of Serena? Because I didn't give you a wedding? Is that really worth ending a marriage over?" His voice was desperate now, almost pleading.

I stared at him, completely unmoved. "Keep tearing. I've got plenty more."

Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a stack of ten identical copies and tossed them into the air.

As the papers fluttered down like confetti, I grabbed his Rising Brew Coffeehouse order from the entryway and turned to leave. "Consider this your $18.80. And don't forget to sign the divorce papers."