“One more thing, Mark. Figure out if she is looking at divorce options. If she is, see if you can find out who his lawyer is. I like to know who my opponent is on the day.”
“Trust me, I’m not clueless about what she’s up to nowadays. I just hate having to bite my tongue and play the oblivious fool. My friends know why I’m enduring it, but sometimes it’s just too much. She’s pretty much flaunting it all in my face though it’s subtle enough I can’t just flat out accuse her without showing her that I’m onto her.”
“Just play it cool, Mark. Get me information on anyone who might represent her. And start acquiring friends and allies. If it gets ugly enough, you’ll want as many people in your corner as possible.”
“And what will you do?”
“Do you want to destroy her?”
“There’s a part of me that does want that. The other part just wants the house, the kids, and her out of our lives.” He looked down for a moment, taking the time to rein in his emotions once again. “Just promise me that I’ll keep my kids, Melissa. It’s the only reason why I’m still doing this. I don’t want to be married to her anymore.”
“Mark?” I asked softly. Those blue eyes raised to meet mine again. “I promise you, I’ll do anything I can to ensure those two girls remain with you.”
“How much is this going to cost me?”
“I’m worth every cent. I’m not cheap, but if you want someone in your corner during a divorce, particularly one as bitter as yours will be, then you want me fighting your case.”
“Sold,” he stated, hearing humour in his tone for the first time.
Getting to my feet, he did the same, realising he was quite a bit taller than me. I felt a flutter again, not because he was tall, but because he was handsome and I was left wondering how his wife could possibly think about cheating on him. Shaking his hand, he smiled again, not quite as brightly, but I could almost feel the relief that he had someone helping him.
“Thank you, Melissa.”
“You’re welcome, Mark.” I took a card from my pocket and handed it to him. “My number is on there. Call me if you ever need a friendly ear. Or message me if you think of anything you need to share.” I rested a hand on his forearm. “It’s awful now, Mark, but I promise you…”
“Another promise?”
“It gets better in the future.”
That was a lie. I still carried the scars of what happened to me on my heart and in my soul, but I wanted this man to feel better about things. He was almost a gentle giant. I could hear the love he had for his daughters. Hell, there was no missing that he’d genuinely loved his wife. Little wonder he was so heartbroken but also angry about what she was doing to him.
“I’ll try and find the information you need, Melissa.”
“Look after yourself, Mark.”
“I’ll be good.”
I found myself thinking about him over the next few days. It was the first time I’d ever found myself attracted to a client. I was usually so cool and professional, but as soon as he sat down and explained his situation, I couldn’t stop my heart going out to him. Having gone through the same thing as he was currently experiencing, I sympathised with his plight.
But I hadn’t felt that sort of attraction for any man in a long time. After closing the door to my office, I sat back on my chair and took a deep breath, noticing I was feeling rather warm. And then I realised that I was also feeling rather warm between my legs. Wearing a skirt as always, I checked myself and felt my cheeks get warmer as I realised I was wet, reckoning I could take my panties off and wring them dry. I hadn’t been wet like that in years.
I called Bill and let him know Mark had visited. Immediately asking what I thought, I think even he was surprised when I said I’d represent him. He couldn’t resist asking why, and I admitted that his story got to me, and I wasn’t going to stand by and watch a father who so genuinely wanted his daughters with him taken away.
“I told you he was a good man, Mel. I hate seeing him how he is. He used to be so full of life, the centre of our universe in a way. But she’s crushed his spirit, ripped his heart out, and I’m not sure how much more he can take.” He paused a moment and I heard the emotion in his tone when he said softly, “I love the man like a brother, Mel. And I’ll do anything I can to help him through this.”
“I promised him and I’ll promise you, Bill. He’ll get what he wants in the end.”
I had a couple of other cases that I was working on but Mark was an immediate priority. Once I’d reviewed his case, I started to put together at least three divorce agreements. The first would be considered ‘soft’, pretty much letting the wife off for being a cheating slut. The second would be considered ‘normal’, what Mark wanted but remaining generous to his ex-wife. The third would be the one I’d want him to take. He’d get what he wanted and we’d blackmail the bitch into accepting it.
To my surprise, Mark called me within a week. When he announced who it was, I felt that flutter again, shaking my head at the fact I was acting like a girl in high school talking to her crush. All he wanted to do was talk about what was going on, hoping he was mentioning anything that would come in handy. But I think he really needed to hear a friendly voice who was also a neutral party.
“I find it difficult talking to friends because they know the whole story. It’s humiliating.”
“Does your family know?”
“They think I should just leave, but I can’t leave my daughters, Melissa.”
“Have you managed to find out anything?”
“Yeah, her lover has pretty much convinced her to start looking into a divorce, thinking they’ll catch me unawares and play hardball. As soon as I know who, I’ll pass on the information.”
“Just don’t let on how much you know, Mark. We want the element of surprise on our side.”
“I’ll do my best. The only thing keeping me sane here are my girls.”
“Do they know?”
“Yeah…”
“Don’t feel guilty about that, Mark. They deserve to know the truth.”
“I would say I don’t want to turn them against their mother, but they don’t particularly like her anyway. I’ve spent nearly the past ten years raising them myself while she’s off doing whatever she’s wanted to do.”
He turned up at my office the next week. Emily let me know and I had to stop smiling as I asked her to let him in. I greeted him with a handshake again, and there was a knowing grin on his face this time, his eyes now rather mischievous. I couldn’t help smile as I offered him a coffee, which he accepted again. Emily brought them in a couple of minutes later before I simply had to ask what had him so excited.
Without a word, he took a card from his top pocket and slid it across the desk. Picking it up, I read the name and couldn’t help burst into laughter. “I take it you got this from her?”
“Well, yes, though technically I took it from her handbag.”
“Is this the lawyer her lover recommended?”
“I think so.”
“Mark, this guy is an absolute clown and he knows nothing about family law nor how divorces work.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I used to work at the same firm as him. Your wife’s lover isn’t thinking this through. He’s just thinking he has a friend at a law firm who can play you for a fool. Throw money at the case and hope it works.” She grinned and she enjoyed the smile that formed on his face. “Once he knows he’s against me, he’ll think very carefully about taking me on.”
“I heard you had quite the reputation, Melissa. Bill highly recommended you.”
“I hope he told you good things.”
He looked ready to say something but seemed to think again. I was almost hoping he would say he found me attractive. I had to take a deep breath as I was left feeling rather foolish, almost slapping myself in my mind to think professionally and keep things neutral.
“I heard you don’t tolerate cheating spouses,” he finally stated.
“I don’t,” I retorted bluntly. Even after all these years, just thinking about it hurt far too much.
“I’m assuming there’s a story.”
“Not one I’m willing to share right now, Mark.”
“That’s fine. At least I understand why you’re so willing to help me now.”
“I’ve put together three separate agreements. Once I have them completed, I’ll ask you and Bill to come here and review them. I’ll make my suggestions, and I’d listen to what Bill says too. In the end, it’s your decision but we’ll hopefully guide you to the right one.”
“When should I come in?”
“When are you prepared to serve your wife?”
“It’s my daughters fourteenth birthday party this weekend. I want her served on Wednesday. She has a ‘business trip’ from Thursday.”
“I’m assuming that’s a euphemism for…”
“She’ll be off fucking her affair partner,” he stated bluntly, devoid of any emotion. I knew he’d hardened his heart regarding it, cut off any feelings. It was just something happening.
“I’ll come by on Saturday. I’d love to meet your daughters.”
“Claire will be there, but I can fob her off, suggesting you’re just a friend of Bill’s.”
“Come visit me on Friday, Mark. Bill will be here and we’ll review the three agreements I’ve formed.”
Walking him to the door, before I opened it, I broke all protocol and hugged him. It took him a couple of seconds before he hugged me in return. When his arms squeezed me, feeling how strong he was, I felt myself almost melt into him. “Thanks,” he whispered, “Can’t remember the last time my wife just hugged me.”
Letting him go, he smiled at me and I couldn’t resist smiling back at him. “Thanks, Melissa,” he stated softly, “I’ll see you on Friday.”