Chapter 16 - The Mistress’s Greed
The silence that stretched between Grant and Vanessa in the diner was absolute and suffocating. The illusion of their glamorous, untouchable romance shattered instantly against the brutal reality of poverty. Vanessa looked at the man she thought was her golden ticket, and suddenly, he looked pathetic, weak, and utterly useless.
"Four hundred dollars," Vanessa repeated, her voice dropping to a dangerous, icy whisper. "I ruined my reputation, I moved into a house with a screaming brat, and I gave up my apartment for four hundred dollars?"
"Baby, please," Grant begged, reaching across the table to grab her hands. "It's a misunderstanding. It’s a temporary freeze. I’ll hire a shark attorney. We can sue her for alimony. We can sue for half the company!"
Vanessa yanked her hands away as if his touch burned. "With what money, Grant? Lawyers require retainers. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Evelyn Frost doesn't just have money; she has federal backing. I saw the way those cops looked at her. She owns them. She owns everything."
"We just need to lay low," Grant pleaded, desperation leaking from every pore. "We'll get a cheap motel for a few nights. I have friends in the industry. I can make some calls, get a loan—"
"A motel?" Vanessa laughed, a harsh, ugly sound that made several patrons turn their heads. She stood up, grabbing her expensive, albeit slightly scuffed, leather handbag. "I do not do motels, Grant. And I certainly do not do broke, unemployed losers."
"Vanessa, wait! Where are you going?" Grant panicked, standing up and knocking his coffee over. The brown liquid spilled across the table, dripping onto his expensive trousers.
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"I am going to find a man who actually reads his contracts before signing them," Vanessa sneered, looking him up and down with profound disgust. "Do not call me. Do not text me. If you come near me, I will tell the police that everything that happened to your mute little freak of a daughter was entirely your idea."
She turned and walked out of the diner, leaving Grant entirely alone, covered in spilled coffee, staring into the abyss of his completely ruined life.
