Page 29 of Best Kept Vows

What had happened to that girl? The one with that kind ofchutzpah? When had that fire been beaten out of me?

I had told Sebastian about what hisfather did, and he’d shrugged and told me that he didn’t care what the damn contract said.

“I love you, and you love me. We’re never getting divorced, so who cares what that fucking thing says.”

He hadn’t told me not to sign it, though, so I asked David to take a look. He made some key changes—especially around custody and provisions for the children—that, surprisingly, Abraham didn’t object to. He never said it outright, but I got the distinct feeling that if I took the kids, he wouldn’t have minded. They hadmyblood in them, after all, and that seemed to matter more to him than anything else.

“Lia, darlin’, how are you?” David’s calm voice came through the Bluetooth speakers in my car.

“I don’t know how I am.”

“I can imagine. So, I know Miranda wants to kill Sebastian, but I don’t think he’d ever cheat on you. Will he behave like an imbecile who misses your graduation ceremony? Hell, yeah. But he wouldn’t cheat on his vows. I know him well enough to know that.”

David was the calmer one—and his words soothed me. He was right. I knew my husband; I knew what he was capable of, and fucking some woman who wasn’t me was not it.

I looked out of the windshield at the city’s historic streets bathed in the soft glow of streetlights, not looking forward to what awaited me at home. Another fight? Another argument? Cruel words on both sides?

How had we gotten here?

“Thanks, David.”

“Okay, so because my wife hounded me, I went through your prenup again, and here’s what I can say. The Boone family lawyers did a good job protecting their assets, as you’d expect. Boone Metals stays completely off-limits so that you won’t get any shares or equity, but you already knew that.”

“Yeah, I did.” The Boone legacy had always been fiercely guarded.

David continued smoothly. “However, you’re entitled to substantial alimony based on the length of your marriage—twenty-two years is significant, Lia. The prenup states clearly that you will receive a monthly spousal support payment sufficient to maintain a lifestyle similar to the one you’ve had during the marriage, at least until you remarry or until either of you passes away. Additionally, since Tristan and Ada are adults now, custody won’t be an issue, but if they’d been minors, the custody clauses would have strongly favored you.”

I pressed the button to open the garage door.

Were Sebastian and I heading for divorce? Oh God! I was suddenly having trouble breathing. I turned the car off and closed my eyes because I wasafraidthat we were not going to make it as a couple.

He paused briefly, his voice softening. “The prenup also stipulates a lump sum payout, tied to a percentage of the value of Boone Metals at the time of divorce. It’s capped, but it’s generous enough that you wouldn’t have to worry financially. It was one of the concessions Abraham agreed to when I insisted on revising it.”

I drove the car into the garage.

“Considering how the company is doing…I doubt it’ll be significant.” I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly. “Thank you, David. I appreciate you doing this.”

“Hey, chin up. This may never happen. I’m hoping it doesn’t. Sebastian isn’t going to let you go, I know that much.”

“But what if I want to leave?” I asked, feeling miserable.

“Oh, darlin’. I’m so sorry this is so hard for you,” he said sympathetically.

After we ended the call, I sat in my car for a long time, feeling both sad and empowered.

CHAPTER 10

Sebastian

Feeling trapped and restless, I grabbed my car keys and headed out to the garage. I drove to my parents’ estate, my heart aching with confusion, bitterness, and a sickening feeling of helplessness.

Dinner at my parents’ house was exactly as expected—pretentious, strained, a perfectly choreographed ritual of misery masquerading as family unity.

No wonder Lia didn’t want to be here.

Did I? No, not really, but I showed up anyway. Why?

Habit?

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