Chapter 2Rich From My Hundredth Divorce

Tim and I had barely stepped out of the courthouse in downtown Manhattan when my phone began to ring.

It was Margot, his adopted sister. She had harbored a borderline obsessive crush on him since childhood. The moment I answered, her voice was a sharp, interrogating whip.

"Cora. Did you actually sign the papers? Tell me it's real this time."

Margot had been waiting like a vulture in the wings for ninety-nine divorces, desperate to claim him. But Tim was the kind of man who would flirt with a passing shadow, yet he flat-out refused to look at his adopted sister that way. It drove her absolutely insane.

I held the phone a few inches from my ear to save my eardrums. "We just filed the petition. The cooling-off period is a month. We get the final decree after that. Margot, have I ever lied to you?"

If we were being entirely honest, Margot was essentially my third-biggest financial backer. Every time Tim and I reconciled, she would track me down, slam a terrifyingly large check on the table, and demand I leave him. And every time, I nodded, took the money, and agreed.

"Who is that?" Tim demanded, his eyes narrowing.

Usually, the second the paperwork was filed, Tim was already in his sports car, peeling away to his newest conquest. But today, he seemed oddly reluctant. We were supposed to file yesterday, but he dragged his feet for three days until I finally had to gently nag him into coming.

"It's Margot."

His face instantly relaxed. "She's just a spoiled kid throwing a tantrum. Don't let her get to you, babe."

Whenever Margot crossed a line, Tim always expected me to be the bigger person.

I nodded, offering him a frail, tragic smile. "I know, Tim. I know she's just acting out."

My compliance instantly irritated him. "You do know she’s in love with me, right? Does that seriously not make you jealous?"

I let the tears well up in my eyes, letting them hover right on the brim without falling. My chin quivered. "How can you say that to me? It's not that I'm not jealous. It's that... I have no choice."

I looked utterly, profoundly broken.

A flash of genuine pain crossed Tim's features. He reached out, his thumb brushing my jaw. "Shh, babe, I'm sorry. I know. It's the last time. Once I get this out of my system, I'm coming right back to you. No more drama, okay?"

I nodded helplessly. What else could I do?

He opened his mouth to say something more, but his phone rang. He answered it, his expression hardening into annoyance, before walking back over to me.

"The little birds are getting restless. I've got to go. Call an Uber, alright?"

That's right. This time, he didn't just have one sugar baby. He had a pair. Sisters.

He didn't even wait for my response before turning on his heel and striding toward his waiting driver.

I let out a long, shuddering breath. Thank god.