Just before the elevator doors closed, he looked back.
For a brief moment, I thought he might apologize.
Instead he said:
“You’ll regret this.”
I smiled.
“No.
You will.”
The doors closed.
FINAL PART
Three months later, I received a call from an old mutual acquaintance.
The conversation lasted less than ten minutes.
But it provided more closure than years of marriage ever had.
Richard’s company was collapsing.
Several major clients had left.
His finances were deteriorating rapidly.
Without access to my resources, the cracks had become impossible to hide.
Victoria wasn’t handling the adjustment well.
Apparently, luxury stores were considerably less welcoming when someone actually had to pay their own bills.
I wished them no harm.
But I felt absolutely no sympathy.
Actions have consequences.
Eventually, everyone meets the bill for choices they spent years charging to someone else.
As for me?
Life became wonderfully quiet.
I renovated the apartment exactly how I wanted.