Chapter 43

The room got into a rhythm as the table reading went on. And everyone seemed more relaxed until the next scene.

"Regina York walks into the study and slams a folder on the table in front of Gerald." Nathan continued to narrate.

"What is this?" her voice was calm and controlled but there was a dangerous edge to her tone.

"You know exactly what the documents say." Gregory's voice was even and nonchalant. 

"I want you to explain yourself to me." Though her tone remained even there was a sudden mounting pressure in the room.

"I want to have a divorce." Greg's voice remained even, almost sounding bored. "What other explanation do you need?"

Anastasia let out a cruel sounding chuckle, "Did you finally find the balls to introduce your mistress to polite society? To make a decent woman out of her instead of some plaything you kept in another house in another part of town?"

"I do not know what you're talking about." This time this was tension in Gregory's words.

 "Oh Gerald, you idiot. Do you honestly think I did not know about your little nest outside of town? Oh, I've known about it almost as soon as I was pregnant. I let you have your playthings, better she panders to your needs than to have your dirty hands all over me. The entirety of society knows about them. They're your open dirty little secret. You brought her a house and you took your other little family out to dinner. Did you not think someone we knew would recognize you?

"Go ahead, try letting them in and you will find no one in our circle would respect a kept woman. That little pet of yours and her poor child would never make it in our society."

Greg slammed his palms on the table and the loud sound shocked everyone in the room, "If you dare to touch a single hair in their head then I will make you suffer." The words were said slowly and evenly but the menace in his words said he meant every word.

Anastasia laughed once again, "Did you think I went in here to beg you to reconsider? My God, no. I just want to confirm if you're ready to lose everything you have. I will make you pay for making me and our daughter go through this circus and I'm going to make sure none of my money goes into the grubby hands of your mistress."

"Your money? Oh no, Regina, that's my money and I will give it to whomever I want to give it to." 

"Oh, but Gerald, you must have forgotten, we signed a prenuptial agreement. And because you were practically destitute when we married you willingly signed an iron clad prenuptial agreement wherein it indicated that if we were to divorce, we split the assets based on the percentage of assets we brought into the marriage. I brought in 86% of our total assets upon our marriage, so I will take 86% of everything we jointly own." There was an obvious mocking tone to her voice.

"You are not getting anything from me." Greg said through gritted teeth.

"We'll see. I hope you kept an accounting on how much you spent on your woman and her kid, because I will make sure to mention that in our divorce proceedings."

Kiera tried to keep a cool façade as the scenes went on, but she was not able to control the goosebumps she felt being so close to someone who had such mastery over their voice modulation. 

'So, this is what being in the presence of greatness felt like.'

Kiera had to mentally pull herself out of the awe she felt seeing these two great actors showing their mastery over their craft. The next scene was where Kiera's first lines would start.

"Come in Lizzie, this would be our home from now on." Gregory tone was full of love and doting.

"Daddy, what do you mean?" 

"Oh, Lizzie darling, it means your dad can now recognize us as his real family." Melissa said sweetly.

"Really, daddy? We can live together now?" The slight quiver in her hopeful voice was artfully done.

"Regina and Veronica enter the room." Nathan narrated.

"What is going on here, Gerald?" she paused and Kiera was shocked when Anastasia sent a withering look at the people seated across from them. When she was acting with Gregory, she did not do this at all.

"Oh my, did you bring your mistress and your illegitimate child with you?" There was enough vitriol in her voice that even Kiera wanted to flinch.

"Gregory steps in and blocks Elizabeth and Aurelia from Regina." Nathan continued.

"Shut up, Regina!"

"Why? Does the truth hurt? She accepted the money your family gave her with the caveat that she never appears in front of either of us again. No one ever threatened her, yet she accepted that sum on her own free will." 

"Do not continue to lie to me, Regina!"

"Why don't you ask her? Or we can call your mother this instant and ask her if you want."

"That's not the truth, Gerald! She and her family threatened me before your mother ever talked to me. They threatened our child!"

Anastasia laughed, "How can we threaten somthing we didn't know existed? You never told anyone you were pregnant until abortion was no longer an option. You made sure you have your meal ticket! Gerald's mother would have taken the child and let a relative raise her oversees, yet you said nothing. Despite getting almost a million dollars you ran crying to your beloved instead."

"I don't need anymore of your nonsense, Regina! We're getting a divorce and that's final!"

"Oh Gerald, you fool. I told you I'm ready to sign the papers as long as you're ready to give me 86% of everything we jointly own including the shares in your company. My lawyers will get in touch with you. Did you think you're the only one tired of this marriage? If it wasn't for my daughter, I would have kicked you out years ago."

"Don't make me laugh! You held on to Gerald with your claws! You manipulated his family to make them desperate enough to marry him to you!" Mellisa's words dripped with hate.

"He was an adult who could make up his own mind." Anastasia sent Mellisa a quick glance, "He just loved money more than he loved you."

"Mom, dad, what on earth is going on?" Kiera's question was filled with heartache and desperation. "Is this woman really dad's mistress? And I have an illegitimate sister?"

"Veronica, I raised you better than to be so impolite!" Gregory practically yelled.

"Do not raise your voice at my daughter!" Anastasia immediately hissed at Gregory. "Get out, get your woman and that child out of my house!"

"This is my house!"

Anastasia laughed, "This house was a gift from my parents to celebrate my wedding. The damn deed is under my name alone, so you do not have any right in this house. So, get the hell get out!"