He hesitated, then finally said, “I thought you’d make a good wife. You’re smart and loyal and—”
“I’m not a dog, Gavin.”
“I never said you were.”
She jumped to her feet, hugging herself. “You might as well have. Your actions have proved it over and over again. I was just too stupid to see it.”
“Amandine, you’re upset.”
“Upset? I’m furious!” She flung an arm. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be constantly pushed onto others because your husband can’t be bothered? You started hiring people to groom me, feed me—dress me, for fuck’s sake—like I’m some kind of helpless puppy.”
“That’s not—”
“Did you really think Josephine could fix me?”
“Jesus, I thought having clothes selected for you would lessen your workload after you started doing all those fundraisers and charity work.”
“No. You hired her so she could make sure I wouldn’t wear anything that would embarrass you.”
“Oh for— Amandine, wear whatever you like. Okay?”
“How can I, when Josephine doesn’t buy anything that I like?”
“Then tell her what you want.”
“She only listens to you.”
“Then fire her!”
“How am I going to fire somebody you hired without consulting me? She works for you, not me.”
Gavin rubbed his face. “We’re a couple, Amandine. We’re supposed to be able to talk about stuff like this if it’s been bothering you so much.”
She folded her arms. “When?”
“What?”
“When are we supposed to talk about it? When you’re at work? You never have time to talk. Our ‘movie nights’? They were your idea, but you hardly ever made it on time. And now you don’t come at all.” She started pacing. “For the love of god, Gavin, I didn’t even get to tell you I was pregnant! You had to find it out because I dropped a sonogram printout.”
“You had an opportunity to tell me—”
“When? In the private jet? Which you bought for…I don’t even know why you bought it since you know I don’t travel much. Or during our anniversary dinner? Oh wait, that’s right.” She snapped her fingers. “You were with Catherine.”
“Calm down, Aman—”
“I’m through being calm!” She slashed the air with her hand. “You always give me things to make up for the fact that you never have the time or the energy for me. I’m an afterthought, something you take for granted. But you won’t give me anything of yourself, not even the baby, since you’re going to take it from me if I decide to leave you. Ridiculous, isn’t it, when you and I both know that you don’t have the time for a baby.”
“That’s enough!” Gavin stood up. “What’s wrong with you? What the hell did Catherine say? That I came on to her? I did no such thing. She’s lying.”
“She didn’t have to tell me that. I trust you. I hope the feeling is mutual.”
“Yeah, well, I’m an expert on investing, and I’m not investing myself in anything or anyone I can lose. To Jacob, or anyone else. It’s not worth it,” Gavin said, then looked somewhat surprised, as though it wasn’t something he’d ever planned to speak out loud.
Suddenly it dawned on Amandine. She’d heard whispers of Jacob stealing Gavin’s girlfriends. He’d ended up with Catherine, too. Amandine had assumed it was just a rumor, but maybe not. “You think I’d leave you for Jacob?”
Breaths sawed in and out of Gavin. “Not for Jacob, no.”
How could she have not seen how hopeless their situation was? If she’d had the guts to speak her mind sooner, they would’ve avoided wasting so much time. “Nothing can make me leave you except yourself. I married you because I loved you,” she spoke through the cold lump in her throat. “There’s no point in continuing this joke of a reconciliation anymore. I’m going to divorce you, Gavin. And no, you cannot have the baby. I’m going to fight for it with everything I have. I’m entitled to at least that much.” If I can’t have your love, I want to have something of you—the baby we created together, so I can give it all the love in my heart. “But you can keep your money. All of it. I don’t want it.”