After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage novel Chapter 11

He was panic,he yanked open the bedside drawer, telling himself she'd probably just hidden the photo because she was angry about recent events.

But the drawer was completely empty. Not just missing the frame—missing everything.He pulled open the closet doors to find nothing but empty hangers.Elaine had taken all her belongings.

His jaw clenched as he gritted his teeth.

Did she honestly think this would make him pay attention to her? He had made it abundantly clear—Sophia was the only woman who would ever matter to him, and soon, the only exception would be their child.

All he could offer Elaine was the title of Mrs. Chase. Nothing more.

Despite these thoughts, his feet carried him out of the room. Before he knew it, he was sitting in his car.

He annoyed with himself, and was about to head back inside when something caught his eye—something poking out from under the seat.

He didn't recognize it. Leaning over, he fished it out from the crack—and froze.

A divorce certificate.

With shaking hands, he opened it. The names leaped off the page:

Alistair Chase. Elaine Faerwyn.

"This is important. Don't you want to see what it is?"

Elaine's voice echoed in his mind. He couldn't tell if he was more angry or panicked.

"It's the middle of the night. What do you want?"

The accusations he'd planned to hurl but he fell silent finally.

Elaine waited patiently, but when he didn't speak, she frowned and was about to hang up when he finally found his voice.

"Come downstairs. We need a talk."

He was about to end the call when her sudden laughter stopped him. "What?"

"You're outside my house?" she asked instead of answering. He hesitated, then confirmed with a grunt before demanding, "Where did you get a divorce certificate?"