Chapter 4 - The Eviction Notice
“This is a joke,” Mark stammered, stepping closer. “Emily, tell this guy to stop joking.”
The military officer beside me held up a stern hand.
“Sir, I told you to step back.”
Mark ignored him, his eyes wide with a mix of panic and anger.
“You don't own my house, Emily! My name is on the deed!”
I finally spoke, my voice cold and authoritative.
“Your name is on the deed, Mark. But the bank holds the note until it's paid off. And you haven't been paying the bank, have you?”
Mark swallowed hard. A nervous sweat broke out on his forehead despite the cold.
“I... I had some expenses. Jessica needed—”
“I don't care what Jessica needed,” I cut him off sharply.
“You defaulted on the mortgage. The original bank sold the distressed debt. Aunt Margaret bought it.”
I stepped closer to him, refusing to be intimidated.
“She knew you were failing, Mark. She knew you were draining our joint accounts. She protected me.”
Mark ran a hand through his hair, his bravado completely shattering.
“Em, come on. We can work this out. You're pregnant. We’re a family.”
I let out a harsh, bitter laugh.
“We were a family yesterday at 4:00 PM. But at 4:15 PM, you watched your mother throw my clothes onto the lawn.”
“My mother was just emotional—”
“At 4:20 PM,” I continued, my voice echoing off the brick buildings, “you let your mistress parade around in my robe in front of my son.”
Tyler squeezed my hand. I looked down at him and offered a gentle, reassuring smile.
“You made your choice, Mark. Now you have to live with the consequences.”
I turned back to my phone, taking it off speaker.
“Mr. Sterling, proceed with the eviction. Maximum legal speed.”
“Understood, Colonel. The papers will be served before noon.”
I hung up.
Mark fell to his knees in the parking lot.
“Emily, please! Where are we supposed to go? Jessica moved all her stuff in last night!”
I looked down at the pathetic man I had wasted seven years of my life with.
“That sounds like a civilian problem, Mark.”
I signaled the officers.
They opened the door to the armored SUV.
I helped Tyler into the back seat, buckled him in, and climbed in beside him.
The heavy door slammed shut, cutting off the sound of Mark’s desperate pleading.
As the SUV pulled out of the parking lot, I didn't look back.
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For the first time in my life, I felt truly powerful.
I wasn't just surviving this. I was going to command it.
