Chapter 5 - Out by NoonI walked to the coffee machine, picked up my ceramic mug — the one Simone had been using — and made myself coffee.

Simone looked uncomfortable. "This doesn't need to get ugly."

"It isn't ugly," I said. "It's actually very simple."

Julian stared at me. "What do you want?"

I took a sip. "I want all of you out of my house." Then, to Simone: "And I want my robe back."

She'd already taken it off during my explanation. She handed it to me.

I turned to Harold and Fiona. "Please stop packing my belongings."

Harold froze with a box in his hands.

"Everything you're touching belongs to me. Removing anything without permission would create an entirely different legal problem."

He slowly set the box down. Fiona looked at Julian, who was still searching for a way to regain control.

There wasn't one.

"You have until noon to leave," I said. "Priscilla will contact Marcus about your personal belongings and the promissory note."

Julian stared at me. "You planned all of this."

"I prepared for something that seemed increasingly likely. There's a difference."

Then he said something I almost couldn't believe. "I loved you."

I looked at him for a long moment. "Julian, I don't think you're evil. I think you became someone who confused what you wanted with what you were entitled to." I continued. "Choosing Simone was your decision. Using my money to clean up your debt before leaving me was your decision. And preparing myself for what those choices meant was mine."

He said nothing. I pointed toward the door. "It's there."

The kitchen went silent. Harold put on his coat. Fiona carefully returned my mother's ceramic bowl to its shelf. Simone looked at the floor. Julian picked up the divorce papers and walked out. Simone followed. Then his parents.

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Fiona paused near the door and muttered something under her breath. I didn't answer.

A few seconds later, the front door closed.