Chapter 4 - The Fool’s Paradise
Back at the Richmond mansion, Derek Halston poured another glass of champagne and sat down on the edge of the master bed.
"Where did your mother go?" Chloe asked, lazily adjusting the silk robe around her shoulders.
"She went to her room downstairs," Derek said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Audrey showed up earlier, made a small fuss, and left. My mother handled it."
Chloe raised an eyebrow, a calculating look in her eyes. "She left? Just like that? Isn't she worried about her house?"
Derek chuckled, taking a sip from his glass. "Audrey knows her place. She doesn't have the stomach for conflict. Besides, this isn't her house. I bought this place. I put up the money, I picked out the neighborhood. She was lucky to live here."
Derek was feeling invincible. His firm had just secured what he believed was a major credit line, and having Chloe—the daughter of venture capitalist Richard Sterling—by his side made him feel like the high-flower he had always wanted to be. Audrey had become too quiet, too practical, too focused on her pregnancy. She had stopped attending his high-society networking dinners.
"So," Chloe murmured, leaning closer to him. "When do I get my name on the deed?"
"Soon," Derek lied smoothly. "As soon as the divorce paperwork is quietly processed. I'll throw her a small settlement to keep her quiet, and then the place is officially ours. We can host the summer gala right here by the pool."
Downstairs, Evelyn was sipping tea in the kitchen, feeling quite pleased with herself. She had never liked Audrey. Audrey was too quiet, too independent, and refused to let Evelyn dictate how the household was run. Chloe, on the other hand, came from visible wealth. Evelyn envisioned grand social doors opening for the Halston family.
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"Derek!" Evelyn called out as she walked up the stairs later that evening. "Did Audrey say where she was spending the night?"
"Probably at some cheap motel downtown," Derek shouted back with a laugh. "Let her cool off. She'll come crawling back in a couple of days when she realizes she can't afford diapers on her own."
