The Secret in My Husband’s Glove Compartment Destroyed Our Two Years Chapter 06
The day before the meeting, William forwarded me Leona’s expense breakdown.
Of the twenty–seven thousand dollars, eighteen had gone to the new house down payment. Eight had been spent on renovations and furniture. Only one thousand had actually been used for medical
checkups and living expenses.
“The bank has already reviewed my income and
credit. Read this borrower change form first.”
At the bank, William pushed the documents
toward me.
A few days apart, and his jaw was shadowed with
stubble. His shirt cuffs were wrinkled.
“I’m transferring the auto loan back to my name. I’ve already put the money deducted from your paycheck before into a new account.”
“What about the twenty–seven thousand missing from our joint account?”
“I’ll cover it first. Leona’s share… I’ll collect from
her.”
“And the house? Ownership and the remaining mortgage?”
“Split based on your pre–marital contribution ratio.
Whoever ends up keeping the house takes over the remaining mortgage.”
“Put it in writing.”
“Camilla…”
“We only talk about money. That’s what you agreed to.”
William held the pen and said quietly, “Fine.”
To verify how the eighteen thousand had been. used, William had sent Leona the appointment time in advance.
Halfway through the paperwork, Leona showed
- up.
She set a paper bag on the counter.
“There’s five thousand here. I’ll pay back the other
twenty–one slowly.”
William didn’t take it.
“How much was the down payment total?”
“Do you have to ask me here?”
“Did that money go toward the house purchase?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you lie to me?”
Leona’s eyes reddened.
“I just wanted a place of my own.”
“You said something was wrong with your checkup. You said your landlady was kicking you
out.”
“I never made you transfer the money.”
She looked at William, tears falling.
“Every time, you’re willing to help me.”
William’s face went pale.
Because she was right.
When I said I didn’t feel well, he told me to let it go.
And no one had held his hand when he took my
money and documents.
“What about the other eight thousand?”
“After the house was ready, I needed to renovate. I
bought furniture too.”
“Out of that twenty–seven thousand, I’ll cover the
one thousand that actually went to checkups and
living expenses. The other twenty–six thousand,
you have to pay it back.”
Leona turned to me suddenly.
“Camilla. Are you happy now?”
“William is blaming everything on me. You won.”
“I didn’t win.”
“You made him cut me off. That’s not winning?”
“I wanted my money back. I wanted to end my
marriage.”
“You’re already getting divorced. Why do you still
have to make him break things off with me?”
“I never made him do anything.”
I looked at William.
“He’s the one who made every choice. From start
to finish.”
William’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
“Leona. The down payment and renovation money
needs to be repaid.”
“What about what you owe me?”
“The eight thousand you lent me years ago? I paid that back with interest five years ago.”
“But I stayed in the hospital with your father. I
stayed with you through the hardest times.”
“So I looked after you for a year.”
William’s voice didn’t rise, but he wasn’t coaxing
her anymore either.
“But care should have boundaries. And it shouldn’t
have been paid for with Camilla’s money.”
“You only think I crossed boundaries because she
left.”
“No.”
He paused.
“It was after she left that I finally saw I’d crossed
them a long time ago.”
Leona grabbed her paper bag and walked out.
William didn’t follow.
After the paperwork was done, he came with me
to the door.
“I cleared out the medicine and all those sticky
notes at home.”
“I deleted that burner account too.”
“That’s your business.”
“The glove compartment is empty now.”
“William. Getting rid of things doesn’t mean it
didn’t happen.”
“I know.”
“No. You don’t.”
I turned to face him.
“You think because Leona lied to you, all you have
to do is expose her and pay the money back and
we can go back to how things were.”
“Is that really impossible?”
“Yes.”
“You’re not even giving me a chance to change.”
“I did give you chances.”
“When?”
“Every time I told you I wasn’t feeling well.”
William’s hand reached toward me and stopped
midair.
I stepped back, pulling away from his touch.
“Paying the money back is the bare minimum.”
“It’s not a reason for me to forgive you.”
William pulled a clear file folder from his
briefcase.
“Your ID and bank cards are in here.”
“My ID has already been reported missing. The old
cards have been canceled.”
“I know.”
He set the folder on the bench. Didn’t try to hand it
to me directly.
“I didn’t have the right to keep them. I was wrong.”
I put the folder in my bag and walked away.