Richard stood. “I’ve got to go and see him.”
“You’re going to be the one to divorce us?” Lily asked. “It is kind of poetic seeing as you were the one to bind us together with that prenuptial agreement.” She chuckled.
Scarlet kissed her husband and shooed him off before turning back to her. Lily didn’t want to come between the two. She heard the door open and then close. The finality of the sound made Lily wince. “Richard won’t handle the divorce. I know he won’t.”
“It’s business to them, Scarlet. I don’t expect anything less.”
“What are you going to do?” the other woman asked. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear.
“I have no idea. I know I should have some plan or something. Isn’t it the twenty-first century dream for a woman to be divorced or something?” Lily rubbed the tears from her eyes. More fell in their place.
“Wayne is giving you an opportunity to live your life. He feels he’s taken something from you because of him blackmailing you.” Lily stared at her. “Richard doesn’t keep anything from me. I know you told me the basics of what happened, but he gave me everything.”
“He shouldn’t have done that.”
“You’re my friend, Lily. I want what’s best for you.”
“Then you shouldn’t judge me when I say the best thing that ever happened to me walked out that door with the intention of divorcing me. All I ever wanted in life was someone to love me back and a family. Wayne gave me everything I ever wanted, and now he’s about to take it all away.”
Scarlet wrapped her arms around Lily.
“I’m not going to judge. It takes a lot out of us to fall in love. Wayne is being an ass**le. He’s using his business head instead of his heart,” Scarlet said. “He’ll come around.”
“I don’t know, Scarlet. I know him, and if he feels he’s doing the right thing then he won’t stop until it’s complete.”
****
Wayne opened the door to his friend. Richard walked in and refused a drink. They were both silent for several minutes. Richard wouldn’t even look at him.
“How is she?” Wayne asked.
“How do you think she is?”
He shrugged his shoulders. The desire to pour himself a whisky was strong, but he wouldn’t do it until he knew she was all right.
“For a supposedly clever man, you’re actually really f**king stupid,” Richard said. His hands were on his h*ps as he glared at him. Wayne took a seat waiting for him to say his piece. “You really don’t care?”
“I care about her, which is why I’m leaving her to be free.”
“Bullshit. Lily is falling apart. She doesn’t understand what is going on. You married her, got her pregnant, and now you’re going to leave her because of your suppressed guilt. You’re a f**king coward.”
“You can rant at me all you want, Richard. I know I’m doing the right thing.”
“Then find another lawyer. I’m not going to do this. Nor will any of my partners or members of my firm. You find someone else,” Richard said. Wayne was shocked. He had always thought Richard would stand by him.
“You’re going to represent me,” Wayne said.
“Not in this. You’re wrong about this one. I’m one of your best friends, and I’ve stood by you when you’ve needed it. This is not one of those times. You’re wrong, and if you go through with this, if you let Lily go, then it will be the biggest mistake of your life.” Richard turned to look out of the window when a knock on his door came. Wayne left his friend to open the door to Tony and Opal. Before he got chance to talk Opal slapped him ‘round the face.
“How dare you?” Opal shoved him then walked past into his apartment.
“She wouldn’t let me drop her off at Lily’s. ‘I want to see the stupid ass**le myself’. Her words. Not mine.” Tony walked past him.
“Are you seriously going to represent him in a divorce?” Opal asked, glaring at Richard.
Wayne didn’t know what to do. They were all crowding around him too fast. He needed more time.
“I’m not representing him. I refuse to help him in a decision that I feel will be a big mistake.” Richard shook Tony’s hand.
“What I don’t get is the fact none of us could get you to change the path of getting Lily all those years ago, and now when you have everything, you’re more than willing to let her go? I don’t get that,” Tony said.
“I don’t expect you guys to understand my choices. This is my decision, and I feel it is right.”
Opal growled in frustration. “Do you realise what you’re doing? Lily is a hot woman. She knows her own mind, and from what I’ve been told and seen myself, she’s grown in confidence by being with you. You’ve already started the ball rolling. You’re putting her back on the market.”
“So?”
“I see what she means,” Tony said. “You’re stepping aside and letting her be free. Think about it, Wayne. How are you going to be able to cope with seeing her with another man? You’re giving someone else an opportunity to take what is yours. A stepfather for your children.”
“Lily would never do that,” Wayne said. He felt like he’d been punched in the gut.
“She doesn’t want a singing career. If that is what this is over, then you’re going to lose the woman you love for something she doesn’t want and won’t even fight for. Another guy will give her what you’re taking away, and you’ll have no chance to win her back,” Opal said.
“You don’t know that.”
Again, Opal let out a growl. “My God, you’re so thick and stupid and annoying. It is Christmas, and you’re ‘setting your wife free’. You know what? I know someone who’d date Lily in a heartbeat.”
“Who?” Wayne asked, feeling angry at the thought of another man with his woman.
“John Barnes,” Opal said with a smile on her lips.
“Harry’s paediatric doctor?” Richard asked.
“The very one. His wife divorced him last year. I know he adores Lily. They met at one of your barbeques you held a few months back. I’m sure they’d hit it off.
“John is in his fifties, and stop trying to get a guy to date my wife,” Wayne said. His anger was increasing. He’d seen the way the older man had looked at Lily. John had been charmed by Lily. He was sure it was why John’s wife had left him, but he didn’t say so to Lily.