Convenience

Part 14

Much to David's annoyance Beatrice didn't do as he'd asked.

She didn't contact his PA. She didn't phone his mobile. She didn't contact him. Hardly surprising that he hadn't realised his wife was so intractable and obstinate, given they barely knew each other.

For the first few days Beatrice had contemplated contacting him. In fact she had picked up the phone a couple of times. And then decided that if he wanted a divorce he could have one. She didn't have to meet him to discuss it. What was there to talk about? They didn't have any children. There were no shared assets. Why put her to all that trouble?

Financially he could probably afford to buy her out several times over now. But Beatrice had no interest in accessing his wealth. She was sure that would surprise him. As far as Beatrice was concerned, she had made her own way thus far, without his assistance. So she was not planning on hitting him for cash now.

Meeting him, arranging to meet with him would lead to more confusion given her reaction to that unexpected touch. Best she avoid the man and avoid complicating her life.

He could send her the papers. She would sign them. How simple was that? Just sign the papers when he sent them, and be done with it. That was the decision she reached. So Beatrice hadn't bothered to get in touch with him or his PA.

David waited for her phone call with increasing displeasure. If he'd thought his paper wife was going to jump when he said jump, he was learning, the hard way, that he was mistaken. David gave Beatrice a fortnight to contact him. When she didn't, he decided that two could play at that game. He instructed his solicitor to send her a letter informing her that as discussions had not taken place, he would be serving her divorce papers in the near future.

But more importantly he had also asked his lawyer to indicate that David would be seeking half of Beatrice's assets and a share of the Raglan beach property! He hadn't taken any share when she'd sold the Auckland property, and he had learnt over the last ten days, while he was waiting for her phone call, that some of the money from that sale was invested in her business.

Of course he had no intention of going for any of her assets. But he had not grown his business without playing a bit of hardball. And while she might think it perfectly acceptable to string him along and keep him waiting, he was determined to show her that her strategy was ill-conceived.

In the long term he had no interest in her business or her home. But right at that moment he did not want her to know that. He could afford to buy her out ten times over without it making a dent. That wasn't the point. He did not want her assets. But it would show her that he didn't like playing games. He also figured it might galvanise her into contacting him.

It didn't. Which was infuriating!

David waited for her response to the legal letter he arranged to be sent. But there was no response was forthcoming. What was even more annoying was the fact that her lack of communication had him thinking about her practically every second of every day! He simply didn't understand.

Surely she wasn't willing to see half her assets disappear. She'd have to know that he had more fire-power at his disposal and the wherewithal to contest everything to ensure decisions fell in his favour. But she hadn't done anything to contact him. Calling his bluff? He wondered, and not for the first time, wondered how it was he had failed to see that the woman he married had an iron fist in a velvet glove.