Hiding in the Advice Column

10.

Flashback
"I don't want a single cent from you." Rhea snapped as she sat across from Ryder.

Ryder had moved up their divorce hearing to as soon as possible, and they were both still severely hurt after the fortnight of Ryder kicking Rhea out.

"I didn't want to give you anything." He barked at her. "But I decided that I should, even if you had the affair!"

"How many times must I tell -"

"Lie all you want!" He snarled.

Rhea sat back in her chair with her arms crossed. She fought back the tears. "Just give me the documents."

She snatched up a pen and signed where she needed and stood up.

"If I had married you for your money, Ryder, I would have taken it. But I'm not touching it. I don't want anything to remind me of you." She told him before storming out.

Ryder signed the documents as she was leaving, trying to ignore her, but he heard the hurt in her voice and when he was left alone, Rhea's words echoed in his head.

She fought him every time he offered her something, but she refused. Sitting back in his chair, Ryder kept the frown on his face as he thought about everything she said and did. The pain in her was visible and Ryder saw it.

He opened the drawer and looked at the photos that were given to him by an anonymous sender.

Where the photos doctored? They looked real. He moved over to the shredder and turned it on, feeding it every photo he was given as proof of Rhea's affair.

"I'll get you back yet." He said as he picked up the divorce papers. "This ain't the end."

Page by page, Ryder shredded the legal documents.

Now
"What are you doing here?" I sighed as I opened the front door.

Ryder looked drained as he stood on the front porch.

"I can't do this. I have to take Rowan to day care and I have work." I told him as I went back to the kitchen. "Rowan, hurry up!" I said loudly. He had gone of to his room to play with his new cars I bought yesterday.

"Have you told him?" Ryder asked me impatiently.

"Not yet. It's only been two days, Ryder." I answered as I went through Rowan's day care bag.

That was when I saw the box in Ryder's hands. It's the same one he had the other day, but he left with it.

"What's that?"

Ryder lifted his hands. "Something for Rowan." He said.

I groaned loudly. "I don't have time for you to give him toys, otherwise I won't get him out off the house."

"Then let him stay with me."

I frowned at him. "Oh no. You have your own work and I already told you, you won't be alone with him."

"Then play hooky." He grinned. "I am."

I pointed my finger at him. "You can afford the luxury of that, I can't."

"Then tell them you're working from home."

I sighed. "Why are you so persistent?"

Ryder gave me a pointed look.

I checked the time. I'm already late. "Fine." I snapped out as I rang work.

I hung the phone up as I fixed up my blouse, looking at Ryder. "I still have work to do." I told him. "Rowan!" I called out and he came running.