Chapter 37. The End of the World

Julie

I blink, feeling the weight of Maya’s words settle on me. “What? Why would I have to move out?”

She doesn’t look up, busy packing her notes, her movements brisk and businesslike. “It’s for your own good,” she says. “If we’re playing by Ryan’s rules, we need to look spotless—inside and out. Living with another man in the middle of divorce proceedings? It’s not a good look, Julie. Not for the judge, not for the court, not for anyone who’s watching.”

I sink back in my chair, letting out a sigh that feels like it’s been building all day. “An hour ago, I thought we were just going to have a civil conversation about this. And now we’re here, strategizing like it’s a battlefield.”

Maya glances at me, a hint of sympathy in her eyes. “Civil?” She shakes her head. “Julie, this is divorce. Civility is an endangered species.”

A bitter laugh escapes my lips, more acidic than I expected, and I realize it’s the first genuine reaction I’ve allowe