Convenience

Part 36

Beatrice reached a decision. She did not want to spend more time with him. Not when it might end up complicating her life. She had managed just fine without him. There was no need to change her established habits now. It would risk far too much. She knew from those first few months that it hurt knowing your husband was seeing other women. How much worse would it be if that happened after she had fallen for him? Not that she was planning on falling for him. But she wasn't willing to take the risk.

"I have enough on my plate." Beatrice told him not wanting to have anything more to do with him. A nice clean divorce would leave her to her own devices, and would ensure that she was not in his vicinity. She couldn't risk being in his company, not when her heart seemed to think it was perfectly acceptable to beat at a rate of knots whenever he was present despite the fact he'd all but forgotten her for over five years. "Thank you."

"I can arrange for you to have support. But you administer it because it will be your share. Your share of my estate." David kept his voice low, his tone warm. Beatrice understood why those women flocked to his side. He could seduce even without trying too hard. That much was clear.

Beatrice shook her head adamantly. What would it take to convince this man that she genuinely wasn't interested in his money? "I am not entitled to a share of your estate." She corrected and frustration was now clearly evident in her tone. When was he going to accept that she did not want a share of his wealth?

"The law would probably disagree with you." David replied with a wry smile that instantly had her stomach doing a series of somersaults. There, she told her heart, see, that's what would happen if she continued to see him. She would succumb to butterflies in her tummy. For a second David's gaze narrowed. Now what had he said, he wondered when he took note of the spark in her eyes that appeared and then vanished almost within the same heartbeat. "Alternatively I will simply arrange for the transfer of funds into your bank account. What you do with it is up to you."

That sounded like a threat. Once again Beatrice was tempted to laugh. Anyone overhearing this conversation would think they were both mad! Him, intent of giving away his wealth. She determined to refuse his money. "I don't want your money." She huffed. This was ridiculous. She did not want to be in any way associated with this man, nor did she want any financial assistance from him. She'd made it on her own. The last thing she wanted to do was have him supply funds. If that happened it would only be a matter of time before people thought that her business success was down to him!

David couldn't believe he was having this conversation. "You don't even know how much."

"I'm not interested. I don't care how much. I want nothing!" She huffed.

It was hard to not smile. "Even if it made a difference to..."

"Why are you so intent on giving me money?" She demanded in exasperation. "We have nothing apart from a piece of paper with our names on it. I have not helped you build your empire. I do not want a share of your profits. I'm not sure I can make it any simpler than that." She pointed out, with increasing agitation, she wondered whether the courts had ever encountered a couple like her and David.

"In the eyes of the law, we are married. Have been for five years. You are therefore entitled to part of my estate." He smiled broadly. Divorce lawyers would have a field day with the pair of them.

"Rubbish! In the eyes of the law we may be married, in my eyes, you are nothing but a stranger and in the eyes of your social circle having seen your string of girlfriends, you are single and fancy free."

He rifled his fingers through his hair, as her words rocked his base. She was right. He was a stranger to her, despite the fact they were married. He was going to fix that before this divorce went through. Which, when he thought about it was a strange idea to have. Why learn about his wife if he intended to follow through with the divorce?

He shook his head in utter disbelief. "You want no share of a settlement in our divorce."

"Finally! The penny drops. Ta dah!" She said in sing-song voice.

There was silence for several long seconds. He was definitely not going to divorce her. He might have come here today intent on securing that divorce, or at least arranging for the process to commence, but now everything had changed.