Chapter 13: Chapter 13: I Want A Divorce!
Third POV
Ashley’s hands shook as she fumbled with her phone, nearly dropping her shopping bags in the process. Nigel’s number was the first on her speed dial.
“Pick up, pick up,” she muttered, pacing in front of the boutique.
The call went to voicemail.
She tried again. Sa result.
By the ti she reached her car, panic had given way to rage. She threw her shopping bags into the backseat with enough force to crush whatever was inside.
The drive ho passed in a blur of angry thoughts and half-ford accusations. How dare Estelle make those insinuations? And why wasn’t Nigel answering his phone?
She pulled into the driveway just as Nigel’s car appeared around the corner. He parked behind her, and she watched him through her rearview mirror as he gathered his briefcase and jacket.
He looked tired. His usually perfect hair was disheveled, and the first three buttons of his shirt were undone.
Ashley stord out of her car and intercepted him before he reached the front door.
“Where have you been?” she demanded.
Nigel blinked in surprise. “At work. Where else would I be?”
“Don’t lie to .” Ashley’s voice rose despite being in full view of their neighbors. “I know about your little etings with Estelle.”
“What etings?” Nigel looked genuinely confused. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily. “Ashley, look, I’m really tired. If this isn’t anything urgent, can we talk about this tomorrow—”
“The late-night strategy sessions,” she spat. “You and Estelle have been working very closely together.”
Recognition dawned on Nigel’s face. “You an the border security committee? Ashley, there are five of us on that committee. It’s not—”
“Stop lying!”
Nigel’s expression hardened. “I’m not lying. And I don’t appreciate being attacked the mont I get ho from work.”
“Oh, you don’t appreciate it?” Ashley’s voice cracked with hysteria. “I don’t appreciate my husband sneaking around with that manipulative witch!”
“I’m not sneaking around with anyone!” Nigel’s patience finally snapped. “I’m trying to do my job and provide for our family. These accusations are insane.”
“Insane?” Ashley laughed bitterly. “She practically admitted to seducing you right there on the street. She was bragging about how closely you two work together.”
Nigel rubbed his temples. “Ashley, please. I’ve had a fourteen-hour day, I’m exhausted, and the last thing I want to deal with is paranoid fantasies about—”
The slap echoed across the quiet neighborhood like a gunshot.
Nigel’s head snapped to the side, his cheek imdiately reddening from the impact. He stood frozen for a mont, his hand slowly rising to touch the stinging skin.
When he turned back to look at his mate, his eyes held sothing Ashley had never seen before.
Cold fury.
“You just hit ,” he said quietly.
“You’re cheating on !” Ashley scread, tears streaming down her face. “With her! With that pathetic excuse for a Luna!”
“I am not cheating!” Nigel roared, his composure finally breaking. “You want to know what I think? You’re obsessed with Estelle! You’re so consud with jealousy that you can’t see straight!”
“Don’t you dare turn this around on !”
“Look at yourself!” Nigel gestured wildly. “Look at what you’ve beco! All you do is shop and complain while I work myself to death trying to support this family!”
Ashley’s face went white. “How can you say that to ?”
“Because it’s true!” Nigel’s voice cracked with exhaustion and frustration. “Do you know what Estelle does? She runs pack etings. She handles crisis situations. She makes decisions that affect hundreds of lives. And what do you do? You spend my money on designer clothes and then accuse
of having an affair!”
“She’s not better than !”
“Isn’t she?” Nigel’s words cut like ice. “When was the last ti you contributed anything aningful to this pack? When did you last help with pack business instead of leaving everything to your mother and ?”
Ashley gasped as if he’d physically struck her. “I just gave birth to your children!”
“Three days ago! And you were shopping today!” Nigel’s face was flushed with anger. “Estelle works sixteen-hour days managing pack affairs while recovering from injuries. You can’t even take care of our own children without hiring help!”
“You bastard!” Ashley launched herself at him, nails extended.
Nigel caught her wrists easily. “Stop it! The neighbors can see—”
“Let them see!” Ashley struggled against his grip. “Let them see what kind of mate you really are!”
“What’s going on here?”
Jessie’s sharp voice cut through their fighting. She hurried across the lawn from the main house, her face tight with concern and embarrassnt.
“Mom!” Ashley broke free from Nigel’s grip and rushed toward her mother. “He’s cheating on ! He admitted it!”
“I didn’t admit anything!” Nigel shouted. “She’s completely lost her mind!”
Jessie looked between her daughter and son-in-law with growing alarm. Pack mbers were starting to gather at their windows and doors, drawn by the commotion.
“Both of you, inside. Now.” Jessie’s voice brooked no argunt.
“I’m not going anywhere with him!” Ashley sobbed. “He loves her more than !”
“Ashley, please—” Nigel tried to approach her, but she backed away.
“Don’t touch ! Don’t you ever touch
again!”
Jessie grabbed Ashley’s arm firmly. “Enough. This is not the place for this discussion.”
“I want a divorce,” Ashley declared, her voice carrying across the yard. “I want him out of my life!”
Several pack mbers had now erged from their hos, watching the drama unfold with barely concealed curiosity and judgnt.
Nigel’s face went ashen. “Ashley, you don’t an that.”
“I do an it!” She turned to face him fully, her eyes wild with tears and rage. “I an every word! I’m done pretending we have a marriage when your heart belongs to soone else!”
“My heart doesn’t—”
“LIAR!” Ashley’s scream was so shrill that several people flinched.
“That’s enough!” Jessie’s voice cracked like a whip. “Nigel, go inside. Now. Cool off.”
Nigel looked like he wanted to argue, but the growing crowd of onlookers made him think better of it. He shot one last frustrated glance at his mate before stalking toward the house.
The front door slamd behind him with enough force to rattle the windows.
Ashley collapsed against her mother, sobbing uncontrollably. “He hates , Mom. He thinks she’s better than
in every way.”
“Shh, sweetheart.” Jessie stroked her daughter’s hair while shooting warning glares at the neighboring pack mbers. “Let’s get you inside.”
“I can’t... I can’t breathe.” Ashley’s breathing beca rapid and shallow. “Everything’s spinning.”
“Ashley?” Jessie’s voice sharpened with concern. “Ashley, look at .”
But Ashley’s eyes were rolling back, her legs buckling beneath her.
“Soone call a healer!” Jessie shouted as she struggled to support her daughter’s weight. “Now!”
Ashley hit the ground hard, her body convulsing slightly before going completely limp.
***
Asher scrolled through his phone, frowning at the empty ssage thread with Estelle’s na at the top. Usually, she sent him updates throughout the day. Small things about pack business or Finn’s activities.
But for the past three days, silence.
He’d been too busy with pack etings and territory negotiations to think much about it, but now the quiet felt strange. Estelle was many things, but she wasn’t one to ignore her responsibilities.
Maybe she was still upset about the Luna ceremony preparations. He’d been aning to discuss that with her, but every ti he brought up pack traditions, she found an excuse to change the subject.
His phone buzzed with an incoming call.
“Mom?”
“Asher.” Jessie’s voice was strained. “You need to co to the hospital. It’s Ashley.”
Asher sat up straighter. “What happened? Is she okay?”
“She collapsed. The doctors are with her now, but...” Jessie’s voice broke slightly. “She and Nigel had a terrible fight. She fainted right in front of half the pack.”
“A fight about what?”
There was a long pause before Jessie answered.
“About Estelle.”
Asher frowned. “What about Estelle?”
“She has gone out of control!”
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