Chapter 5 She Wants Out
Serena had prepared. Daniel could see it the moment he walked into the dining room. She was seated with her hands folded on the table. Straight-backed. Composed. The kind of composed that takes practice in front of a mirror. A glass of water stood beside her untouched. Her phone lay face-down near her elbow. Margaret's car was outside, though her presence had not been mentioned. Daniel noticed that too.
"I think we both know this isn't working anymore," Serena said.
Daniel sat down. He said nothing.
"I don't want this to be difficult," she continued.
"We've grown apart. And with everything that's been happening financially鈥�"
A pause.
"I think a separation makes sense. For both of us."
"Okay," Daniel said.
She blinked. For the first time that evening, the performance slipped. She had clearly expected resistance. Tears perhaps. Anger perhaps. Some version of a man with nothing left trying to hold on to what remained. Instead, Daniel only folded his hands and waited.
"I've already spoken to a solicitor," she said, recovering.
"I'm entitled to a share of the property, some ongoing financial support, given the years I've contributed鈥�"
"Owen will handle my side," Daniel said.
"He'll be in touch."
Her mouth tightened.
"That's all you have to say?"
"For now."
Serena looked at him as if searching for the old Daniel, the one who might have tried to negotiate love back into the room. He was not there. Four days later they sat across a conference table. Serena had brought Margaret and a solicitor named Mr. Graves. Graves was confident, well-dressed, and accustomed to winning rooms before he opened his folder. Owen sat opposite with two associates and a perfectly organised file. Daniel sat beside him in a plain suit, the same one Serena had seen twice that month. That had been intentional. Serena's position was precise.
The house. A cash settlement. Ongoing spousal support. The Audi, which she referred to as her car. Mr. Graves said pleasantly, "Given Mr. Marsh's apparent financial position, we understand some flexibility may be required. But we'd like to establish the baseline figures first." Owen opened his folder. He slid a single page across the table.
"This is a summary of Mrs. Marsh's supplementary credit card activity over the past five months," he said, his voice completely neutral.
Mr. Graves looked at the page. His expression did not change. But his body went completely still.
"Total expenditure on behalf of a Mr. Callum Reid: just under twenty-two thousand pounds," Owen continued.
"Restaurants. Hotels. Clothing purchases. A watch valued at three thousand, two hundred pounds."
He turned another page.
"We further note that the vehicle Mrs. Marsh describes as her own has been in Mr. Reid's regular possession since the third week of March."
Serena's jaw tightened. Margaret made a sound from the far side of the room that was not quite a word. Graves leaned closer to Serena and spoke quietly. Owen did not raise his voice.
"Under the Matrimonial Causes Act, established marital misconduct combined with the unilateral use of joint assets materially affects the court's discretion on financial remedy."
He paused.
"My client will be contesting all claims on that basis."
Serena's face had gone very pale. Then her phone buzzed on the table. She looked at the screen. Callum. She did not answer. It rang again. And again. Owen watched her hands. Daniel watched her face. For the first time in months, something real moved behind her expression. Not anger. Something far more uncomfortable than anger. Owen closed the folder.
"Shall we schedule a follow-up meeting?" he said.