Linda froze, apparently not expecting me to be so direct.

"She told me that you and your wife weren't getting along and were planning to divorce. She said you were lonely and wanted to give us a chance to get to know each other."

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, looking slightly embarrassed.

Just as I thought. I laughed bitterly to myself but kept my expression neutral. "Did she mention that I'm still married? That my wife is just away on a business trip?"

Linda's expression turned strange, but she nodded. "She did mention it. She said that as long as you want to, I could help you get out of this unhappy marriage as quickly as possible."

She looked at me with what seemed like genuine sincerity. And I felt insulted.

I picked up the steaming cup of coffee in front of me and dumped it onto the floor at her feet. Linda jumped up, staring at me in shock.

"I don't care what Monica told you, but let me make something very clear. This is my home. I have a legal wife, and every second you spend here is an insult to me and my family."

I stood and pointed at the door. "Get out of my house. Now."

Linda gaped at me. She tried to stammer out an explanation, but my icy stare silenced her. In the end, she fled the apartment in humiliation.

Monica didn't drag herself home until that evening. The moment she walked in and saw me calmly watching TV on the couch, her expression darkened.

"Dad! Where's Ms. Calcraft?"

I didn't bother looking up. "I threw her out."

"What!" Monica's voice shot up an octave. "How could you do that? I went through so much trouble to invite her over! Even if you don't like her, you can't just kick someone out like that! You're being completely unreasonable!"

I finally turned to face her. "I'm going to say this one last time. I am not getting a divorce. Tell your brother to stop scheming too, or don't blame me for forgetting we're family."

Now that I'd called her out directly, Monica couldn't keep up the pretense anymore. She stormed off to her room, her face twisted with anger.

When they couldn't make any progress with me, she and Jason turned their attention to their mother instead.

A few days later, Claire returned from her business trip.

I got up in the middle of the night for a glass of water. As I passed the study, I heard hushed voices inside. I stopped instinctively and pressed myself against the door.

Jason's voice drifted out, thick with concern. "Mom, there's something Monica and I don't know if we should tell you."

"What's with all the secrecy?" Claire sounded impatient.

"Mom, Dad… Dad might be seeing someone else." Monica's voice cracked with tears, sounding utterly pitiful.

The study fell silent for a moment.

"That's nonsense!" Claire snapped. "Your father isn't like that!"

"Mom, we didn't want to believe it either!" Jason said, sounding distressed. "But we saw it with our own eyes! While you were away, a woman came to the house!"

"Mom, if you don't divorce him now, what's going to happen when Dad brings that homewrecker home? What about your dignity?" Monica's voice dissolved into sobs.

She continued, "I know he's my father, but when he does something wrong, we can't just look the other way. Think about it. If he's this bold now, what's he going to do later? If you ask me, you should take him straight to court! Make sure he leaves with nothing!

"Mom, you've worked so hard and saved for so many years. Are you really going to stand by and watch him spend it all on some other woman?"