The crowd is laughing, and phones are recording.
"He cheated left and right, thought he'd never pay,
But karma came a-knocking in court today!
Prenup violated, assets all denied,
The judge saw through his lies, now there's nowhere to hide!"
The singer does a little spin, her voice rising with theatrical flair:
"So here's to the ex-wife who finally broke free,
No more lies, no more chains, she's wild and she's free!
And here's to the cheater who lost everything,
No more mistress trips or Cartier bling!"
Preston's face has gone from red to purple. He tries to push through the crowd, but people are blocking his way, laughing and clapping along.
The singer hits the final note with a triumphant flourish:
"The moral of the story, if you're keeping score:
Don't cheat on your wife, or you'll end up poor!"
The crowd erupts in applause and laughter. The singer takes a bow, then looks directly at Preston.
"Thanks for the material, honey!" she calls out cheerfully.
Preston finally manages to shove through the crowd and stumble down the courthouse steps, his parents hurrying after him.
I'm doubled over laughing, tears streaming down my face. Wyatt has his arm around me, and he's laughing too, his whole body shaking with it.
Nico is cackling with delight. "Best. Day. Ever," she announces.
The singer bounds over to me, still grinning. "Sorry we didn't get to finish last time! Had to make up for it."
"That was perfect," I manage to say through my laughter. "Absolutely perfect."
She winks. "Glad you enjoyed it. And hey, if you ever need us for a wedding or anything, Nico's got my contact details."
She saunters off, and I look up at Wyatt, my face aching from smiling.
"A wedding?" he asks softly, his eyes searching mine.
"Maybe someday," I say, my heart full.
He kisses me then, soft and sweet and full of promise, right there on the courthouse steps with the crowd still cheering and the afternoon sun warm on our faces.
The ghost of my past is finally, truly gone.
And my future is standing right here, holding me close.
Chapter 31
Wyatt
