"I made the mistake, and if I could go back and undo it all, I would without hesitation. You may not believe me but It hurts me more than you. Please forgive us, son. Let us be here for you now. Let us support you and help you. We are still family." The mom continued to plead.
Bella stepped beside her mother as her tears threatened to spill over. "Desmond, we are sorry. We will do whatever it takes to make things right."
Desmond closed his eyes, trying to calm the storm raging within him. For a long moment, the room was silent. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked at them both.
"Fine. You guys are still my family and very precious to me. I forgive you both." He finally said, and the mother stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you, son. Thank you."
Bella joined and hugged him as well. "We will be here for you, no matter what." She said, and just then, his phone began to ring. He checked, and it was an unsaved number. He picked it up and placed it over his left ear. "Who is this?"
"Mr. Desmond, this is Judge Mark, calling from the courthouse regarding the divorce case filed by your wife, Daniella," He heard a male voice speak.
"Why are you calling?" Desmond asked, unfazed.
"I’m calling to inform you that you need to appear in court and sign the divorce paper to proceed with the case." The judge continued. "And if you fail to appear, the court will proceed without you. A summary judgment will be issued in favor of your wife based on the documents she has already submitted."
"What does that mean exactly?" Desmond asked, though he already had a sinking feeling he knew the answer.
"Good question. So, it means that the court will make decisions regarding the division of your properties based on the details and claims provided by your wife. This will include how your assets are divided, and it will also determine the alimony amount, all without your input. If you don’t participate, the decisions will be made solely on her terms, and you will have no say in the outcome."
"So when am I showing up?" He asked.
"You are scheduled to appear on Friday, this week, which is four days from now." The judge replied. "This will give you time to prepare and consult legal representation if you need it. I strongly recommend that you show up, Mr. Desmond, to ensure that your side of the case is heard."
"Alright." Desmond simply replied. "I will be there."
"Very well. We will see you then. Have a nice day, Mr. Desmond." The line clicked, and the call ended.
"Who was that? Where are you going?" His mother asked,.
"It was the court. They are telling me I need to come and sign the divorce paper. If I don’t, Daniella’s claims will go through uncontested. They will divide everything based on what she provided and what she asked for, and they will decide alimony without my input." Desmond answered.
"I can't believe that Daniella will go this far." Bella said. "She really want to take what you suffered for. I can't believe that someone will be so heartless."
"Desmond, you need to fight this." His mother said, putting a comforting hand on Desmond's shoulder. "You need to go to the court and make sure they hear your side. Tell them that you haven't married her even up to a week. That she married you to divorce you so she would reap from where she didn't sow. That she was cheating on you. I believe you will win."