Chapter 10
We talked for hours that day.
From my failed marriage to her struggles at university.
After the tears dried, Naomi wiped her face, and her eyes hardened with determination.
“Mom, we can’t just let him get away with this.”
“Of course not. But this isn’t your fight–let me handle it.”
After making sure Naomi was okay, I headed straight home.
Before Crane got back, I gathered every shred of evidence: the affair, the bigamy (common–law marriage), the domestic violence. I filed for divorce and submitted everything
to the court.
Meanwhile, Naomi put her journalism major to good use.
She wrote up her entire story–complete with transfer records and photos–and published it online as a long–form piece.
The title: “My Father Used My Stolen College Fund to Subsidize His Mistress’s Medical Bills”
The article was detailed, heart–wrenching, and went viral within hours.
Crane became a social pariah overnight. His reputation was destroyed.
And Miranda–that woman who’d lived off his money–disappeared with Tyler the second she found out Crane was broke.
All his promises of forever crumbled the moment reality hit.
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You Send Your Daughter $3K Monthly–W
5.2%
Chapter 10
The court ruled quickly. As the party at fault, Crane got nothing in the divorce,
He tried coming after me several times–crying, begging, throwing tantrums. But the restraining order I’d filed kept him far away.
Later, I heard through the grapevine that he’d suffered a stroke while working day labor at a construction site. Left him partially paralyzed.
When paramedics found him, he was completely alone.
Since he couldn’t afford proper care, the hospital only did the bare minimum to keep him alive. He ended up lying in that bed half–dead, incontinent, unable to move–exactly like I had been in my past life.
Karma’s a bitch.
Six months later, Naomi received an offer from Columbia University’s graduate program with a full scholarship.
I drove her to JFK Airport.
Watching her walk through security with her suitcase, turning back to wave at me with that confident, radiant smile, I couldn’t help but tear up.
My phone buzzed. A message from Naomi:
“Mom, I’ll text you when I land. I love you.”
I stood there in the crowded terminal, laughing and crying at the same time.
Finally, the sun was shining again.
♡ (2)
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