You're Just My Ex-Husband,My Lord-Chapter 33- I don’t want custody anymore
Laurent couldn’t help but feel a sense of amusement mixed with anger. Clark’s phone call, clearly meant to provoke her, only resulted in her sarcastically mocking Clark, especially with her direct remark about the divorce. Clark had hoped to cause trouble, but Laurent had turned the tables, leaving Clark with nothing to argue back.
As Clark continued to accuse Laurent of manipulating Dave into staying married, mentioning their daughter and using her as leverage, Laurent’s temper flared. She didn’t want to engage with Clark anymore, but the mention of her daughter pushed her to respond.
"Clark, are you out of your mind?" Laurent snapped, her patience wearing thin. "If you’re really that ill, go get treated—don’t come here barking like a mad dog!"
She was done with the ridiculous accusations. She hung up the phone, rolling her eyes. But just as she tried to calm herself, Clark let out a dramatic and painful-sounding scream from the other end of the line, clearly attempting to provoke Laurent further. Laurent, already irritated, hung up without another word, completely unfazed by Clark’s antics.
Sitting back on the couch, Laurent closed her eyes and tried to collect herself. The call had rattled her more than she cared to admit. Despite everything, Clark’s persistence stung—Clark was, after all, connected to the man Laurent had once loved deeply. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became, but she held her ground, focusing on maintaining her dignity.
A loud, forceful knock at the door interrupted her moment of quiet. She opened the door to find Dave standing there, his face a storm of anger. Before she could react, he stormed into the room, stepping forward and pushing her back against the wall, his eyes burning with fury.
"What did you say to Clark just now?" he demanded, his voice low but furious.
Laurent immediately understood—Clark had gone running to him, tattling about their conversation. Without hesitation, she stood her ground, crossing her arms as she tilted her head back, meeting his glare.
"I told her she’s got a problem," Laurent said coolly. "Told her to go get treated if she’s so sick, and stop barking like a mad dog."
She wasn’t one to hide behind veiled words or secret plots. If she said it, she owned it.
Dave’s anger flared even more, his eyes blazing with fury as if he wanted to strangle her on the spot.
"Why did you say she’s sick?" His voice rose, sharp with frustration. "Do you have any idea what she—"
Dave was clearly struggling to hold back his words, the anger bubbling up but he couldn’t quite bring himself to say them. He only glared at Laurent with intensity, as though he could burn a hole through her with just his eyes. His silence, however, only seemed to irritate him more, and Laurent couldn’t help but feel a sense of amusement in the face of his barely contained fury.
She leaned against the wall with a smug smile, her tone light but sharp.
"Oh? You’re really upset over just one little insult to her?" she teased. "Your beloved Clark sure holds a special place in your heart. I haven’t even done anything to her, and you’re here, all furious with me."
Laurent’s words were like a prick of a needle, making Dave’s anger flare even brighter. But she didn’t mind. It was obvious that he still held some twisted loyalty or connection to Clark, and that very loyalty made him seem weak and exposed in Laurent’s eyes.
She couldn’t help but think, *This marriage... why should I keep holding onto it?* If he was so desperate to defend Clark, why should she stay shackled to a man who clearly didn’t care for her? It was painful, yes, but perhaps the end had already come. This was no longer a partnership, just a farce.
Laurent’s smile deepened as she met his gaze. *If he’s really this upset now, imagine what’ll happen when I finally take the step and end it for good.*
Dave stormed out, unable to say anything in response to Laurent’s taunting. His frustration was palpable, but there was no outlet for his rage. He slammed the door behind him, the sound echoing in the hallway as he left. Laurent, unmoved, stayed where she was, watching the door with a cold, calculating gaze.
The reality of the situation was clear to her now. She was no longer emotionally invested in the marriage, and Dave’s actions, whether they were out of guilt, anger, or whatever it was, didn’t change that. He was an anchor she no longer needed, dragging her down with his own emotional turmoil.
She didn’t dwell on him for long. The knock at the door brought her attention back to the present. But she didn’t rush to answer it. Instead, she took her time finishing the meal that had been delivered, savoring each bite as if to remind herself that she was in control of her own life now. Her thoughts were calm, detached, as she reflected on everything that had led her here.
The knock came again, louder this time, but Laurent didn’t flinch. She was done playing games, done with the emotional manipulation. If someone wanted to speak to her, they could wait. Her dinner was more important than whatever or whoever was waiting outside.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Laurent set her chopsticks down, wiped her mouth, and stood up to answer the door.
It was Dave’s voice outside the door.
"I’m heading back to my country now. I’ve already arranged everything for the upcoming Disney trip—"
Laurent interrupted him, raising her voice.
"You don’t need to bother. I’ll take my daughter to have fun myself."
There was silence outside the door, followed by the sound of a suitcase being dragged away.
Laurent lowered her head and continued eating.
If, up until this point, she had been fighting with Dave over custody of their daughter, then after his aggressive confrontation on behalf of Clark, and after he abandoned them for Clark, she had given up even the custody of her daughter, only hoping that the marriage would end as soon as possible.
If he wanted their daughter, then let him have her. If that could bring her future freedom.
She didn’t care if people called her selfish or heartless.
Dave had ordered dinner for the three of them, and Laurent left some for her daughter. The rest, she finished all at once. In that moment, it was the only way to calm her emotions.
Over the next few days, Laurent took her daughter out for fun, though not at Disney. After two days there, the little girl had already had her fill of Disney. Laurent took her daughter to a quiet little town, stayed at a local guesthouse, and they spent their days eating, drinking, playing, and relaxing.
It was as if she was spending her final days with her daughter, and also as if she was healing herself.
After returning to the country, Laurent directly sent her daughter to Tiffany’s, then called Dave.
"I’ve sent Emma to your mom’s." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
There was a moment of silence on the other end before Dave asked her,
"What do you mean?"
She answered calmly,
"I don’t want custody anymore. Let’s find a time to finalize the divorce paperwork."
Hearing that she was willing to give up custody of their daughter just to divorce him, Dave was both shocked and angry.
"Laurent!"
Of course, Laurent wouldn’t sit there and let him yell at her. She immediately hung up the phone.
During the days Laurent spent alone with her daughter in Japan, the little girl had asked about why he had left. Laurent told her it was because... he was busy with work.
Since she had decided to give up custody, Laurent lied to her daughter to ensure she could have a good relationship with her father.
But Laurent also knew that even if their daughter were with him, he wouldn’t take much responsibility. He would be too busy with work and courting his lover. In the end, their daughter would likely be raised by Tiffany.
This was the only thing that reassured Laurent. Tiffany came from a prestigious family, was elegant herself, and genuinely loved her granddaughter. As long as their daughter was with Tiffany, life at Burg Eltz would likely not be too difficult for her.
