Chapter 21 - FOURTEEN HOURS IS STILL A MARRIAGE
Avery initially wanted annulment.
Rebecca explained carefully.
“A short marriage does not automatically disappear.”
“It lasted fourteen hours.”
“Legally, duration is not enough.”
“What about fraud?”
“Depends on what can actually be proven and whether it meets the standard.”
“He lied about his mother’s text.”
“Yes.”
“He hid finances.”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that fraud?”
“Not every marital lie creates annulment grounds.”
Avery hated the answer.
“So divorce.”
“Likely.”
“That feels ridiculous.”
“Why?”
“Because I want it erased.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“Why?”
Avery’s eyes filled.
“I don’t want to say I was married to him.”
“There it is.”
Avery looked up.
Rebecca continued:
“Legal erasure is not emotional erasure.”
Avery stared.
“You’re unbearable.”
“Yes.”
They proceeded with divorce.
The marriage existed.
Fourteen hours of normality.
Then months of legal ending.
Avery eventually accepted that.
She did not need to rewrite history.
She had married Spencer.
Loved him.
Misjudged some things.
Correctly judged others.
Prepared.
Left.
All true.
May you like
Erasing the marriage would not make her wiser.
Living through its truth did.
