My gaze dropped to the red string tied around his wrist.
"Dominic. I want a divorce."
We'd only been married a year this time. I had plenty of road ahead of me, and I refused to waste another second tangled up with a man who wasn't worth the air he breathed.
Dominic Calloway stared at me, frozen, as if the words hadn't registered.
Of course. In his mind, I would always be that Ava. The one who saw the bigger picture. The one who compromised, who yielded, who forgave. The one who loved him like he was the only thing keeping her alive.
Divorce. The word coming out of my mouth must have sounded like a joke to him. Absurd. Impossible.
Three seconds passed.
The color drained from his face, replaced by something dark.
"Ava, since when did you learn these little-girl ultimatum tricks?"
"Just because I feel sorry for Fiona and want to help her out?"
"I'm not making ultimatums."
I smiled, perfectly composed, but my voice was steel.
"I think giving her the title of Mrs. Calloway would do a much better job of helping her rebuild the Prescott family business."
"I'm stepping aside for her. What more could you possibly want?"
I turned and walked into the bathroom.