---- Chapter 12 Elizabeth's lawyers were moving quickly, quietly. She advised me to play along, for now. To avoid escalating things until we had a clear exit strategy. A few days later, Michael approached me, a document in his hand. "Liv, I've been thinking," he said, his tone carefully reasonable. "This situation... it's not ideal. For anyone." | waited, my expression neutral. "A divorce right now... it would be messy. A scandal. It could ruin my startup. The investors... many of them are your mother's contacts." He wasn't wrong about that. His seed funding, his crucial early network, had come significantly through me and Elizabeth. "So, what are you proposing?" | asked. "A legal separation," he said. "A quiet one. Just on paper. We tell people we're taking some space, working things out. It gives us time. It helps Serena... you know... with child support. From her 'deceased' partner's non-existent estate." He was still clinging to that ridiculous lie, even with me. "And then what, Michael?" "And then," he said, trying for a hopeful smile, "once things settle down, once Serena is on her feet, we can... we can work on us. Reconcile. For our baby." ---- A fake divorce. A temporary measure. All to protect his image, his company, his access to my mother's influence. He still believed he could manipulate me back, that | would wait patiently while he played happy families with Serena. The audacity was breathtaking. But | saw the desperation in his eyes. He was scared of losing the network, the money. "Okay, Michael," | said, my voice calm, betraying none of the disgust | felt. "A legal separation. If you think that's best." His relief was palpable. "Oh, Liv, thank you. | knew you'd understand. You're always so reasonable." He actually believed | was agreeing to his terms. Later that evening, | overheard him on the phone with Serena, his voice jubilant. "It's all working out, baby! Liv agreed to a separation. No messy divorce. We're in the clear!" Serena's excited squeals echoed from his phone. They were celebrating their perceived victory, their successful manipulation of the "reasonable" Olivia. They had no idea. My calm acceptance was not surrender. It was strategy. My hidden pain was fueling a resolve they couldn't comprehend. Let them celebrate. Their victory would be short-lived.