Chapter 531

Chapter 531 “The fight was simply kids being kids. Additionally, it was an accident. We will take good care of Sonny and protect him from harm once we gain custody.”

Mrs. Brown said with a heavy heart, “Hank, please don’t go through with the divorce. I can’t handle it.”

It never occurred to her that fights among children could affect custody decisions.

Despite her age, Mrs. Brown had never witnessed anyone taking their divorce to court. In the separations she had observed, women would pack their belongings and leave, leaving the house, car, and children with the men.

“Sure, it was just a fight between kids, but others might question whether living with us is beneficial for Sonny’s growth and well-being,” Hank patiently explained to his parents. “Mom, I don’t love Liberty anymore. It’s not like she would take me back either. You can’t force things to work. It would be difficult for both her and me at this point. Besides, Liberty is willing to settle. The divorce is going to happen. I’ve made up my mind, and I only came back to inform you.” Jessica was right; it was best for Hank to handle the situation with Liberty himself. It was sufficient that he kept his parents informed. As tears flowed, Mrs. Brown slapped her husband. “Say something, old man! No, I need to call Chelsea and have her talk some sense into you.” She was about to call her daughter when her husband stopped her. “Informing Chelsea will only complicate matters,” he said irritably before turning to his son. “Is divorce really the only option? Are those pictures such a significant threat to you?”

He understood his son well; Hank wouldn’t choose Liberty’s path unless he felt threatened. “Dad, my career would be ruined if Liberty shows that stuff to my boss. Ending a loveless marriage doesn’t seem like a bad deal to me.”

“Marriage is essential to safeguard my future,” Mr. Brown said, falling silent afterward.

Mrs. Brown reacted with frustration. “Liberty has gone too far. What does she gain by ruining your future?”

“She’s retaliating because I didn’t go easy on her. I have far more to lose than she does—she has nothing to lose,” he replied.

Mrs. Brown expressed her anger vehemently. She shifted from criticizing Liberty for her extreme actions to chastising her son for his lack of self-control, and then to blaming Jessica for being the other woman and disrupting her son’s marriage. Now, her son and daughter-in-law were separating and dividing their assets.

“Mom, it’s not Jessica’s fault. I was the one who fell for her first.” Hank couldn’t tolerate his mother speaking poorly of Jessica, as his feelings for her developed before hers for him.

“Mom, Dad, consider this: I wouldn’t be earning this kind of income if I worked elsewhere. Although I’ll feel the sting of giving Liberty a million dollars, I can recover that amount and more as long as I keep my job.”

“Liberty will file for divorce if I don’t comply with her demands. She’ll get what she wants regardless, but I risk losing my job and my reputation in the industry. Finding another job will be difficult. After careful thought, I agreed to Liberty’s terms.”

“Don’t worry about Sonny. He’ll still be your grandson after the divorce. Just let Liberty know when you want to see him; she’s okay with visitations.” Mr. and Mrs. Brown remained quiet, recognizing that their son’s career was the priority. They understood how hard he had worked to rise from an entry-level position to his current managerial role. His monthly side income was equivalent to the yearly earnings of many. After a moment of contemplation, Mr. Brown finally said, “There’s nothing more we can say since…”

“You have already made your decision.”