The Ascent of Jeffery Flamel; Restoring Alchemy's Legacy

CHAPTER 7

Jeffrey's hand tightened around the phone as Cora's voice sliced through the silence like a razor.

“You’re really pathetic, Jeffrey. You should have done this years ago. But don’t worry, if you don’t hurry up and get your ass down to the courthouse, Adam will make sure you regret it.” Her laugh was sharp, cruel.

The words hit him like a slap. His jaw clenched, and his pulse hammered in his neck. He wanted to scream, to throw the phone across the room, but instead, he kept his voice low, controlled.

“You’ll regret this, Cora,” he said, his voice dripping with venom. “Every choice you make, you’ll regret it.”

Cora’s laughter echoed in his ear before she hung up. He stared at the phone, his hand trembling. This was it. The final straw. He had tried for years to make it work, but the constant mockery, the endless manipulation—he was done.

Rita, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room, watching Jeffrey with concern, stood up.

She was gentle, offering him an escape, her voice soft. “Jeffrey, let me drive you to the courthouse. I’ll go with you.”

He shook his head, the heat of his frustration still burning through him.

“I’ll be fine. You don’t need to do that. I’ll take a cab.”

Rita hesitated, clearly wanting to argue, but instead just nodded.

She didn’t know he was going to divorce today.

She gave him a sad smile, but Jeffrey barely noticed. He was already thinking of the best way to get this over with.

The cab ride felt like an eternity.

He stepped out of the taxi and straightened his jacket, the cool air of the morning biting at his skin. And then, he saw her.

Cora stood across the street, her gaze immediately locking onto him. A smirk crept across her lips. “Look at you,” she called out, loud enough for everyone around to hear. “You’ve been married to me for years, and you still can’t even afford a car. What a joke.”

Jeffrey didn’t answer. He just kept walking, his steps steady and deliberate, his eyes fixed on the courthouse doors ahead. He wasn’t about to let her provoke him any further.

Inside, the paperwork was straightforward.

The woman behind the counter barely looked up from her computer as she slid the forms across to him.

He signed. She stamped. It was done.

His marriage is over.

As Jeffrey turned to leave, he heard her voice again.

Cora's voice cut through the air, thick with mockery. “You’re a nobody. Don’t come crawling back to me for help. You won’t get a penny.”

Jeffrey didn’t turn around.

His fingers curled into fists at his sides, but he kept his composure.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he said, his tone as sharp as a knife. “This is the last time you’ll hear from me.”

He scanned the area, looking for the nearest taxi. His stomach churned with the urge to escape, to put as much distance between himself and her as possible.

Cora’s phone rang. She glanced down at the screen, her lips curving into a sly smile. She answered the call with a saccharine sweetness he’d never once heard her use on him.

“Hello, Adam,” she purred. “Yes, it’s done. I’m free.”

She paused, listening intently, her eyes lighting up with something Jeffrey couldn’t quite place. Then her smile widened. “You have a surprise for me? I can’t wait.”

The surprise. That’s when it happened.

A deep rumble sounded from down the street, and Jeffrey turned instinctively.

A line of sleek black luxury cars appeared, their polished surfaces gleaming in the morning sun.

The engines hummed in unison as the cars rolled toward the courthouse, their tires squeaking against the pavement.

There must have been at least ten, maybe more.

Cora’s face lit up like a child on Christmas morning as she turned her attention to the convoy.

This must be the surprise Adam mentioned.