Chapter 15 - ADELINE DOES NOT WANT MY HOUSE
Once paternity was legally acknowledged, temporary support was established quickly.
Not by private generosity.
Court order and agreement.
Monthly child support based on income factors, custody schedule, and state guidelines.
My income was high.
The amount was substantial.
Adeline also received temporary contribution toward health insurance and childcare.
Then arrears.
Complicated because I had been paying money intended for support.
Did intercepted money count?
The court did not resolve instantly.
It ordered accounting.
Good.
Then housing.
I offered Adeline the guest house.
She refused.
I offered to buy her apartment building? Too much. No.
I offered to cover a larger rental pending final support.
She said:
“Through the order, not through your mother’s system.”
Fair.
Then:
“I don’t want to live behind your gates.”
“Why?”
She stared.
“Because I spent our marriage asking whether I was your wife or one more person living on Ventresca property.”
That hurt.
Then the divorce history.
We had divorced three years earlier.
No children legally listed because the false paternity narrative remained unresolved.
Adeline had accepted a modest property settlement.
Did Lucinda manipulate that too?
Maybe some, but avoid giant rewrite. We review.
Adeline had independent counsel.
The settlement was real.
Not forged.
She chose it because she wanted separation.
Good.
No need invalidate everything.
Then she said:
“I don’t want to remarry you.”
I had not asked.
She saw something in my face.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking.”
“Yes.”
“That is the problem.”
Fair.
May you like
Fatherhood did not automatically restore marriage.
I could repair one relationship without demanding the other.
