Chapter 532 I Want a Divorce
Rylee's big ol' grin didn't even get a chuckle outta Todd.
Todd's face got all serious, and he was like, "Let's chow down first!"
He grabbed his knife and fork, ready to dig in.
Carol just rolled her eyes at him, picked up her utensils, and said, "If you got something to say, just spit it out."
Todd kept his head down, munching away, not even glancing at Carol, making the whole table vibe kinda awkward.
Susan was just there, feeding Spring, keeping her mouth shut. She figured saying anything might just tick Carol off more.
Rylee couldn't stand it anymore and pouted. "What's the deal? When did our fam get so weird?"
Seb's eyebrows knitted together too.
Kathy, the old family servant, saw the tension and quickly stepped in with a smile. "Mr. Todd Anderson, Mrs. Carol Anderson, why don't you try my cooking? I picked up a few new recipes from that TV show."
Carol took a bite and said, "It's been a minute since I had your cooking."
Kathy quickly replied, "Mrs. Carol Anderson, if you like it, I can whip some up and send it to Rylee's place."
Carol shot back, "No need. You got a new boss now. If you keep working for the old one, the new one might not be too happy," with a sarcastic tone.
Kathy got all quiet, looking scared.
Susan glanced at Carol, knowing that jab was aimed at her since she was Kathy's new boss.
Todd finally spoke up, "Kathy's been with us forever. She's like family!"
Kathy felt a bit better and smiled, heading back to the kitchen.
Carol muttered, "Nothing I say ever makes you happy."
Todd just kept eating, not saying a word.
Susan thought it was weird. Normally, they'd be arguing by now, but Todd seemed to be backing down or just didn't wanna fight.
The table was kinda dull. Seb and Rylee chatted a bit, and Seb talked shop with Andrew. Even little Hayden chimed in, making the meal barely tolerable.
Todd was the first to finish, wiping his mouth with a napkin, folding it neatly, and pressing it on the table. He looked kinda nervous.
By now, everyone was almost done eating.
Rylee looked up at Todd with a smile and said, "Dad, didn't you say you had some big news? What's up? Is it something awesome?"
Todd hesitated, then said seriously, "It should be good news for your mom and me, but maybe not so much for you and Seb."
Everyone looked confused, glancing at each other.
Carol, impatient, said, "Just say it!"
Her words made Todd's face darken, like he was about to lose it.
Susan had a gut feeling Todd was about to drop a bomb, probably something big about him and Carol. She had a bad vibe about it.
She glanced at Seb, who looked just as puzzled, frowning back at her.
After a few seconds of dead silence, Todd turned to Carol, all serious, and said, "Carol, we've been at this for over thirty years, and it's been thirty years of non-stop arguing. We're getting old, and things aren't getting better; they're getting worse. Every time we see each other, it's a fight. I'm just so tired of it."
Carol, never one to back down, cut him off, "You're tired? You think I'm not tired? Marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life!"
Todd shot back, "If it was a mistake, let's fix it now!"
Carol finally looked at him, stunned. After a few seconds, she asked, "Todd, what are you saying?"
"Let's get a divorce. It'll be better for both of us," Todd sighed.
Everyone at the table was floored, staring at Todd like he had three heads.
Carol sneered, too shocked to speak at first. She hadn't seen this coming and felt humiliated in front of the kids.
"Todd, get this straight. I haven't even mentioned divorce, and now you're bringing it up? Sure, you were a big shot, with all the fame and status. But have you ever thought about who kept this household running all these years? I built Prosperity Group, and under Seb's management, it's become a huge corporation. That's all thanks to me and Seb. What have you done? You live in luxury because of us. And now you have the nerve to ask for a divorce? Without me, you'd be left with your measly pension, barely enough to get by," Carol said, crossing her arms and glaring at Todd.
Susan quickly told Kathy to take Hayden and Spring away, not wanting the kids to get scared or hear the adults' drama.
Seb suddenly asked Todd, "Dad, is this the big news you wanted to tell us?"
"Yeah," Todd nodded.
Seb couldn't hold back anymore and raised his voice, "Dad, you're almost sixty. How can you even think about breaking up the family now? You and Mom have argued forever, but you've always managed to get through it."
"Yeah, Dad, you and Mom are both at this age. Why get a divorce now? And if you do, how are Seb and I supposed to deal with it?" Rylee chimed in, trying to talk some sense into him.
Susan, sitting there, felt totally puzzled.
Why was Todd suddenly asking for a divorce? What pushed him to this? And he didn't seem like he was joking; he must've thought it through. However, he and Carol had spent a lifetime together and had two kids. They were already grandparents.
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