A slice of cheesecake after filing for a divorce seemed out of place. Summer Newman, however, decided she did not want to be typical. Why waste money on alcohol or ruin her makeup with tears? She may be dissolving her marriage, but that was no excuse to lose her mind. Besides, Summer knew she had already played that part. Scheming. Lying. Yelling. Pleading. Whatever the role of a jilted wife called for, she did it.
Which, as Summer remembered everything, she grimaced. The sweet, rich flavor of the cheesecake helped settle the bitter taste on her tongue as the memories flowed. By the time she had finished her slice of cheesecake, she realized she would need either three more slices or a giant cup of ice cream to handle the foul taste in her mouth.
Summer flagged down a waitress and ordered the largest milkshake possible. She could enjoy sugar in large loads today because she earned it. Plus, she wanted all the happiness she could consume before presenting the papers to Kyle. Because she imagined that conversation would not be smooth, especially if Lola was present.
The chef wasn't a horrible person, Summer could admit. Lived her life more on the self-righteous side of things, but that didn't make her an enemy. What irritated Summer about Lola had more to do with the fact that being around her caused Kyle to change. Not necessarily a good change in the blonde's books.
To some, they would claim Kyle was maturing. Becoming a wordly man capable of handling business with all sorts of people. Learning to see how the rest of the world lived. And becoming more open-minded to issues that he would never have had to deal with because of his access to money. And he would learn to be more empathetic and willing to lend a hand or offer advice to someone he would have just ignored before.
Sitting alone in a booth in the back corner of the small, upscale restaurant on the opposite side of Genoa City, Summer could admit she was not like that. She was raised a Newman. Money was within reach and solved most of her issues. Her name gave her power and connections. And it helped shape her into the brat that she could be, she knew. Would she openly admit that to anyone? No. Well, maybe her father, but that would be about it.
But Kyle understood without Summer having to say anything. He understood the struggles that came with this life. The triumphs and downfalls. The expectations and disappointments. Family wars that cultivated a personality of being a mean, defensive, calculating person. Being soft and kind put you at a disadvantage in situations this life brought you, Summer had learned.
Now, though, Kyle didn't seem capable of going to war like he once would have. Instead, he seemed more willing to try and talk things out. Take someone at their word. And he wouldn't be the ally Summer had grown up with, leaving her to deal with this world's madness on her own.
"Here you go," the waitress said, pulling Summer from her musings. She gave the younger girl a smile and thanks before the waitress walked away. Summer sipped at the milkshake, grinning at the burst of vanilla, strawberries and banana.
At times, she wished she could be as sickenly sweet as the milkshake before her. Be known for doing good deeds and helping those less fortunate. But Summer knew it wasn't in her to be that person. Having Phyllis Summers and Nick Newman as her parents guaranteed that. She could have shining moments though, such as donating a part of her liver to Lola.
Summer scrunched her nose at the name Lola crossing her mind again. That was a sign it was time to get this over with. She would never be free of Lola Rosales or Kyle Abbott if she didn't. And she had come to see over the past few weeks that she wanted freedom from them as much as they wanted from her.
Finishing her milkshake, Summer called the waitress over. Once her bill had been paid, she stood from the booth and walked out of the restaurant. She glanced at her phone, noting it was three in the afternoon. She debated for a moment before pulling up her contacts. Scrolling down, she pressed on the name she searched for and waited for the call to connect.
"Hello?" Jack answered.
While walking towards her car, Summer responded, "Hey, it's me. I just finished all of my errands. Is Kyle still at the office?"
"Yes he is. Last I checked he was in his office looking over some contracts Vanderway sent him.." Silence for a few moments before, "Are you sure this is what you want, Summer?"
When she had officially made up her mind about divorcing Kyle, his father Jack had been the one Summer went to for advice. Her own mother was still in a pit of anger to offer any sincere advice. Her father would not be objective in his advice. That left Jack, who only wanted the best for both her and Kyle.
"I'm sure," Summer replied as she got into her car.
"You know you can still work here at Jabot," Jack said.
Once she started her car up, the call connecting to her bluetooth, she dropped her phone in the cupholder. She sighed, long and low, as she leaned back against her seat. The weight of her decisions, from the recent weeks to now, laid heavy on her shoulders. Though she knew her decision to divorce Kyle was the right one, she did have a niggling voice in the back of her mind that warned her she would lose Jack because he would always choose his son.
But to hear Jack promise her that she still had her job at Jabot - that she still had him - brought a flush of relief to her. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. Her throat tightened. The weight on her shoulders became a little lighter.
"Thanks, Jack," Summer said once she swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm glad this...craziness hasn't made you doubt me." Mess would be the adequate word to describe the last month at Jabot because of her and Kyle. The tension between the pair sucked the energy out of the room. They could barely tolerate working together, constantly snapping and yelling at each other. Lola's presence at the office had her spitting mad. Jack finally had to say something to the both of them, threatening them with everything he could that if they couldn't get their act together, he would give the Vanderway account to someone else and they would be regulated to mind-numbing tasks.
That day had been the day Summer decided enough was enough.
Summer threw the car in reverse, backing out of the parking spot and driving out to the main road. "Give me fifteen minutes."
"I'll be waiting," Jack said before hanging up.
For the drive to Jabot, Summer considered her options after this day. Did she stay at Jabot for the long haul? Work at Newman? Join her dad at Dark Horse? Go crazy and venture out on her own? Staying at Jabot had appeals, but also Kyle and Lola. Working for her Grandpa right now amidst the Adam return from the dead didn't sound too thrilling. And she loved her dad, but working for him would only aggravate her. The idea of going out on her own sounded worthwhile, but she knew she still had some growing in the business world to do before running her own company.
Summer shook those thoughts away. She still had time to decide her future post Kyle Abbott. And if there is one thing she will learn from this disaster of a marriage to her soon to be ex husband, it was take her time on deciding something. Leading with your heart does not always equal to good things.
Pulling into the Jabot parking lot, Summer found her normal spot. She grabbed the papers, got out of the car, and made her way into the building. She pulled her phone from her pocket. After firing off a text to Jack that she was in the building, Summer walked into the next available elevator. Luckily, she was all alone inside.
She ran a hand through her blonde hair, smoothing down flyaways. Her applied minimal makeup this morning, looking fresh-faced and confident. The dark denim skinny jeans and white t-shirt she wore gave off a relaxed impression. Appearances effected impressions. She wanted the atmosphere between her and Kyle to be casual. Have him see she was doing just fine even though they were divorcing.
The elevator came to a stop, the doors opening with a ding. Stepping off, Summer turned to the right and walked down the hall. The employees stopped and stared at her. She figured it was her casual attire. Summer Newman didn't do casual. Either business or flashy was her mode of operation.
When she reached Kyle's office, Summer let herself in. She chuckled at the sight before her. Kyle sat behind his desk with Lola sitting in his lap. The pair, in the midst of passionate kiss, pulled apart and looked towards her.
Shutting the door before leaning back against it, Summer said, "Don't stop on my account."
Kyle sighed while adjusting his tie. "I thought you took the day off." Exasperation stood out clear as crystal in his tone.
A sharp retort remained hidden behind the tight grin on Summer's face. Once she swallowed her irritation, she replied, "I did. I only came to drop these off before I'm on my way." With that, she walked across the room. She dropped the manila envelope on to his desk while smiling with all teeth on display. She made sure to make eye contact with Lola, who only rolled her eyes back at her.
Kyle stared at the envelope, waiting for it to bite him. "What is that?"
Summer straightened to her full height. "Divorce papers."
That had both reacting. Kyle looked from her to the envelope before snatching it up and opening it. Lola turned from Kyle to Summer, eyes wide and mouth open. Summer gave her the sweetest, sarcastic smile before turning around and walking towards the couch on the opposite side of the room. She sat down with grace, crossing her legs and leaning back.
"I'm not complaining, but I thought we agreed on an annulment," Kyle said.
Summer said, "We have no grounds for an annulment."
"Sure we do. This marriage was a fraud."
That word cut her deep. Summer knew the marriage was a sham. She could admit that. But she did love Kyle in her own, twisted way. And she had wanted this marriage to work. Which is why she had suggested the year deal. Give him time to see how could they were together and remember the love they had before.
"We slept together, so it is consummated." Lola flinched at that revelation. Summer didn't know nor care if Kyle told her they shared a bed. But she did take a small amount of pleasure at seeing the other woman's discomfort. " No lawyer would argue fraud after that. You would know this if you actually spoke to one instead of leaving it up to me."
Kyle's leaned back against his chair. The hand laying on top of the desk curled into a tight fist. She looked from it to his face. "You forget I know you well Kyle Abbott. You want an annulment because it is quick and easy. And you thought that it would get me out of your life so you didn't have to face that fact that you were wobbling in the beginning."
"Excuse me?" Kyle scoffed.
Summer sneered. Disgust bloomed within her at his denial. The Kyle Abbott she remembered would have faced this head off instead of duck and dodge. But she had to remind herself he wasn't her Kyle anymore. He was Lola's. "You were the one that suggested the marriage, I just ran with the idea. I was a bitch and held the possibility of the transplant over your head, yes. But you agreed to it. You also seemed alright with the idea of trying the marriage out for a year like I suggested."
"To get you to agree to the transplant to save Lola's life," he snapped back.
"I know," Summer said. "Most of it was for Lola's sake. But deep down, in the beginning, a small piece of you liked the idea of being with me. Liked the idea of rekindling what we had and trying to make a go of this relationship. Because as much as I hate to admit it and you hate to acknolwedge it, we have a piece of each other Kyle Abbott."
Lola jerked at that. "Are you trying to make yourself sound like some grand romance? That you didn't scheme and manipulate your way into that marriage? That you are some wounded person and not a bitch from hell that constantly tried to steal Kyle from me?"
"First off, Mrs. Chef," Summer enjoyed twisting that word around and mocking it. Lola Rosales may be a famous up-and-coming chef at Society, but she still had a long way to before she was a Gordon Ramsey, "Kyle and I have known each other far longer that you two have. We have been through things together that will always define our relationship with each other. Good and bad."
Summer took a breath, letting the memories wash over her. Both the good and the bad. Her eyes connected with his. He tried to hide it, but he was doing the same as her. "Second, this marriage was a business transaction, yes. But he stayed in it, haven't you noticed. He may have kicked me out of the house and out of his life, but we are still married." At this, she held up her hand. The light reflected off the diamonds in her ring. "He never made the move to get a divorce or annulment. I had to be the one to do it. So while he is shacking up with you and planning your life together, he is still tied to me."
Lola's frown deepened. Anger burned bright in her eyes. Summer raised an eyebrow, daring the girl to defy her.
"Summer…" Kyle started.
"Lastly," the blonde interrupted him, "you're right, I'm a bitch from hell. But I am the bitch that saved your life."
"Because Kyle married you," Lola spat.
"And because I can be a good person," Summer added. She rose to her feet. Her desire to continue this conversation was dying. It would be round five thousand if she stayed. And she decided earlier that she would not fall to that level again. "Even though Kyle married me, I still could have chose not to go through with the surgery. I mean, if all I wanted was Kyle, I had him. I could have dragged that situation on because there is a thing called bodily autonomy. Which means no one can force me to undergo a surgery I don't want to because I choose what to do with my body. I saw an opportunity to get Kyle while doing a good deed." She smirked. "So you need to humble yourself and realize that if it were not for me, you wouldn't be here right now."
"We do appreciate that, Summer," Kyle said.
"I'm sure." She pointed to the papers. "You'll see everything else that needs to be said in those papers. As far as I'm concerned, we don't need to speak unless it's about work or the divorce."
"You're still working here?" Lola asked.
Summer nodded. "I spoke to Jack about this and he assured me I could stay on at Jabot. So unfortunately for you, Little Miss Angel, you'll still be seeing me around. Oh, and let me go ahead and give you this back." With that, she pulled her wedding ring off, dropping it on the coffee table in front of her with a ping. "I'm sure you'll be needing it soon."
Summer walked towards the door, ready to make her escape from the pair. Then a thought struck her. Turning around, she said, "And let me do another good deed for you Lola. Just a little bit of advice. To survive in this world that Kyle lives in, you better have a backbone of steel."
"I can take care of myself, thanks," Lola snapped back.
"I'm sure you can where you come from. But here, in this town, an among these families, you are in shark infested waters. Kyle will try his best to protect you, but if you want this relationship to last, you better be able to pull your own weight. To others, you will be a weakness someone will exploit." She looked to Kyle. He averted his gaze once hers connected. "I'm a bitch from hell for a reason. Because being a self-righteous bitch that plays wounded angel only gets you so far. Especially with the older generation that has seen such acts play out. So you, Mariah, Tessa, and Abby can enjoy that common denominator among yourselves. Act as if none of you have ever done any wrong. But when the time comes, and I promise you it will because nothing stays calms around here, you'll see how your sweet, innocence personality will be trampled on. And then you'll get a front row seat to the Kyle Abbott I know."
Kyle still refused to meet her gaze.
Lola glared.
Summer smiled. After opening the door, she waved goodbye, before stepping out into the hallway. Giddiness bubbled up inside of her, like a high that she never wanted to come down from. She practically skipped to the elevator. Her marriage may be over, but her future looked bright. And the sense of winning that overcame her ignited the competitive spirit inside of her. Kyle wanted her to be the one to seek the end of their marriage because he wanted her to feel defeated by this whole situation. A long game he thought he would win.
He almost did, she could admit.
Until Summer realized something that day after the blowup in Jack's office. Everyone expected her to be the devil in this game while Lola played the angel. Both fighting over a man to be the version that appealed to them. And when Kyle chose Lola, he wanted to teach Summer a lesson. That devils never won against angels. He wanted her to admit defeat and run away to leave them to their fairytale.
He never expected Summer to flip the script on him at the end.
Kyle Abbott could have his divorce. Could pretend that he was this sweet, innocent boy that did all that he did for love. That he was a noble knight saving the dying princess. But he knew as much as Summer did that such acts only lasted so long in this life. Sooner or later the devious Kyle would have to come out to play.
Summer stepped inside the elevator. The doors closed with a ding. She pressed the button for the lobby. Her errands were over for the day. She could go back to her dad's, enjoy a movie, relish in the peace that was within her.
But tomorrow, the start of a new journey begun. One that she knew would make her live up to the family name.