I settled back against the soft leather seat with my hands in my lap as the stone front of the courthouse disappeared in the rearview mirror.

The next morning, the black car dropped me at Samuel’s office twenty minutes before nine.

Samuel sat behind his heavy mahogany desk with a thick blue audit folder spread open between two brass desk lamps.

“The final divorce decree was entered into the public registry at eight thirty this morning,” Samuel said, holding up a single sheet of watermarked paper to show the red official stamp.

“Which means clause fourteen of the master lease is in effect,” I said, crossing the dark Persian rug and sitting in the armless leather chair across from him.