Page 1 of His Determined Mate
CHAPTER 1
HANNAH
Whatcom County Courthouse
Bellingham, Washington
Hannah Compton sat in one of the dimly lit courtrooms of the Whatcom County courthouse, the familiar scent of wood polish and old paper mixing with the stale air. She was entering what was supposed to be the end of a very long divorce proceeding. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband, Theodore Compton, was tall, confident, and all charm in the witness box, his voice carrying the smooth calculated cadence that had once charmed her. Now, each word felt like a dagger, sharp and unforgiving, as he spun his web of lies.
Professor Teddy, as he was known to everyone at Western Washington University, was determined to secure half of her thriving graphic design business, a business she had built from the ground up with her blood, sweat, and tears after working two jobs to pay to get Theodore his doctoral degree in art history.
"He contributed nothing," she whispered to herself, fingers gripping the edge of the wooden bench. The judge glanced her way, a stern reminder to maintain her composure. Teddy's attorney, a smug man with a permanent smirk, lobbed questions designed to paint Teddy as a pivotal part of her success. She bit her tongue, knowing any outburst could jeopardize the final decree she desperately wanted and needed.
Teddy's new fiancée, a young, barely legal blonde with an air of entitlement, sat smugly in the front row, her manicured nails tapping against her phone screen. Hannah's stomach churned at the sight of them together. She could feel the disdain radiating from her soon-to-be ex-husband’s newest piece of eye candy, and wondered if the girl had any idea what she was getting into. It didn’t really matter to Hannah. The girl had latched onto Teddy and had lied through her teeth throughout the trial. She was a stark reminder of everything Hannah had lost and the betrayal that had shattered her world.
Hannah had believed that finding them in bed together in the hotel room in Seattle would have been the worst of it, but she’d been so wrong. By the time Hannah had driven back to Bellingham, Teddy had emptied their joint bank accounts and begun hiding any and all assets he might have had. Hannah had been forced to sell their waterfront home, give Teddy half of the proceeds and live over her graphic arts studio in order to get by.
Teddy, on the other hand, had landed in bed with the blonde, whose father was some muckety-muck on the university’s board. The two of them had moved into a luxury condo paid for by daddy. All of their friends from the university and most everyone else had taken Teddy’s side, believing Hannah could have done more to help Teddy and had spent too much time growing her own business.
Fuck them all.
Her attorney, a fierce and determined woman named Suzy, waited until Teddy’s attorney was through before standing and beginning her cross-examination. Hannah watched as Suzy systematically dismantled Teddy's arguments, exposing the holes in his story. Despite her resolve, Hannah’s heart pounded in her chest. She knew the final divorce decree would grant Teddy half of what she had earned in the past, but she was determined he wouldn't be able to touch anything in her future.
The judge's gavel struck, echoing through the room, signaling a recess. Hannah took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. She caught Suzy's eye, and her attorney gave her a reassuring nod.
“Remember,” Suzy said quietly as they left the courtroom, “he gets half of anything you earn in graphic design for the next ten years. But anything outside of that, it’s all yours.”
“But I can do graphic designs for my own business, and that won’t entitle him to anything.”
“Correct. I’m going to say this again; you’re giving him too much.”
“I don’t want anything from him, Suzy. All I want is what my grandmother left me: her jewelry and the two small pieces of artwork we specified.”
“You’re entitled to more. You put that little bastard through school, paid off all his loans, and most of what went to buy the house was from your hard work.”
“I know, but he didn’t get to keep the house, either. I guess blondie didn’t want to live in the same house he’d shared with me, and what blondie wants, daddy makes sure she gets.”
Suzy snorted. “Are you still going to Kodiak?”
Hannah nodded. “I’ve always wanted to have my own bakery. I didn’t open one here as Teddy thought the graphic design business would be cheaper to start. I saw an ad for one up there and thought, ‘why not?’ After all, I fell in love with Alaska when we took our tenth anniversary cruise up there.”
“Won’t it remind you of Teddy?”
Hannah grinned. “Yes. He hated Alaska, was seasick the entire time and fell off the dock and almost drowned. Happy times.”
Suzy laughed. “You’re so bad. No wonder I’m going to miss you.”
“You are always welcome to come see me.”
“You’re never coming back, are you?”
“To Bellingham? No. Never.”
“We’d better head back in and get this over with,” said Suzy.
Hannah nodded, a sense of grim satisfaction settling over her. Teddy could have her past, but her future was hers and hers alone. Later, as she walked out of the courthouse, the weight of the last few years began to lift, replaced by a sense of purpose and a glimmer of hope. She had a plan, and it was time to put it into action.
Kodiak, Alaska