The hearing went smoothly. The unidentified men Bella suspected were standing outside the courtroom, as if people of interest were waiting. The judge asked if they had any differences in agreement to warrant a hearing. Lawyer Carter quickly explained that his client insisted on a certain amount of divorce alimony, but Mrs. Bella Wilford was adamant about not accepting. The judge looked at Bella in surprise. However, Bella's lawyer also had an answer ready. He said that his client did not expect anything from Mr. Carter Wilford. He only wanted a divorce.
Several times Carter looked at Bella with a look that could be interpreted as 'come on, don't be stubborn'. However, Bella also looked back at Carter with a 'please don't force me' look that Carter understood very well. As there was no consensus, the judge scheduled another hearing two weeks later. In the meantime, he advised both parties to put their egos aside in order to come to an agreement.
