I pulled out all the evidence I had gathered—photos, bank records, hotel receipts, and recordings.
“You had an affair with your secretary during our marriage. I have proof. If the entire company finds out, do you think they’ll keep someone with questionable ethics in an executive position?”
I played the recording for him. “Oh, and I also have this lovely clip of you two talking about making me ‘disappear.’ Should I email it to your colleagues and amuse them?”
Rick’s face darkened. “If you dare, I’ll make sure your life is miserable too.”
I had no interest in dragging this out. I just wanted the divorce finalized as soon as possible.
“If you want this done quickly and don’t want to wait for asset division, I’ll forgo the house. Let me take what my mother left me and give me the money you have on hand. I’ll sign the papers and leave immediately.”
“You don’t have the money to hire a lawyer, so you’ll leave empty-handed anyway. Divorce is inevitable. Why rush?” He sneered, thinking he had gained the upper hand.
“I’ve set up an email with a scheduled send time,” I said, showing him my phone. “It contains all the evidence of your infidelity. You have 28 minutes before you’ll be summoned to a shareholders’ meeting to explain yourself.”
Rick lunged for my phone, trying to delete everything.
“Don’t bother,” I said coolly. “I have backups.”
“Laura, you’re such a scheming woman,” he hissed.
“Better decide quickly. You only have 27 minutes now.”
Helen clung to his arm, pouting. “Rick, just give her what she wants. Let’s get this over with.”
He hesitated before pulling out a card. “There’s 50 thousand dollars in here. The PIN is the passcode of the main entrance.”
I took the card from him and quickly signed the divorce agreement.
Rick wasn’t strapped for cash, but he was a miser. Giving up 50 thousand dollars must have stung.
His hand lingered awkwardly in the air after I took the card, his expression blank for a moment.
“You know,” he said, attempting a facade of generosity. “Even though we’re divorced, I won’t let you end up homeless. Spend this money wisely, and it should last you a while.”
Hearing this, Judith and Helen burst into laughter.
“She’s never seen this much money before.” Judith sneered. “50 thousand, and she thinks she’s hit the jackpot.”
Rick seemed suspicious, worried there might be more tricks up my sleeve.
“Don’t try anything funny,” he warned.
“You were the one who wanted a divorce. I’m simply agreeing. If anything, you’re the paranoid one. What could I possibly want from you now?”
I thought back to the financial news I had heard—a boom in the stock market was coming. With the right timing, I could turn this 50 thousand dollars into a fortune.
“If I manage to turn this 50 grand into a million, don’t get jealous,” I said with confidence.
I was certain I’d make them regret this.
Judith scoffed, laughing loudly. “You? With no connections and no job? Once you burn through that money, you’ll be out on the streets, begging us for scraps.”
Explaining myself to them would be a waste of my time.
“Just wait and see,” I said, silently resolving to secure my future and take the first step toward rebuilding my life.
