And the whole time, he had this smug little smile on his face, like he thought I was going to break down and cry at any moment.
“Fine,” I said, not really listening. “You can have it all.”
My lawyer gave me a look, like he was asking if I was sure. But I just nodded.
Mike blinked. “Wait, what?”
“I said, you can have it. I don’t want any of it.” I leaned back in my chair, feigning resignation. Mike’s eyes lit up, and his lawyer quickly started scribbling on the legal documents. They thought they had won, but they were in for a big surprise.
After the divorce was finalized, Mike immediately started showing off his “new” possessions. He drove around town in our old luxury car, posting pictures of himself in front of the house on social media. He threw lavish parties, inviting all our old friends who seemed more interested in his newfound “wealth” than in the fact that our marriage had ended.
I, on the other hand, moved into a small, cozy apartment. It was a far cry from the mansion we used to live in, but it felt like home.
I took a job at a local bookstore, something I had always wanted to do but never had the chance while I was married to Mike. The pay wasn’t great, but the work was fulfilling, and I finally felt free.
A few months passed, and I was settling into my new life. I had made some new friends, and I was enjoying the simple things.
One day, I was at the bookstore when I received a call from an old acquaintance. “Nicole, have you heard about Mike?” she asked, her voice full of excitement.
I raised an eyebrow. “No, what happened?”
She laughed. “Well, you know that big house he got in the divorce? Turns out, there were some major issues with the mortgage. The bank is foreclosing on it. And get this, he took out a huge loan against the house to buy a new sports car, and now he can’t pay that back either.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Really? That’s too bad.”
“And that’s not all,” she continued. “His business is failing. He’s been so focused on showing off his new toys that he’s neglected his clients. People are leaving him left and right.”
I thanked her for the update and hung up. I knew that Mike’s obsession with material things would catch up with him eventually. I had done my research before the divorce. I knew about the hidden debts, the shaky business deals, and the problems with the house. I had let him have everything because I knew it was all going to crumble.
A few days later, I was walking down the street when I saw Mike. He looked terrible. His clothes were wrinkled, and he had dark circles under his eyes. He was standing in front of the now – empty house, looking at the “For Sale” sign.
He saw me and hesitated for a moment, then walked over. “Nicole,” he said, his voice hoarse. “How are you?”
I smiled. “I’m great, actually. How about you?”
He looked away. “Not so good. I… I lost everything.”
I nodded. “I heard. I’m sorry.” And I actually meant it. I wasn’t happy that he was suffering, but I was glad that my plan had worked. I had wanted him to learn a lesson, and it seemed like he had.
“Nicole, I was wrong,” he said, looking at me with pleading eyes. “I should have appreciated you more. I should have focused on our relationship instead of all this stuff.”
I took a deep breath. “It’s too late for that now, Mike. But I hope you can turn things around.”
And with that, I walked away. I knew that I had made the right decision. I had left behind a toxic marriage and a man who cared more about his image than about me. I had found a new life, a life that was true to myself. And in the end, that was all that mattered.
