No education? I had a marketing degree that I never got to use because Benjamin convinced me I didn’t need to work. No assets? That was because every time I tried to save money or start my own account, Benjamin found a reason why I couldn’t. But I sat quietly, playing the part they all expected me to play.

The weak, helpless wife who didn’t understand money or business, or how the real world worked. I had been playing this part for so long that sometimes I almost believed it myself. Benjamin turned to look at me, his dark eyes full of satisfaction.

He thought he had broken mecompletely. For the past six months since I discovered his affair, he had been preparing for this moment. He moved money around, hid assets, and made sure everything looked like it belonged to him alone. He thought I was too stupid to notice, too scared to fight back.

Mr. Peterson stood up slowly, like he was walking to his own execution. «Your Honor, I have one final piece of evidence to present on behalf of my client.» His voice shook slightly as he reached into his briefcase and pulled out a white envelope. «Mrs. Foster has prepared a letter for the court’s consideration.»

Benjamin’s lawyer looked confused. They hadn’t been told about any letter. Benjamin frowned, his confident smile fading just a little. Veronica shifted in her seat, her perfect posture becoming slightly less perfect. Dorothy’s cold eyes narrowed as she watched Mr. Peterson walk toward the judge’s bench.

Judge Hawkins took the envelope and opened it carefully. The room was so quiet I could hear the paper rustling as she unfolded the letter. Her eyes moved across the page, reading silently. At first, her expression didn’t change. Then, slowly, her eyebrows began to rise.

She read for what felt like forever. Benjamin’s lawyers started whispering to each other. Benjamin himself was staring at me now, trying to figure out what I could possibly have written that would matter. He still looked confident, but there was something else in his eyes now, something that might have been worry.

Judge Hawkins finished reading and looked up at everyone gathered before her. Then, something amazing happened. She started to laugh. Not a polite chuckle, but a real, deep laugh that echoed off the walls. She laughed so hard she had to put the letter down and take off her glasses to wipe her eyes.

«Oh, this is good,» she said quietly, but her voice carried in the silent room. She looked directly at Benjamin, then at Veronica, then at Dorothy. «This is very good indeed.»

The confident smiles disappeared from their faces like someone had turned off a light switch. Benjamin’s face went pale. Veronica’s mouth fell open slightly. Dorothy’s cold composure cracked, and for the first time in eight years, she looked genuinely afraid. I felt a small smile tug at the corner of my mouth. Finally, after months of planning and preparing, it was time for them to learn the truth.

Three years ago, I thought I had the perfect marriage. Benjamin would come home from work with flowers, kiss me at the door, and tell me how lucky he was to have me. We lived in his family’s beautiful house on Maple Street, with its white columns and perfectly manicured lawn. I felt like a princess in a fairy tale.

«Carmen, you don’t need to worry about money,» Benjamin said one evening as we sat at our dining room table. He was cutting his steak with precise movements, the way his mother had taught him. «I make enough for both of us. You should focus on making our home beautiful.»

I had been working at a small marketing company downtown, helping local businesses with their advertising. I loved my job, loved the creative challenges and the feeling of accomplishment when a campaign succeeded. But Benjamin had been hinting for months that I should quit.

«But I enjoy working,» I said, twirling my pasta around my fork. «And the extra money helps us save for our future.»

Benjamin set down his knife and looked at me with those dark eyes that used to make my heart skip. «Sweetheart, we don’t need your little salary. It’s barely enough to cover your gas and work clothes anyway. Wouldn’t you rather spend your time making our home perfect? Maybe start planning for children?»

see more on the next page