“Mr. Briones, you will be formally served with the divorce petition tomorrow morning,” she said in a neutral tone. Given the overwhelming evidence of adultery and the record of shared resources used for your trysts, I suggest you hire a good lawyer.
“Evidence?” he repeated.
Jimena opened a drawer and placed a thick folder on the desk.
“Hotel receipts, bank statements, messages, emails, photos,” she listed. “Six months’ work by a private investigator whom, by the way, I paid out of my own pocket.”
Tomás felt exposed.
“You hired an investigator…”
“And I consulted with three different family law firms,” she continued. “I reviewed twelve years of finances, calculated exactly what I’m entitled to and what I’m not. And I came to a very simple conclusion.”
“Which is?”
“That I don’t need you. That I never needed you.”
The sentence hit like a slap in the face.
“You made me believe,” she continued, undeterred, “that supporting your career was more important than mine.” That “the wife of an executive” was a full-time job. I studied hotel management, Tomás. I had job offers when we got married. I turned them down to follow you around the country. I took a chance on you. And while I was giving up my dreams, you were out partying with other women.
For the first time, he felt something akin to real shame.
“Jimena, I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I know I made a mistake, but we can try…”
“No,” she cut him off, sharply. “What happened last night wasn’t a ‘mistake.’ A mistake is forgetting an anniversary. What you did was a repeated choice. You chose to cheat on me again and again. That can’t be fixed with couples therapy or flowers.”
Mariana stood up and handed him a card.
“Here’s my contact information. When you have a lawyer, have them get in touch,” she said. “The terms are detailed in the lawsuit, but Ms. Briones can summarize them.”
Jimena took a deep breath.
“You keep your car, your retirement account, and your personal belongings,” she listed. “I keep the house, the investment portfolio, and my hotels. You’re responsible for your debts, including the credit cards you used for your getaways. And as for our ‘social circle,’ people will decide who they’re with when they find out why our marriage ended.”
“Are you going to tell everyone?” he asked, alarmed.