Not once did I stop. Three weeks prior, I had discovered the initial piece of information. During the time that Martin was taking a shower, he had set his phone down on the kitchen counter.
For the most part, I did not pry. It had been 22 years since we had tied the knot, and I had faith in him. On the other hand, a text appeared on the screen, presented in a preview that was sufficient to grab my attention.
It became icy in my hands. Because my fingers were moving faster than my brain, I was able to unlock the phone. The chat was lengthy, in-depth, and very personal.
Photographs were present. There were dates, the majority of which took place in the nights, when he had informed me that he was working late. I could feel a tightening in my chest, but I refrained from screaming or confronting him immediately away.
Instead, I began to dig into the matter further. Using our shared credit card statements and our bank account, I checked both of them. The luxury rooms, the pricey dinners, and the jewelry that I had never seen before all came with additional fees.
Not only was he having an affair, but he was also using the money that we had together to finance it. During the following day, I went to see a lawyer. Through my research, I discovered that in our state, evidence of infidelity and the misuse of marital assets can have a significant impact on the terms of a divorce settlement.
My attorney suggested that I acquire evidence in a very unobtrusive manner. Yes, I did it. I printed up bank statements, captured screenshots, and even snapped pictures of them together when I saw them at a café by taking pictures of them together.
The moment I laid eyes on them, I had the sensation that my heart was being ripped in half, but I managed to keep my expression neutral and my hands calm. When it was time for me to graduate, I had everything with me that I required. The envelope that I delivered to Martin was not simply a letter; rather, it was a collection of evidence that had been well organized.
It contained screenshots of texts, copies of receipts, photographs, and an official notification from my attorney stating that divorce proceedings had been launched. Following my departure from the stadium, I did not go home. On the contrary, I made a direct trip to the residence of my sister Marissa.
I had always relied on her as a secure retreat. The door was opened by her with a bewildered expression on her face as I arrived. Is that Lydia?
My eyes began to brim up with tears, and I was unable to stop them from falling. My voice was shaking as I said, “He came out and announced it.” “As everyone else is watching. He informed me that he is going to leave me for Tessa.
As a sign of her astonishment, Marissa’s eyes widened. “Did he do that at the graduation ceremony for your daughter?”
As I wiped my cheeks, I nodded my head. ‘I handed the envelope over to him.
“I did not remain to listen to the remainder.”
I felt her embrace me fiercely. “That’s good. It is not fair for him to witness you disintegrate.
The repercussions were felt almost immediately. The news had already made its way around our town by that evening. We received phone calls and texts from friends, some of whom expressed regret for their lack of knowledge, while others admitted that they had suspected something but chose not to become involved.
The next day, Ava came to meet me at my place. She had not yet recovered from the event that occurred during her graduation, and she was caught between feelings of resentment toward her father and grief over the disintegration of her family. “I can’t believe he did that to you… to us,” she continued with a husky voice.
“I know,” I responded to her. “However, we will prevail over it. We continue to be a family, both you and I.”
The moment she gave me a hug, I experienced a glimmer of optimism for the first time in what seemed like days.
It was not warmly received by Martin, on the other hand. Over the course of the following week, he relentlessly called and texted me. Some of the texts were aggressive, accusing me of embarrassing him in front of other people.Continue reading…
