-64%
“Everything in this agreement follows thew precisely,” Reba stated calmly, making it clear shel hadn’t taken advantage of Jeffrey. “Given your questionable character, I cannot allow our child to live with you.”
“You haven’t earned any ie during our five years of marriage,” Jeffrey said coldly. “Why should I give you half of everything I’ve worked for?”
“I have been the one caring for you and Samuel all this time,” Reba responded.
Jeffrey looked at her with icy detachment. “And what does that entitle you to?”
Reba stared at him as if she were seeing him for the very first time, stunned by his response.
“If you’re thinking of using marital assets to pay for your mother’s medical treatments, I suggest you abandon that idea right now,” Jeffrey said as he tossed the divorce papers onto the coffee table.
Reba’s eyes narrowed as she stared at him. “What do you mean by that?<b>” </b>
“There are no marital assets to divide,” Jeffrey exined coldly. “If you don’t believe me, you’re wee to file for divorce and let the courts investigate.”
Reba stood frozen for a moment before the full realization dawned on her.
During the period between when she first noticed something was wrong and his eventual confession, he had systematically transferred all their marital assets.
Now she understood why the lipstick stain on his cor had been so conspicuously ced, and how thosepromising photos with Andrea had ended up in the media despite his usual obsession with
privacy.
It all made sense now. He had been waiting for her to discover his infidelity so he could propose maintaining their marriage while continuing his affair openly.
Reba stared at Jeffrey, overwhelmed by the sheer ruthlessness of his actions.
“Save your exnations,” Reba said coldly, knowing Jeffrey had covered his tracks too well for anything to be proven. “Just sign the documents. All I want is custody of our son.”
Jeffrey signed without hesitation. His elegant handwriting mirrored his polished appearance, but now it only made her feel physically ill.
<b>64</b>%
The next morning, they went together to file the divorce papers. Throughout the entire process, he showed no remorse and made no attempt to reconcile, maintaining the same detachedposure he always disyed.
As she signed the papers, Reba couldn’t help but nce over at him. She found herself wondering how he’d managed to treat her so well for so many years without actually loving her. It made her question what their entire rtionship had really been about.
The clerk handed them each a receipt and exined the procedure. “Your divorce petition has been filed. There is a mandatory waiting period, and your final court date is scheduled for June 13th.
“The divorce will be finalized on that day, provided you both appear with the required identification.”
They each epted their copy of the document in silence.
After leaving the courthouse, Reba did not go home with him. Instead, she headed straight for the apartment of her best friend, Jessica Scott,
The situation felt too significant to process alone, and she felt a strong need to talk about it with
someone she trusted.
When Reba arrived at Jessica’s apartment, Jessica had just woken up. She could immediately tell something was wrong and asked with concern, “You look upset. Did something happen?<b>” </b>
“Jeffrey and I got divorced,” Reba said, her voice calm, even though she felt like her heart was
being torn apart.
She had given him her whole heart, so the pain she felt now was inevitable.
Jessica stared in disbelief. “There’s no way,” she said. “Everyone knows howpletely Jeffrey adores you. He’s always treated you like you were the most precious thing in his life.
“Even if every other marriage fell apart, he would never let you go<b>.</b><b>” </b>
“It’s true,” Reba said, her expressionpletely serious.
Seeing her friend’s solemn demeanor, Jessica knew this wasn’t a joke and quickly asked for the whole
story.
When Jessica heard the reason for the divorce, her quick temper exploded. “Damn it! Jeffrey is aplete jerk, can’t believe he would have the nerve to make such a shameless demand.”
215
19:52 Sun, 14 Sept
“Does he know about your history with Andrea?” Jessica asked.
“He knows everything,” Reba replied. She knew Jeffrey had investigators look into all her rtionships long ago.
“Then why would he make that demand? Is hepletely out of his mind?” Jessica’s <b>anger </b>mounted
as she spoke.
She took Reba’s hand and pulled her up. “Let’s go find him right now. I won’t be able to calm down. until I give him a piece of my mind.”
“But how would you even get near him?” Reba gently reminded her.
Jessica paused, realizing the truth in her friend’s words. “Having such a powerful ex certainly has its disadvantages,‘ she thought.
“Are youpletely sure there’s no marital property under his name?” Jessica asked after a thoughtful pause. “Could he be lying about that to deceive you?”
“None of that matters now,” Reba said with quiet resolution.
“How can you say it doesn’t matter?” Jessica asked, her face showingplete confusion.
“What would it matter even if he really lied to me?” Reba said honestly. “With his personality, he would never let me get a single penny.
“Besides, collecting evidence for a divorcewsuit is incredibly difficult. Even when I manage to gather something, most of it tends to be circumstantial evidence that can’t serve as direct proof in
court.”
Filing for divorce might sound simple in theory, but it was actually quite challenging in practice, especially when she was dealing with someone like Jeffrey.
for
He covered his tracks meticulously, making it impossible for Reba to trace the money he spent on Andrea, let alone find any evidence that they were living together as a married couple.
The only thing she could do was take her child and walk away from a man with suchpletely
twisted values.
“If you ask me, you shouldn’t divorce him at all,” Jessica said, growing increasingly disgusted with Jeffrey’s behavior. “Maintain your position as his legitimate wife, spend his money freely, and condemn Andrea to remain his hidden mistress forever.”
“But wouldn’t that be exactly what he wants?” Reba responded with clear–eyed realism.
<b>3/5 </b>
19:52 Sun, 14 Sept
@64%
Jessica went quiet as the truth sank in, and the realization made her absolutely furious. It felt like a personal betrayal–especially when she remembered how she’d once thought Jeffrey was one of the few genuinely decent men in their entire social circle.
“So what are you nning to do next?” Jessica asked, still seething with anger. “We can’t just let that cheating bastard and his mistress live happily ever after<b>.</b>”
“Moving out is my first priority,” Reba exined, the n having taken shape through her tears.st night. “Once I’m settled somewhere, I’ll look for a job.”
“Why should you be the one to move? You weren’t the one who cheated,” Jessica argued. “You and Samuel should stay right where you are. I’d like to see him try to force you out.”
“He won’t confront me directly,” Reba said quietly, “but he’ll find other ways to pressure me to leave.” After what happenedst night, she hade to see Jeffrey’s true character.
“What a despicable man!” Jessica eximed, her anger still burning. “I can’t believe I once thought he was such a wonderful person.”
Reba pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze.
Before all this happened, she had believed Jeffrey was her savior, the one who rescued her from her father’s troubled world. Now she understood that he was simply another kind of prison.
Her father ran off with all their money, leaving her and her mother with nothing.
Now her husband had hidden his assets and expected her to just ept his mistress.
The two men who should have protected her were actually cut from the same selfish cloth.
Jessica was still brainstorming ways to get her friend a fair deal when Reba’s phone buzzed.
Seeing the hospital’s name sh on the screen, Reba answered immediately.
“Ms. Jensen,” the doctor said, “Mr. Hanson has stopped the payments for your mother’s medical treatment starting next month. Would you be able toe to the hospital to discuss her future treatment n?”
<b>“</b>I’ll be right there,” Reba responded without a second thought.
She ended the call, told Jessica she had an emergency to attend to, and left for the hospital.
When she arrived, she found both the doctor and Jeffrey waiting for her in the office.
64%D