My Husband Canceled Our Anniversary Dinner Because His Mom Was ‘Sick’ – Then I Froze When I Saw Who She Was With

Or maybe I was too angry to admit I was afraid of hearing something worse.

A week later, I contacted a lawyer.

Nathan did not fight me.

That surprised me.

He asked twice if I would meet him first.

I refused twice.

After that, communication went through attorneys.

People told me I was moving too fast.

Tessa didn’t.

She said, “You know what you saw. You should do what you want.”

I did. Or I thought I did.

The divorce process dragged on for months.

We didn’t have children, which simplified some things.

The house was the biggest issue.

Retirement accounts and savings as well.

All the boring practical pieces of dismantling 10 years.

I stopped wearing my wedding ring.

Nathan moved into a short-term apartment.

I stayed in the house.

Diane called me once.

I didn’t answer.

Then she sent a message. “Please don’t punish Nathan for my mistake.”

I deleted it. I didn’t even want to understand what she meant.

By the time we were supposed to meet at the courthouse for a hearing, I had convinced myself I was almost past the worst of it.

Then I saw the young woman again at the courthouse.

She was standing beside Nathan at the far end of the hallway.

She had the same dark hair and face as in the photographs.

For months, I had imagined her as everything I hated.

Mistress, girlfriend, secret relationship, whatever word fit.

Then she looked directly at me.

She didn’t seem smug or guilty.

She actually looked sad.

Before I could react, she walked away from Nathan and headed toward my lawyer.

I watched them speak.

I couldn’t hear anything.

Then she handed him a large envelope.

My lawyer opened it.

He pulled out several pages.

Then a photograph.

His expression changed.

He looked at her. Then at Nathan.

Then he walked straight toward me.

“We need to talk.”

I stared at the envelope. “About what?”