Jake was a decent lawyer, but he hadn’t anticipated facing off against someone with my background. Xander had never considered me influential, so Jake was utterly unprepared for our encounter. He appeared nervous, his hands shaking slightly, but I refrained from further intimidation; he wasn’t to blame for my husband’s lies.
“Hello, Jake. Nice to see you here,” I greeted him, noting his surprise. “If you have any doubts, let me clear them for you. Yes, I am the wife.”
“Ma’am, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to show up personally,” Jake stammered, clearly flustered by my presence.
“The surnames don’t match because I got married after I received my law degree. I kept my maiden name for professional purposes,” I explained calmly.
“Ah, I see,” Jake muttered, looking visibly uncomfortable. “So, I’m guessing you want to drag out this case? That is what my client has told me.”
“Your client has been misleading you, Jake,” I said, locking eyes with him. “He is the one who wants to prolong this case. Isn’t that what he told you?” I confronted him directly, knowing my reputation in the legal community spoke volumes.
Jake squirmed under my scrutiny. Accustomed to asking the right questions, I didn’t mince words. “You don’t have to answer that, Jake. I’ve known Xander for over a decade. I married that idiot, for God’s sake. I know exactly what goes through his head.”
Concerned for Jake’s professional predicament, I decided to enlighten him. “Since I know you, and this situation isn’t fair to you, I’ll tell you the truth about this divorce.”
“What do you mean, ma’am?” Jake inquired, clearly taken aback.
“Did my dear husband mention to you that he cheated on me?” I asked pointedly, watching Jake’s expression closely. His reaction was immediate and telling, confirming my suspicions that he had been kept in the dark.
I won’t lie; it stung my ego to admit to a colleague that I had been cheated on. It is never a pleasant experience to voice that kind of humiliation. However, I knew better than to let my emotions derail the strategy. No matter how hurt I felt, I still had the upper hand, and I was well aware of it.
Jake, on the other hand, looked lost. “Um, no, I don’t think my client told me about that. But he did warn me that, in his words, you would make some baseless accusations because you want to ruin him.”
“Oh, you poor thing, Jake,” I said with a sigh. “Your client has played you like a fiddle. Although, it might make you happy to know that Xander thinks you are one of the best lawyers out there.”
“Well, that’s a big compliment, but I will never measure up to you, ma’am,” Jake confessed humbly. “I wish he had told me that his wife also practices law. He only told me that you work at a law firm.”
“My husband never really took my accomplishments seriously,” I replied. “He had a habit of undermining my work and influence. It was foolish of me to stay with him this long. However, it was smart of me to sign the prenup to save myself.”
Jake was completely taken aback by the mention of the word “prenup.” He looked shocked, as if the term was entirely foreign to this case. I didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to realize he had been ambushed yet again.
Xander had conveniently forgotten to mention the prenuptial agreement to Jake, perhaps hoping I had forgotten about it or lost the copy. Since the existence of the prenup was now out in the open, Jake looked frazzled.
“There is a prenup in this marriage? Your husband hadn’t mentioned that. Do you have any proof, ma’am?” Jake inquired urgently.
“Oh, I have plenty of proof, Jake. I brought the papers along,” I said, reaching into my bag. “I had a feeling that Xander would try to get out of dealing with the consequences of his actions. Well, not on my watch.”
“I would really like to see the papers, ma’am. Also, I think I would need to see proof of his affair if you have any,” Jake requested professionally.
“Don’t worry, Jake. I brought along everything,” I assured him. “Like I said, it isn’t me who wants to drag out this divorce. The sooner it happens, the better it is for me.”
I handed over all the evidence to Jake, from printed messages to photos and the legal documents. I had all the proof right in my handbag, casually giving them to him with the confidence of someone who knows the case is unwinnable for the other side. Jake studied each document thoroughly before sighing and looking rather defeated.
He looked up at me and said, “I see that you have solid proof of everything, ma’am. I had no idea about all of these things.”
“I figured that out, Jake. Also, I know how difficult it is to work with unreliable clients, especially when the opposing party has an equally strong lawyer,” I said sympathetically.
“You are right about that, ma’am,” he nodded. “I think that is all I needed to talk about today. I believe I need to have a serious conversation with my client before I decide whether to proceed with his case.”
“I am sure someone will contact you soon, although I can’t say that it will be me,” Jake added. I could tell what he was hinting at—he was going to drop the client—but I didn’t comment on it. I thanked him for his time and walked out of the cafe with my head held high.
I went straight to work and started to prepare my own documents for the divorce. All the lingering sadness had evaporated. Now, there was a rage within me driving me to ensure Xander suffered for what he had done, and I knew he had absolutely no way out of the mess he had created.
It took Xander exactly one day to get back to me. He called my personal number despite having told me not to contact him directly. It was ironic, but not surprising. I knew he would find himself in this desperate situation eventually.
When I answered his call, he sounded furious. “What the hell did you say to my lawyer, Sophia?”
“My, my, look who is calling after telling me to stay away,” I mocked lightly. “Now, what happened with your lawyer, Xander?”
“Stop playing around, Sophia! Tell me what you told him that made him quit today,” he demanded.
“Your lawyer quit today? How sad, Xander,” I replied with feigned sympathy. “I guess you should have been upfront about your situation and who he would be fighting against.”
“You don’t know what you are saying! You are a freaking nobody,” he yelled. “I won’t let you take away my family business!”
“Oh, I would like to see you try, Xander,” I challenged him. “I will hire a better lawyer and bury you. Just wait and watch. I will destroy you in court, and you will come to me begging for mercy.”
“Well, sounds like a plan, Xander. Good luck with that,” I laughed. “But a word of advice from a lawyer: remember to tell your new lawyer about your affair and the prenup.”
When I said that, Xander simply hung up on me. It made me chuckle aloud. He was in deep trouble, but he still didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of it. He would try every lawyer in town, but I am a known name here, and people knew not to mess with me without a solid case.
Plus, anyone foolish enough to believe his lies would be dragged down to reality the moment I presented them with my ammunition. Xander had claimed he would make me beg for mercy, but I knew it was only a matter of time before he would be the one begging at my door.
I was right. One fine morning, while I was getting ready for work, there was a hesitant knock at my door. I was confused about who would show up at such an odd time. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to find my soon-to-be ex-husband, looking forlorn and weary.
