As the rain poured down on me as I left the lawyer’s office, I put on a mask of failure. Under the surface, though, I was really excited. Things were finally over with my split from Mike. I gave him everything: the house, the car, and my savings. He thought that.
To be honest, I had been plotting my payback for months. Our marriage was over because Mike was too focused on getting money, and now he was about to pay the price. As I rode the elevator, I laughed so hard that it was like a champagne cork finally popping.
A few weeks ago, Mike had come home late and asked for a divorce. I was sure this would turn out the way it did. It was his goal to win and take everything from me. But I had something else planned.
Mike laid out everything he wanted during the divorce talks, his smug grin growing across his face. He thought he had won because I agreed to everything. But I knew what was true.
As I put my things away, I sent my mom, Barbara, a letter. She helped us buy the house, and now she was going to help me sell it. Mike and her made a deal years ago that let her live in the house whenever she wanted.
Mike called early the next morning, very angry. He found out too late that he had been tricked by my mom taking over the house. His rantings were cut off by my mom’s voice on the other end of the phone.
“Michael, get off that coffee table! “Stop taking the remote!” She cut him off. Mike muttered, barely able to hold back his anger, but my mom wouldn’t have it.
I tried not to laugh, but I had to bite my lip. Mike was always going to lose. He lost everything because of the deal he signed, and now my mom was getting rich because of it.
I smiled as the phone call ended quickly. It’s never been so sweet to be free. I was able to trick my ex, and now I could start over, free from the bad marriage that had been consuming me for so long.
After taking a big breath, I felt calm and at ease. I had won the game. Mike may have thought he would win, but I was the one laughing the whole way to my newfound freedom.
