All the videos on USB drives, all the emails and texts printed and organized in binders, her financial documents, and her list of personal property.
They spent 3 hours going through every detail.
This is one of the most well-documented cases I’ve seen,” Patricia said, impressed.
“You’ve done excellent work.
He won’t have a leg to stand on.”
“When do we file?” Simone asked.
“I’ll have the papers drawn up by Wednesday.
We can file them with the court on Thursday.
The question is, how do you want him served?
We can have a process server go to his workplace or to the house, or we can arrange for you to be present when he’s served.”
Simone thought about it.
I want to be there.
I want to see his face when he realizes it’s over.
Then I suggest we do it at the house somewhere private.
That way there’s no public scene.
We can schedule it for a specific time and you can have your locks changed immediately afterward.
I’ll give you the contact information for a locksmith who can be on standby.
What about his stuff, his clothes and things?
He’ll have a reasonable time to remove his personal property, but since the house is yours, you’re under no obligation to let him stay.
We’ll include in the papers that he must vacate the premises within 24 hours of being served.
Can he fight that?
He can try, but given the circumstances and the fact that you’re the sole owner, a judge will likely side with you, especially with evidence of adultery committed in your home.
They worked out all the details.
Service would happen on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m.
Patricia would be present along with the process server.
Simone would have a locksmith ready to change all the locks as soon as Derek left.
She’d also have a friend there for support.
Someone Patricia recommended from a local domestic transition support group.
What should I do this week? Simone asked.
Just act normal.
Exactly.
Keep doing what you’ve been doing.
Don’t give him any reason to suspect something’s wrong.
Don’t remove any more items from the house because he might notice.
Just live your life normally for 5 more days.
Can you do that?
Simone nodded.
5 days.
She could make it 5 more days.
She went to work after the meeting and tried to focus on her job.
She had two property showings that afternoon and a contract negotiation for a major client.
Real estate was her escape right now, the one place where she felt in control and competent.
Her colleagues had noticed she seemed stressed lately, but she blamed it on work pressure.
No one knew what was really going on in her personal life.
That evening, she came home to find Derek on the couch watching sports.
“Hey babe,” he called out.
“I ordered pizza.
It should be here soon.”
“Thanks,” she said, setting down her bag and joining him.
They ate pizza and watched TV like a normal couple.
Dererick even laughed at something on the screen and reached over to squeeze her hand.
She let him, feeling nothing.
Later that night, after Dererick fell asleep, Simone lay awake thinking about what her life would look like after Saturday.
She’d have the house to herself.
She’d have her freedom.
She’d have a fresh start.
It was scary and exciting all at once.
She’d been with Derek for 7 years, married for five.
She’d gotten comfortable in their routine, even if it hadn’t been perfect.
Now she was about to blow up that entire life and rebuild from scratch.
But she was ready, more than ready.
She was eager.
The next few days passed slowly.
Tuesday and Thursday came and as expected, Dererick brought Amber over while Simone was at work.
She watched the footage on her phone during her lunch break, feeling detached from it now.
These videos used to make her cry.
Now they just made her impatient.
She wanted this to be over.
On Friday night, Dererick suggested they go out for drinks with some friends.
Simone almost said no, but then she thought it might be good to have one last normal night before everything changed.
They went to a bar downtown where two of Dererick’s co-workers and their girlfriends were meeting them.
Simone nursed a single drink all night while Dererick had several beers.
He got louder and more animated as the night went on, telling stories and laughing.
His coworker Brandon leaned over to Simone at one point and said, “You guys seem really happy.
It’s nice to see a solid couple.”
Simone forced a smile.
“Thanks.
If only he knew the truth.
If only any of them knew that in less than 24 hours, this solid couple would be done.”
They got home around midnight.
Dererick immediately passed out on the bed, still in his clothes.
Simone changed into pajamas, removed his shoes so he’d be more comfortable, and set a glass of water on his nightstand.
Even now, even knowing what he’d done, she couldn’t help but take care of him out of habit.
But after tomorrow, that would be his problem, not hers.
She woke up early on Saturday morning, her stomach twisted in knots.
This was it, the day everything changed.
Dererick was still asleep, snoring softly.
She got up quietly, showered, and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, something comfortable and practical.
She made coffee and sat at the kitchen table checking her phone.
Patricia had texted, “We’re on schedule for 10:00 a.m.
See you soon.”
Simone replied, “Ready?”
Derek woke up around 9:00 and came downstairs in his pajama pants, yawning.
Morning.
You’re up early.
Couldn’t sleep?
She said truthfully.
Want to do something today?
Maybe go to that new brunch place.
Let’s just hang out here for a bit.
Simone said, “I’m not really hungry yet.”
Okay.
He made himself breakfast and turned on the TV.
Saturday morning cartoons, which he always watched like a big kid.
Simone sat on the couch next to him watching the clock.
9:15, 9:30, 9:45.
At 9:55, she heard a car pull into the driveway.
Then another.
Her heart started pounding.
“Are you expecting someone?” Dererick asked, looking confused.
“Yes,” Simone said quietly.
“I am.”
The doorbell rang.
Dererick got up to answer it and Simone followed.
When he opened the door, three people stood on the porch.
Patricia in a gray suit, a man in a business casual outfit holding a manila envelope, and a woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile.
Derek Turner, the man asked.
Yeah, that’s me, Derek said slowly.
You’ve been served.
The man handed him the envelope.
Have a good day.
Derek stood frozen, staring at the envelope.
Then he looked at Patricia, then at Simone.
What?
What is this?
Those are divorce papers, Simone said calmly.
You should read them.
Divorce?
Simone?
What are you talking about?
His voice was rising.
Is this a joke?
It’s not a joke.
I know about Amber.
I know about everything.
I’ve known for a month.
Dererick’s face went white.
Amber, I don’t.
How did you?
The nanny cam?
Simone said, I saw everything.
Every time you brought her here, every lie you told me.
Everything.
Simone, please let me explain.
I don’t want to hear it.
She kept her voice steady even though her hands were shaking.
You have 24 hours to get your things and leave.
This house is mine.
I’m changing the locks today.
If you try to come back after that, I’ll call the police.
You can’t just kick me out.
I live here.
Patricia stepped forward.
Actually, she can.
The house is in her name only.
You have no legal claim to it.
and if you’d like to discuss the matter further, you can contact my office.
My card is in the envelope.
Dererick looked at the envelope in his hands like it was a bomb.
Then he looked at Simone with tears in his eyes.
Babe, please.
We can work through this.
I made a mistake.
I’ll end things with her.
I’ll do whatever you want.
Please don’t do this.
Simone felt a twist in her chest, but she pushed it away.
You didn’t make a mistake, Derek.
You made a choice.
You made that choice every single Tuesday and Thursday for months.
You chose to betray me, to lie to me, to bring another woman into my home.
And now I’m making a choice.
I’m choosing to be done with you, Simone.
Read the papers,” she interrupted.
“Get a lawyer if you want, but you need to leave by tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.
That’s non-negotiable.”
Dererick’s expression changed from pleading to angry.
“Fine, fine, if that’s how you want it.”
He threw the envelope on the floor and stormed upstairs.
The woman with the kind eyes stepped forward.
Hi, Simone.
I’m Karen.
I’m here to support you through this transition.
Why don’t we sit down while he packs?
They went to the kitchen while Patricia made some phone calls.
Simone could hear Dererick slamming drawers and closets upstairs.
Karen made her some tea.
“You’re doing great,” she said softly.
“I know this is hard.”
“I thought I’d feel relief,” Simone admitted.
“But I just feel numb.”
“That’s normal.
You’re in shock.
The relief will come later.”
Dererick came downstairs 45 minutes later with two suitcases and a box of his things.
He changed into jeans and a hoodie.
His eyes were red.
I’ll be back tomorrow to get the rest, he said coldly.
I’ll be here, Simone replied.
He walked out without another word.
They heard his car start and drive away.
Patricia hung up her phone.
Locksmith will be here in 20 minutes.
You did well, Simone.
I know that wasn’t easy.
It wasn’t, but it was done.
And as Simone watched the locksmith change every lock on her doors an hour later, she felt the first tiny flutter of relief.
Her home was hers again.
Derek couldn’t just walk in anymore.
It was over.
The next morning, Sunday, Simone woke up alone in her bed for the first time in years.
The house felt different, quieter, emptier, but not in a bad way.
She got up, made coffee, and sat on her back patio watching the sunrise.
This was her life now, just hers.
She could do whatever she wanted with it.
Dererick came back at 10:00 a.m. as promised, with his brother to help him move.
Simone let them in and stayed in the kitchen while they hauled boxes and furniture out.
Dererick took his clothes, his gaming system, his sports memorabilia, and a few pieces of furniture that had been his before the marriage.
He didn’t try to take anything else.
Simone had already removed anything sentimental or valuable, so she didn’t care what he took.
When they finished, Dererick came to the kitchen doorway.
He looked terrible like he hadn’t slept.
“Can we talk?” he asked quietly.
“No,” Simone said.
“Anything you need to say can go through my lawyer.”
“I just want you to know I’m sorry.
I never meant to hurt you, but you did hurt me.
You made that choice.
It wasn’t supposed to mean anything.
It was just I don’t know.
I got stupid.”
“You got selfish.”
Simone corrected.
And now you’re dealing with the consequences.
Goodbye, Derek.
He stood there for a moment longer, then turned and left.
Simone heard the front door close and his truck pull away.
She walked through the house, checking that he hadn’t taken anything he wasn’t supposed to.
Everything looked fine.
He was gone.
Really truly gone.
She spent the rest of Sunday cleaning.
She washed all the bedding, scrubbed every surface, opened all the windows to air the house out.
She was erasing Derek from her space, making it hers again.
Felt good.
It felt therapeutic.
On Monday, she went back to work with a renewed focus.
She had a major commercial property deal that she’d been working on for months, and it was finally ready to close.
The commission from this deal would be substantial, nearly $40,000.
She’d been coordinating it carefully, waiting for the perfect time to close it.
And that time was now, right after filing for divorce, so Derek couldn’t claim any of the money.
She met with the buyers, a corporate firm looking to purchase a downtown office building for renovation.
The negotiations went smoothly.
Papers were signed.
The deal closed by Wednesday afternoon.
$43,000 would be deposited into her account within a week.
Money that was entirely hers.
Money Derrick would never touch.
Her boss called her into his office after the deal closed.
Simone, I wanted to talk to you about your performance this year.
She sat down wondering if this was about her taking time for the divorce, but instead he smiled.
You’ve been our top agent for 3 years running.
Your numbers are exceptional, and I’d like to offer you a promotion to senior agent and team lead.
It comes with a salary increase, better commission structure, and you’d be managing a small team.
Simone felt tears prick her eyes.
Really?
Really?
You’ve earned it?
Are you interested?
Absolutely.
Yes.
Thank you.
They shook hands and discussed the details.
Her new salary would be 115,000 a year, plus improved commissions.
She’d start in the new role at the beginning of next month.
As she left his office, Simone felt like she was walking on air.
Everything was falling into place.
Her life was improving in every way, and Dererick was nowhere in sight.
That evening, she celebrated by ordering her favorite Thai food and watching movies on her couch.
her couch in her house with her future looking brighter than it had in years.
She posted a subtle update on social media, “New beginnings, new opportunities, grateful for growth.”
She didn’t mention the divorce or the promotion specifically, but several friends and colleagues commented with supportive messages.
The next week brought more changes.
Her lawyer called to say Dererick had hired an attorney and was trying to fight the divorce terms.
He wanted half of the savings account claiming it was marital property regardless of where it came from.
He wanted spousal support.
He wanted to drag this out.
Let him try.
Patricia said, “We have documentation showing that 90% of the savings came from your inheritance.
We have proof of his adultery.
We have evidence that you’ve been the primary bread winner.
No judge is going to give him what he wants.”
Sure enough, after Patricia sent Dererick’s lawyer all the evidence, the tone changed quickly.
Dererick’s attorney called Patricia directly.
My client is willing to settle without going to trial.
He’ll accept 10,000 from the joint savings, his 401k, his vehicle, and his personal property.
He’ll wave any claim to the house or spousal support.
Patricia relayed this to Simone.
It’s a good offer.
We could fight for him to get even less, but it would mean going to court and dragging this out for months.
This way, you can be done with him quickly.
Simone thought about it.
$10,000 seemed like a lot to give him, but on the other hand, she’d have 30,000 left, plus her commission money, plus her new higher salary, and she’d be free of Derek forever.
“Let’s take it,” she decided.
“I want this over.”
The settlement was drawn up and signed within a week.
The divorce would be final in 60 days, as soon as the waiting period ended.
Simone felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
She was almost free.
During this time, she hadn’t forgotten about Amber.
She’d been waiting for the right moment to send that email to Amber’s employer.
One evening, she pulled up the draft she’d prepared weeks ago, reviewed it one more time, and hit send.
The email was anonymous, sent from a newly created account with no identifying information.
It simply stated that an employee named Amber Collins had been engaged in an ongoing affair with a married man, had knowingly entered his home while his wife was at work, and had shown poor judgment and character.
It included screenshots of emails where Amber acknowledged Dererick’s marriage and expressed no remorse, as well as timestamps showing her arriving at Simone’s address during working hours, suggesting she’d been leaving work early.
for these meetings.
Simone didn’t know if anything would come of it, but 3 days later, she got her answer.
She ran into Brandon, Dererick’s former coworker, at a coffee shop near her office.
He recognized her and came over to say hello.
Hey, Simone.
I heard about you and Derek.
I’m really sorry.
Thanks, she said.
It’s for the best.
Yeah, I guess so.
Especially after everything with that Amber woman.
Simone’s ears perked up.
What about her?
Oh, you didn’t hear?
She got fired from her job.
Something about an ethics violation.
Dererick’s been complaining about it, saying it’s not fair.
But honestly, if she was messing around with a married guy, what did she expect?
Brandon shrugged.
Anyway, I hope you’re doing okay.
You deserve better than how Dererick treated you.
I am doing okay, Simone said honestly.
Better than okay, actually.
Thanks for asking.
After Brandon left, Simone sat in the coffee shop with a small smile.
So, Amber had lost her job.
Simone didn’t feel guilty about it.
Amber had made her own choices just like Dererick had.
And now they were both facing consequences.
As Simone drove home that evening, she thought about how much her life had changed in just 2 months.
Two months ago, she’d been a wife who thought she had a happy marriage.
Now, she was a soon-to-be divorced woman with a promotion, a big commission, and a fresh start.
The pain of Dererick’s betrayal was still there, but it was fading.
She was moving forward.
She was rebuilding, and she was doing it on her own terms.
That weekend, she did something she’d wanted to do for years, but Dererick had always opposed.
She adopted a dog from the local shelter, a three-year-old golden retriever mix named Sunny.
Dererick had always said he didn’t want pets, that they were too much work.
But now Simone could do whatever she wanted.
Sunny curled up on the couch next to her that first night, and Simone felt more contentment than she’d felt in months.
This was her life now.
Her house, her dog, her job, her future, and it was going to be wonderful.
November arrived with crisp air and colorful leaves.
Simone had been divorced for almost a month now.
The final papers had come through and she was officially single again.
She kept her married name for professional reasons, but she was considering changing it back to her maiden name eventually.
For now, she was just enjoying her freedom.
Work had been incredible.
Her new role as team lead was challenging, but rewarding.
She was mentoring three junior agents and loving it.
Her commission from the big deal had cleared, and she’d used some of it to update her house.
New furniture for the living room, a fresh coat of paint in the bedroom, a completely redesigned master bathroom.
She was making the space truly hers, erasing every trace of Derek.
She’d also started taking care of herself again.
She joined a gym and started working out three times a week.
She’d gotten her hair done, tried new makeup, bought new clothes.
She felt good about herself for the first time in a long time.
Not because she was trying to impress anyone, but because she wanted to.
Because she deserved to feel beautiful and strong and confident.
Through mutual friends, she’d heard updates about Derek.
