Chapter 7
The divorce proceedings moved quickly.
Amanda was ruthless in the best possible way.
She filed for full custody of Emma.
For spousal support.
For half of all marital assets.
And for repayment of every dollar Michael had spent on Sarah during the affair.
Michael hired his own lawyer.
A big-shot attorney who tried to paint me as unstable.
As a woman scorned who was making up lies to get back at her husband.
It didn’t work.
We had too much proof.
The text messages.
The credit card statements.
The phone records.
Witnesses who’d seen them together.
Hotel employees.
Restaurant staff.
Even a few of Michael’s coworkers who’d suspected something was wrong.
Diane tried to help.
She gave interviews to anyone who would listen.
Called me a gold digger.
A bad mother.
A manipulative woman who’d trapped her poor innocent son.
But Amanda had an answer for everything.
She presented evidence that Diane had known about the affair from the beginning.
That she’d actively encouraged it.
That she’d lied under oath during her deposition.
Diane’s credibility was destroyed.
The court didn’t believe a word she said.
Then came the custody hearing.
This was the part I’d been dreading most.
Michael was fighting for joint custody.
Saying I was keeping Emma from him out of spite.
Amanda put me on the stand first.
She asked me about the affair.
About the night Diane slapped me.
About the lies.
About the environment Michael’s family created.
I told the truth.
All of it.
I didn’t hold anything back.
Then Michael’s lawyer cross-examined me.
Tried to make me look like an angry, bitter woman.
Tried to twist my words.
But I stayed calm.
I told the truth.
And the truth was powerful.
Next, Michael took the stand.
His lawyer tried to paint him as a loving father who’d made a mistake.
A man who deserved a second chance.
Then Amanda cross-examined him.
And she destroyed him.
She asked him about the text messages.
About the money spent on Sarah.
About lying to his wife for three years.
About letting his mother slap me in front of his daughter.
Michael squirmed.
He stammered.
He tried to lie.
But Amanda had the proof.
Every time he lied, she presented evidence that proved him wrong.
By the time she was done, Michael looked small.
Defeated.
Then came the most important part.
The judge spoke to Emma.
Privately. In chambers.
Without me or Michael in the room.
I waited outside, my heart in my throat.
This was it.
This would decide everything.
When Emma came out, she ran to me and hugged me tight.
“It’s okay, Mommy,” she whispered. “I told the judge the truth.”
I held her, kissing the top of her head.
“I know, baby. I know.”
The judge made his ruling an hour later.
Full custody to me.
Michael got supervised visitation only.
Every other weekend.
At a neutral location.
With a social worker present.
The judge also ordered Michael to pay spousal support.
Child support.
And to repay over $45,000 he’d spent on Sarah during the affair.
Half of the marital assets went to me.
Including the house.
Michael was ordered to move out within thirty days.
As we left the courtroom, Amanda squeezed my hand.
“You did it.”
I looked at Emma, who was smiling for the first time in weeks.
“We did it.”
Michael came over to us, looking broken.
“Can I talk to her? Just for a minute?”
I looked at Emma.
She nodded.
I let her go to him.
They talked quietly for a few minutes.
Then Emma came back to me.
Michael looked at me.
“I’m sorry,” he said, and for the first time, I thought he might actually mean it.
“Take care of yourself, Michael.”
I turned and walked away.
May you like
With my daughter’s hand in mine.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I could breathe.
