PART 2:
The following morning, I printed three years of tax returns, client contracts, and bank statements. My verified annual income was nearly double Julian’s.
I hired Richard Vance, a fierce, seasoned family law attorney in downtown Chicago. When Richard reviewed my financial records alongside the saved communication logs between Julian and Victoria, he looked up with a sharp smile.
“Your problem was never a lack of resources, Mariana,” Richard said. “Your problem was allowing your husband and his family to treat you like a ghost.”
I didn’t want Julian’s car. I didn’t want the lease on our old apartment. I didn’t care about splitting marital assets down the middle. I only cared about keeping my children safe.
When Julian figured out where the children and I were staying, he showed up at my new apartment enraged. He pushed past me in the doorway, staring at the brand-new furniture, my high-end dual-monitor workstation, and the bright, decorated bedrooms for the twins…
