My Husband Called Me A “Money-printing Machine” While Dining With His Mistress. I Canceled His Credit Cards And His Mother’s Life-saving Surgery In One Hour. Was I Too Cruel?

Signing the Papers

That same afternoon Mr. Davies, my legal representative, met with Ethan at a coffee shop near the university to discuss the terms of the divorce. I didn’t go; I didn’t want to see his face again. I gave Davies full power to resolve it.

Ethan arrived at the appointment looking dejected, his clothes wrinkled and with several days worth of beard growth. Laura accompanied him; she clung to him like a limpet now that she had no one else. He was her only lifeline.

Mr. Davies placed a thick folder on the table.

“Good afternoon Mr. Grant. I am the attorney for my client Mrs. Elizabeth Grant. Here is the divorce petition and the property settlement proposal prepared by my client. Please review it.”

Ethan took the paper with trembling hands. “What does she want?”

“My client is requesting a unilateral divorce. As for the children, Mrs. Grant will obtain full custody of both. You will not have to pay child support. As for the assets, the Brooklyn house and the other two apartments are Mrs. Grant’s separate property acquired before the marriage or donated by her parents with documentation to prove it. The Mercedes you drive is also the property of the Anchor Group. Therefore you are not entitled to any part of these assets.”

Ethan slammed the table. “This is absurd! For 10 years I also contributed to this family. I worked, I gave her my salary. Why should I leave with empty hands? I want half! That house is worth millions, I’m entitled to half!”

Laura beside him supported him. “That’s right, Professor Grant has worked very hard for many years. Even if he didn’t contribute as much he made an effort. Mrs. Grant can’t be so cruel.”

Mr. Davies smiled calmly adjusting his glasses. “Mr. Grant, you say you contributed? Allow me to show you this.”

Davies pulled out a detailed financial chart.

“In the last 10 years your total income as a university professor has been approximately $250,000. However, your personal expenses, those of your mother and sister, plus the money Mrs. Grant has invested in your research projects total more than $2 million. In other words, you owe my client $1,750,000. Mrs. Grant has been very generous in not demanding repayment of this debt. She only asks that you sign the divorce and leave.”

Ethan looked at the figures that spoke for themselves and began to sweat. He had no idea that I had recorded everything in such detail.

“But… but she gave me that money voluntarily,” he tried to argue.

“Indeed voluntarily. But if you want to take the property settlement to trial, we will make public all the evidence of your adultery.” Davies pulled out another stack of photos. “Here are photos of you with Miss Pierce in hotels, on trips, hotel bills, plane tickets. If this reaches the university’s dean’s office and is published on social media, I’m afraid your teaching career will end immediately. You will lose your honor, your job, and your status as a father.”

Ethan was speechless. He knew how strict the ethical code of the education sector was. If he were fired he would be left with nothing; his doctoral degree would be nothing more than a joke to everyone.

“You’re blackmailing me,” Ethan muttered through clenched teeth.

“We are not blackmailing you, we are offering you the best option,” Davies said coldly. “Sign the mutual consent divorce and you will retain a minimum of dignity without having to carry a million dollar debt or go to trial, lose everything and end up in debt up to your eyeballs. You choose.”

Laura upon hearing about dismissal and debts turned pale. She tugged on Ethan’s sleeve and whispered, “Ethan honey, sign it. If you lose your job what will we live on? You’re a genius, you’re very smart, you’ll find another way to make money. We’ll start from scratch. We don’t need that old woman’s money. Sign to save your reputation, then we’ll have a chance to get back on our feet.”

Laura’s words were a boost to Ethan’s wounded ego. He believed he was a phoenix that had only temporarily fallen from grace. He was confident that with his superior intellect he would soon rebuild his career and make me regret it.

He picked up the pen but hesitated. The images of the luxurious house, the elegant parties, the gleaming car came back to his mind. Signing meant giving up all of that, going back to renting, to driving a beat-up scooter.

“What are you waiting for?” Davies urged him. “My time is limited. Mrs. Grant told me that if you haven’t signed by 5 p.m. we will file the unilateral petition and send the file to the university immediately.”

At that moment Ethan’s phone rang. It was Eleanor.

“Ethan son, are you coming? I’m very hungry, I’m very tired. We need to find a place to sleep, I can’t take it anymore. Did you get the money from Elizabeth?”

Ethan looked at Laura and then at the divorce petition. He knew he had no way out. If he didn’t sign he would not only lose his job but his mother would also not have a roof over her head because he would have no money to rent anything if he were fired.

“Mom, wait a bit. I’m on it.”

Ethan hung up and took a deep breath to regain his false composure.

“All right, I’ll sign. I don’t need that woman’s dirty money. I’ll show her that Ethan Grant is not a kept man. I have my intellect, my worth. I’ll get rich on my own effort.”

Laura applauded. “That’s it honey! You’re amazing. I’m confident you’ll succeed. Money is fleeting, integrity is eternal.”

Hearing those hollow words Ethan felt revitalized. He stamped his signature on the divorce petition, a trembling but determined signature that put an end to 10 years of marriage.

“It’s done. Take it and get out. And tell Elizabeth that I’m giving her her freedom.”

Mr. Davies checked the signature, smiled with satisfaction and put away the documents.

“Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Grant. Allow me to add something on a personal note. Ms. Grant sends her thanks to Miss Pierce.”

Laura was perplexed. “Thank me?”

“Yes. Mrs. Grant says that thanks to Miss Pierce’s appearance, which has enlightened her about true love, she has found the strength to get rid of a burden she had been dragging for 10 years. She wishes you both to be very happy together in your humble cabin with two hearts of gold. Goodbye.”

Mr. Davies stood up and left, leaving Ethan and Laura standing there. His ironic words were like a slap in the face. Ethan began to realize that the freedom he had just signed for might not be as sweet as he imagined.