I walked out of the lawyer’s office, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. My ex-husband, Mike, had gotten everything in the divorce – the house, the car, and all our savings. Or so he thought.
As I stepped into the elevator, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. It was a laugh of relief, of freedom, and of knowing that I had outsmarted Mike.
You see, Mike was a man obsessed with material wealth. He loved flaunting his designer clothes, his fancy cars, and his grand house. But I knew that beneath all the glitz and glamour, he was a man consumed by his own ego.
Our divorce was a long time coming. We had been unhappy for years, and the arguments had become more frequent. But I knew that Mike didn’t care about saving our marriage. All he wanted was to win – to win the house, the money, and the divorce.
So, I let him think he had won. I agreed to give him everything, but what he didn’t know was that I had a plan.
My mom, Barbara, had helped us buy the house, and she had a clause in the agreement that allowed her to live there whenever she wanted. I knew that Mike had forgotten about this clause, and I was counting on it.
As I packed up my belongings and left the house, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. I knew that Mike thought he had gotten the better deal, but little did he know, I had just set him up for a big fall.
The next morning, I received a frantic call from Mike. He was furious, shouting about how my mom had taken over the house and was refusing to leave. I listened calmly, biting back a smile.
“Remember that agreement we signed when my mom gave us the down payment?” I asked sweetly. “The one that lets her live there whenever she wants, for as long as she wants?”
There was a pause, and I could almost hear the gears turning in Mike’s brain. He had signed that paper years ago, without even reading the fine print.
“You cheated me!” he shouted. “This isn’t over. I’m getting my lawyers—”
But before he could finish, my mom’s voice cut in, sharp and clear. “Michael, get your feet off that coffee table! And stop hogging the remote!”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the image of Mike, furious and helpless, as my mom took over the house. It was a sweet victory, one that I had planned and executed perfectly.
As I hung up the phone, I felt a sense of closure. I had outsmarted Mike, and I had taken back control of my life. It was a liberating feeling, one that I would never trade for anything in the world.
