My husband broke up with me via text: «I’m done with you…

Mark got his personal possessions and his car, which was worth less than he owed on it. You’ve destroyed me, he hissed as we left the courthouse. I’ll have to move back in with my parents.

No, Mark, you destroyed yourself. I just made sure you couldn’t destroy me too. His mother was waiting outside, ready to drive him to her house, his new home at 45.

The irony of his situation wasn’t lost on anyone. The man who’d mocked my age was now living in his childhood bedroom while I continued running my successful business. You planned this all along, he accused.

You knew this would happen. No, I just paid attention, and unlike you, I understood the value of keeping good records. His mother stepped between us.

That’s enough, Mark. You’ve embarrassed yourself enough already. As they walked away, I heard her start in on him.

Honestly, what were you thinking? A 20-year-old? Emptying bank accounts? Sending those horrible texts? I watched them disappear into the parking lot feeling nothing but relief. Mark had thought he was writing the ending to our story with that cruel text. Instead, he’d merely set my carefully laid plans in motion.

My phone buzzed, not with texts from Mark this time, but with notifications of new orders from my boutique’s website. Life was moving forward, just not in the direction he’d imagined. Part 3. Segment 1. 600 Words.

Six months after the divorce was finalized, my boutique had expanded to a second location. The irony wasn’t lost on me. While Mark struggled to rebuild his life, the little shop he’d dismissed was thriving.

I’d hired three new employees and launched an online store that was gaining traction nationally. News of Mark’s situation trickled back through mutual acquaintances. He’d tried dating apps but found women his age weren’t interested in a middle-aged man living with his parents.

Younger women, having heard about his history through office gossip, steered clear. Melissa had apparently warned her friends about him, sharing screenshots of his desperate attempts to win her back after she’d left. His career suffered too.

The company’s HR department had launched an investigation into his relationship with a subordinate, resulting in a formal reprimand. The promotion he’d been expecting went to someone else, someone who didn’t have a history of inappropriate relationships with reception staff. He tried to claim age discrimination, Amanda told me during an unexpected visit to the boutique.

Said they were punishing him for dating someone younger. HR just added that complaint to his file. I was surprised to see his sister in my store, but her presence spoke volumes about how thoroughly Mark had alienated his own family.

I know we didn’t support you at first, she admitted, running her fingers over a silk scarf. He played the victim so well. But watching how he handled everything, how he acted afterward.

I’m ashamed we ever believed him. My lawyer kept me updated on Mark’s continued attempts to challenge the divorce settlement. Each petition was denied.

His claims of unfair distribution dismissed, based on the evidence of his own actions. He actually tried arguing that his text about emptying the account was just a joke, she told me, laughing. The judge asked if haha made theft less illegal…