Chapter 3: Divorce

"Children, Mom and Dad won't be able to be together anymore," Adeline reported sadly that afternoon, after speaking with the lawyer who would process their divorce.

"Why, Mom?" asked Camilo, the oldest of them.

"It's hard to explain, honey," she began and tried to find the right words, "but when people don't love each other anymore, it's best to distance themselves so as not to hurt each other. Something like that happened with us; we don't love each other like we used to, and we don't want to hurt each other in the process."

"Liar," was what she really thought. Humberto had already hurt her enough.

"Does that mean we won't see Dad again?" Lucio could not hide the fear in his voice. He was the youngest and loved both his parents equally.

"No, honey," Adeline caressed his cheek. "Of course not." The fact that we no longer understand each other has nothing to do with you. You three are our children, and we will always love you and be there for each other. So don't be afraid. Everything will be okay, my little ones." With that, she hugged them.

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she held them back without her children noticing. She did not want them to see her cry. She did not also want them to see her weak.

Days later, Adeline received a call from her brother. This time, the topic was not simply a greeting or catching up on the details of their lives. Gustavo was very upset.

"Adeline, how is it possible you haven't told me about your divorce?" he complained, and barely contained the anger in his voice. "I had to find out from the family lawyer. I practically bribed him to explain what was going on. You're supposed to be my sister, and you should trust me."

"I'm sorry," she exclaimed. It was not a matter of trust; she just did not want her brother to get involved, and knowing him, he would have gone to complain to Humberto. "I know I should have called you sooner, but these past few days have been so complicated, Gustavo. You don't know how bad I feel." She could not hold back a sob.

"Adeline," his brother felt his heart break when he heard her speak like that.

"This is so hard," she continued sobbing through the phone. "The children are so sad, I don't know how to be strong in front of them. I feel like I'm breaking down more and more every day."

"But what happened, Ade?" her brother wanted to know. "Why did you decide so suddenly?"

"Humberto was unfaithful to me, Gustavo. And it’s been very painful." Tears cascaded down her face. "It hurts so much, it really hurts."

These last few days, she had not stopped looking at herself in the mirror with apprehension; even her own reflection seemed to mock her. "Fat," "ugly," she felt it scream at her every time she tried to look at herself. Now she could not even bear to look at herself; her self-esteem was at rock bottom.

"He's a bastard! I'll make him pay for this!"

"No, Gustavo, please," she begged him, in a trembling voice. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you."

"Adeline, don't hide anything from me again, ever."

She sighed and had to promise she would not do it again. That same afternoon, she felt the need to turn her life around, and that desire led her to the hairdresser.

"Tell me what you want done, ma'am?" the hairdresser asked.

"Please, I'd like to improve my appearance in some way. Could you help me with that?" she asked, pinning all her hopes on it.

Adeline left the beauty salon a changed woman. Her hair, once straight, was now adorned with soft curls. Her natural copper color had remained, but her new style gave her hair more freedom.

"Are you ready to sign the divorce papers, dear?" said the person in charge of leaving her that way.

"Thank you."

The next day, Adeline went to the lawyer's office with her brother. "I'm not going to leave you alone with this," he had said bluntly and gave her no right to reply.

"But look who we have here," Humberto mocked as soon as he saw them arrive at the building. "The efficient duo!" Complete with sarcastic applause.

"You'd better keep your mouth shut, Humberto. Unless you never want to use it again," Gustavo threatened. His eyes blazed with fury. A kind of fury that was very difficult to contain.

"Oh, threats from my brother-in-law," he continued mockingly. "What are you going to do, Gustavo? Can you even get up from that wheelchair?"

Gustavo clenched his fists tightly and really wished he had the ability to stand up. If it were not for that damned accident that left him in a wheelchair, he would have been beating his ex-brother-in-law in that moment until disfiguring him.

"I don't need to stoop to your level," he said in a calm, but dangerous voice tone. "There are other ways to ensure your life is miserable. Fortunately, I have the power, and you, on the other hand, have always been a nobody."

"Well, you two owe me everything," Humberto blurted out and affected by his words. "If it weren't for me, your beloved company would be in ruins. And I'm sure it won't take long for it to finally go completely bankrupt. After all, who's going to run it? A cripple and a sad ugly housewife."

"Damn it!"

The wheelchair shook, and Adeline had to hold on tightly to keep her brother from falling to the ground from the strain he was making.

"Enough gossip," she said firmly. "What we came for," and she entered the lawyer's office, more certain than ever of her decision. Her only regret was not having realized sooner what a filthy man she had for a husband.

Once inside those four walls, the tension became almost suffocating, and the poisonous glances flew from both sides.

"You must sign here," the lawyer instructed.

Adeline took the pen and scribbled her signature amidst many thoughts of self-improvement. She would show Humberto, and all those who had looked down on her, how valuable and intelligent she was. She would show them that she could indeed run a business...