I did the math on the back of an old bill to see my options. On one side was a clean life for me and Zoey, and on the other was a mountain of debt with a fancy bow.
The next morning I called Diane to tell her that I had decided not to fight for the house or the office. “I want to give her everything.” I said firmly.
There was a short silence on the other end before Diane asked what I wanted in exchange for the estate. “I want full custody of Zoey with no visits or future rights for them.” I replied.
I told her they could keep everything they thought was worth its weight in gold as long as they left us alone. Diane asked me to come to her office immediately to finalize the plan.
She read the letter and the policies before letting out a dry laugh of pure admiration. “Your husband was a dangerously intelligent man.” she said while looking at the liabilities.
She drafted the agreement that same afternoon which seemed like my total surrender on paper. However, the real signature that would change our lives had not yet been made.