Marriage by Revenge: The Deceived Heiress

Unexpected visit

MARIEL

Dawn had never seemed so bleak. I felt humiliation burning my skin, not just from the betrayal, but from having it exposed before our families. The shame was unbearable, but what hurt the most was the love I still felt for him.

Now, somewhere, Rafael was waking up in another bed, in the arms of another woman, a stranger who had captured his heart.

So, he had been in love with another woman all this while? How was I supposed to process that?

Part of me wanted to run after him and plead for a reconciliation of our marriage, at least to give me a chance to forgive him. But how could I even think of forgiveness when every fiber of my being felt betrayed? I didn't know what I wanted. I just longed for everything to return to normal, even though it now seemed illusional.

I wanted to keep crying, but I felt like I didn't have the strength anymore. I had cried so much during the night that I woke up weak and tired.

It was still unbelievable that I had spent nine years with a man who shared his life with someone other than me. And I wondered how long this had been.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I ran with a spark of irrational hope, thinking it might be Rafael.

But it was my brother. There he stood, his eyes filled with concern about what had happened last night. He hugged me tightly, and together, we entered the house.

Manuel was very protective of me despite being my younger brother. He was only twenty-five years old, but he was mature and always looked out for me.

I was grateful that he was here to keep me company because I didn't want to do something crazy or let myself drown in the thoughts that assaulted me.

I poured my heart out as my brother led me to the bedroom. I took refuge in the sheets that still held Rafael's scent.

My brother, pacing back and forth, broke the silence with a crucial question that seemed least important to me at the moment.

"What would you do about the divorce?" he asked.

"Divorce?" I reiterated the word. It sounded strange.

"Rafael discussed it with me over the phone. Is it something you would like to talk about now?"

My brother insisted on the need to understand our financial situation, something Rafael had always taken care of. He asked me about money, investments, and the details of our joint venture. I realized I knew so little or nothing; I had always blindly trusted Rafael. And why not? He was my husband, the man I was still in love with.

If I trusted anyone, it was him.

"You have to be ahead of everything, Mariel. If you're getting a divorce, you need to be prepared."

"But isn't a divorce all about signing papers? Or what else is there? I guess everything will be split down the middle, won't it?"

"Listen to me, Mariel," he said with a tone of worry. "I know this is difficult, but there are important things you need to consider now. Divorce is not just about signing papers and moving on."

I took a deep breath, trying to process his words amid my torment.

"What do I need to prepare for? I understand whatever we have will be split in half because of the marriage, right?"

He looked at me helplessly. "First, you need a lawyer," he continued. "One who specializes in divorce and marital affairs. It's crucial to have someone who understands the law and can protect your rights and interests."

I nodded slowly, though fighting in court seemed foreign and overwhelming.

"But those are things we can simply agree on. This isn't going to be a fight."

"Of course, it's going to be a fight, Mariel! He's been unfaithful to you. He's hurt you. Do you think that after what he's done, he will spare you some more?"

"Rafael is not like that."

"I wish I could think the same! But look what he's done to you. Nobody saw it coming. Now, you have to be prepared. So, stop arguing and listen to what I'm telling you. You need to hire a lawyer. Then there's the issue of the division of assets," he said cautiously. "You have to be prepared for this. You'll need documents, records of all your investments, properties, and bank accounts; literally, everything you've accumulated together."

"I... I don't have any of that. How am I going to get everything you're asking for? Rafael takes care of everything. I don't know anything." I thought about how Rafael had always handled our finances. I felt lost, navigating an unknown sea.

"That could be a problem. I just hope he's not planning anything. But how can you not know anything about your money?"

"Because I gave it to my husband! And everything was going well. Why would I have to be aware of that?"

He turned his back on me, visibly worried.

"Oh, Mariel. They're going to leave you with nothing. I can see it coming."

"No, he wouldn't do that, I assure you. I gave him the money. The company was built with the money I gave him.”

My brother's words scared me, but I still refused to think Rafael could neglect my financial input in starting the company. Even if we weren't together, Rafael wouldn't do that to me. I invested all my money in his ideas for business and, today, it was what sustained our economy. It was a success, all thanks to his effort and my money. We were a team.

I supposed we were until now.

"That's part of the division of assets. You'll have to value the company and decide if one of you keeps it or better still, if you sell it and split the money in two. These are important decisions, Mariel. Are you both owners? What role do you have in the company? I know it was with your money, but what role did you play there? Are you also an owner, a shareholder, or something you can figure out?"

Tears soiled my eyes suddenly.

"I don't know anything about this," I confessed. "Rafael always handled everything. And I... I really couldn’t do anything either, so he took care of it. Business is not my thing; I simply paint! What do I know about a company?"

My brother, casting a sorry gaze at me, took my hand in his. It got me really scared.

"I'll help you. But you have to be involved and understand what's at stake. This isn't just about the end of your marriage; it's also about protecting your future and financial security."

We talked about the need to be aware of my finances, something I had never considered important before. We discussed strategies, possible divorce scenarios, and how they could affect my life.

But a part of me still couldn't believe that the situation was more complicated than I thought.

I believed we could work this out by talking like two adults who once loved each other.

The weight of reality hit me like a wave. Not only was I losing my husband, but I was also facing a battle for what I thought was ours.

Did I have to keep thinking about Rafael's goodwill, or should I start to worry about my new reality?

My brother got up, ready to leave.

"Manuel, thank you for your visit. Honestly, I'm a little lost."

"I'm going to help you find a good lawyer. We're in this together, Mariel. Don't you worry, I'll connect you with one today."

"Thank you so much. Thank you, Manuel."

I decided I had to talk to Rafael. Although the idea of divorce seemed irreversible, and every fiber of my being wanted to beg him to stay, I knew that if he had been unfaithful to me and had fallen in love with someone else, then there was no reason to beg. Honestly, this was difficult for me.

A divorce.

I had to talk to him about this to avoid the situation becoming complex. I was convinced that, with a talk, everything would be settled. I agreed that half belonged to each one, even when he was the one who betrayed our love and pact.

I showered in an attempt to wash away not only my body but also my anguish. After a careful bath, I dressed up, ensuring I looked beautiful. I put on my makeup carefully. I also chose clothes that I knew Rafael liked, discreet and elegant. He hated the idea of me exposing too much skin sensually or provocatively. He was always very jealous when it came to my body.

I styled my hair subtly. A touch of cologne and I was ready.

I left my room, purse in hand, trying to keep a positive attitude. All I wanted was to talk to him.

I drove to the company. I hadn’t visited the place in a long time.

It was almost noon when I arrived.

Rafael's secretary greeted me kindly, probably unaware of everything going on. I feigned a smile and went straight to his office, knocking lightly on the door before entering.

Rafael rose from his chair, surprised to see me. Sitting opposite him was Lina, his best friend, and the company's lawyer. They both looked equally surprised. At that moment, I realized that Lina knew what was happening and that they had been talking about it before I walked in. I also imagined that she knew the person Rafael had replaced me with.

"Mariel, what are you doing here?"

"I’m here because I believe we have important things to discuss."

Lina stood up but kept a distance. It was then that I noticed her bulging belly.

Lina was pregnant. I didn't know. The surprise hit me like a lightning bolt. I didn’t know much about her though. While we were still a couple, I barely interacted with Rafael's friends. He convinced me that interacting with them was useless because they were difficult to get along with. So, I never bothered about getting close to any of them.

The only thing I knew certainly was that Lina was his best friend.

Lina.

She was a beautiful woman, of course, and an incredible lawyer as Rafael often remarked. Years ago, he always talked about her. But lately, and strangely so, he didn't even mention her.

Had she gotten married?

I approached her, moved by an overwhelming curiosity. Her jacket was open, and her blouse could barely conceal her bulge. I smiled and raised my hand to touch her, but Rafael intervened, holding me by the shoulders with a firmness that scared me. In the process, he hurt me with his fingers.

"What are you trying to do?!" he asked in a loud, altered tone. I stared into his brown eyes to figure out why he was upset.

"I just wanted to see her belly," my voice trembled. "I didn't know she was pregnant. I just wanted to touch her."

He released me slowly, and I stepped back, feeling the tension and bewilderment in the air. Then to Lina, I said, "I'm sorry if I scared you. It wasn't my intention." I turned to Rafael, still feeling as if his fingers were glued to my shoulders. "Can we talk alone?" My voice was barely a whisper.

Lina excused us and exited the office in silence.

Now, Rafael and I were face to face with each other. Our silence painfully punctuated the atmosphere, yet, we had so much to say. It was time to face reality and talk about how we had reached this irremediable point in our marriage.

"I hope you’re here to talk about the divorce because, other than that, we have nothing more to discuss."

The coldness of his words and the distance with which he treated me hit me. The emptiness in his gaze or how cold he made me feel in his presence broke me further.

How did things change so fast?

Did it take only a day for us to become strangers?

"I still love you, Rafael," I confessed, unable to withhold the words.

"But I don't love you!" he said irritably.

I cast my gaze on the floor immediately as tears filled my eyes, to avoid him seeing the burst of my emotions. And when I felt strong enough, I faced him again.

"Okay, just so you know, I love you even though it doesn't matter to you anymore. Nevertheless, let's talk about divorce. I guess that's all that's left for us to discuss. It seems you are desperate for this and that’s okay."