The sky was low, the rain was falling in a curtain, and my reflection in the elevator window looked like something straight out of a French drama. An exhausted woman, her shoulders slumped, her gaze vacant. Yet what no one could guess was that behind this apparent resignation lay a long-planned strategy…
A departure that looked like a defeat
When I left the lawyer’s office, everyone would have sworn I’d just lost everything. The house? Surrendered unconditionally. The car? Given away. My savings? Left without regret. Sylvain, my ex-husband, was smiling as if he’d just won the lottery. And me? I got into the elevator, light-hearted, and let out a small, discreet, almost childish laugh. It was exactly what I’d planned.
The mirage of appearances
Sylvain and I had long since lost our connection. He was attracted to anything that glittered: high-end cars, social appearances, an image of success. For years, I was the perfect companion, always smiling at business dinners, withdrawing whenever it was necessary to put him forward. But deep down, I was preparing my exit. Not an escape, more like a deliverance.
The unexpected agreement
When the time came to share, Sylvain asked for everything with theatrical confidence: house, car, bills… Like a child making a list of his favorite toys. I nodded. “Okay, take everything.” The lawyer gave me a puzzled look. Sylvain, on the other hand, was jubilant.
A smile behind every box
I went home to “pack my bags,” as he said. But in truth, my important belongings had already been elsewhere for a while. Each closed box marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. It wasn’t an escape, but a transition to a lighter life. And what came next was going to be delicious.
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