I take a moment to study her as she gets situated. Long brown hair, thin body, surgically enhanced chest, expensive clothes, but really, she’s just a woman about my age who made the mistake of trusting a man enough to marry him.
“First things first, as your lawyer, I want to emphasize the importance of honesty. Anything you say to me is protected under the attorney-client privilege. It’s expected that you speak openly and honestly with me without fear that what you say will be used against you.”
“Absolutely.” She nods. “I’ll tell you everything as it is. I have nothing to hide.”
I love it when my clients are honest. It makes my job so much easier and makes me one step closer to becoming a partner at this firm.
“Let’s get started.” I scoot my chair in and flip open the case folder. “I know this is a really emotional time for you. Divorce is never easy. There are many layers and nuances to every relationship, but I’d like to hear your story. Tell me a little bit about your marriage and why you’re seeking a divorce.”
“Chad and I have known each other for ages. We were middle school sweethearts. I’ve literally never kissed another man besides him.”
I keep my face even, though my heart aches for her. Monica seems like a really sweet—albeit naive—woman who thought, at thirteen, she’d found her Prince Charming. But Prince Charming doesn’t exist—no matter how much we want to believe he does. If only she’d had an older sister like me to tell her she was making a mistake. Selena doesn’t know how good she has it.
“After high school, he was drafted into the MLB to the Dodgers farm system. He started in Oklahoma for the Tulsa Drillers, while I stayed in Alabama, working. The long-distancerelationship was really hard, so after a few years, we decided to get married.”
“And what age were you both when you got married?”
“We were twenty-one.”
Of course they were.
“What happened next?”
“We were happy that first year. Chad was playing really well and was moved up to Triple-A for a couple of months then eventually promoted to the majors. It was kind of hectic, moving around so much to follow his baseball career, but I didn’t mind. I loved him, and I was proud that his dream was finally coming true.”
I can already see where this story is going. She loses her identity so he can shine. Then they have a few kids, and she can’t travel with him anymore. That’s when they drift apart, and he cheats while on the road, playing ball. I’ve seen it a thousand times. A tale as old as time—not theBeauty and the Beastkind.
“Then he got traded to the Arizona Cardinals, and we decided to buy a home here because I was pregnant with our first child.”
“And how long ago was that?”
“About five years ago. But once I had Gigi, I didn’t travel to the games as much. Things were okay for a while. We ended up having another little girl three years ago, and that’s when everything kind of fell apart.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“Chad was gone a lot, and whenever he came home, he wasn’t content. He started distancing himself from us, talking down to me and the girls, just kind of living a separate life, and it’s been that way for a couple of years. I started posting on Instagram and TikTok and building a good following there. You know, just trying to have hobbies and fill my time. Then six months ago, I had a woman DM me and say she’s been sleeping with him for the past nine months. I was devastated, of course. I’d giveneverything to this man I’ve loved my whole life. I didn’t attend college, pursue a career, or do anything I wanted to do. I just lived for him, and it felt terrible that he could cast me aside that easily. I’m the mother of his children.”
And this is exactly why being a strong, independent woman who doesn’t rely on a man is so important.
“Did you confront Chad about the affair?”
“Yes, but he denies it. He denies ever knowing her, even though she has pictures with him.”
“I’m going to need those pictures and a screenshot of the direct message she sent you for evidence.”
Her brows lift. “Evidence?”
“Monica, as a successful, professional baseball player, your husband is worth a lot of money.” She shrugs innocently, as if she didn’t know he’s worth millions. Chad Becker’s net worth is why this case is so important to Richard. “And since you were both so young when you got married, I’m assuming there wasn’t a prenup.” She shakes her head. “So your husband’s infidelity can be used to help with the settlement.”
“I thought Arizona was a no-fault divorce state.”
I’m impressed she knows that. “It is. However, as your lawyer, I plan to use the infidelity as leverage for settlement negotiations. Your husband is a public figure. He won’t want to air his dirty laundry. Because he cheated, he might agree to a more favorable property settlement or child support to avoid the mess becoming public.”
“I see.” She swallows, visibly upset.
“I know this is hard.”
Monica pulls out a tissue from inside her purse and dabs at the corners of her eyes. “I just never thought that he’d change so much or become so cruel. You don’t understand what it’s been like living with him over the last few years. He’s so controllingof everything I do. He’ll never let this divorce go through amicably.”
