The meeting with Marcus Hale lasts two hours.
He's exactly what Maribel promised. Sharp suit, sharper mind, the kind of lawyer who makes you feel protected and terrified simultaneously. He takes notes while I explain the marriage, the infidelity, Julian's open marriage proposal, the joint finances I have no control over.
"He's going to fight dirty," Marcus says when I finish. "Men like him always do. They can't handle rejection. Can't handle losing control."
"I know."
"Good. Because this is going to get ugly before it gets better. Are you prepared for that?"
I think about Julian's face when I told him I wanted a divorce. The cold calculation in his eyes. "Yes."
"Then we'll start with a separation agreement. Get you protected financially. Then we file." He slides a folder across his d
