That morning, the sunbeams filtering through the kitchen blinds did nothing to warm Stella’s heart. Her gaze was empty, fixed on a manila envelope lying silently on the dining table. The envelope bore the official seal of the Cook County Domestic Relations Division.
Stella’s hands trembled violently as she slowly reached for it. Her heart pounded, as if it already knew the bad news hidden inside. It had been three weeks since Gabe had come home.
Her husband, the man who once promised to be faithful in good times and bad when they were both starting from nothing, had now completely changed. Ever since his career as a young attorney began to take off, and his name started to become known around Chicago, Gabe’s attitude had turned cold. He rarely answered her calls.
He frequently made excuses about working late, and the final straw was him leaving home without so much as a goodbye. With bated breath, Stella tore the seal on the envelope. Her eyes scanned line by line the print on the white paper.
It was a summons for a divorce hearing. The date was set for tomorrow morning. Stella’s chest tightened, as if the air supply in the room had suddenly been cut off.
Her tears fell, wetting the paper that was proof of her marriage’s failure. The tears on her cheeks hadn’t even dried when her phone buzzed. An incoming message appeared.
Gabe’s name flashed on the screen. That name used to make Stella smile whenever she heard from him, but now it only brought a stabbing pain to the pit of her stomach. Stella opened the message with fingers that were still trembling.
«You got the letter, right? Don’t forget to show up tomorrow. I expect you to cooperate, Stella. Don’t make a scene and don’t complicate things.»
The message was so cold, with no greeting, no courtesy, as if Stella were a stranger he had just met. Stella took a deep breath, trying to gather the last remnants of her courage to reply.
«Gabe, why does it have to be like this? Can’t we talk things over first? I have a right to know what I did wrong for you to divorce me so suddenly.»
It wasn’t long before Gabe’s response came. This time, the message was longer, but every word was like a razor blade slicing through Stella’s heart.
«Talk? We have nothing in common to talk about anymore. Stella, get a clue. Look at me now, and look at you.»
«I’m an attorney at a prestigious firm in the Loop. I meet with high-profile clients, officials, and business leaders every day. And you? You’re just an ordinary housewife who only knows about the kitchen and the bedroom.»
«You’re not on my level anymore. Taking you to work events would just embarrass me. You can’t adapt to my world now.»
Stella sank weakly into a dining chair. Her heart shattered as she read the honest but cruel confession from her husband. She remembered the hard times before, when Gabe was still in law school, and they had to share a single meal between them because Gabe’s money had been spent on textbooks.
It was Stella who worked extra hours, sewing clothes for neighbors late into the night to help pay for Gabe’s tuition. It was Stella who always encouraged Gabe when he failed his exams time and again, and almost gave up.
«You forgot who was with you from the very beginning,» Stella wrote as she sobbed.
The tears now flowed freely, impossible to hold back.
«Who sewed your first suit for your job interview? It was me, your wife.»
«Don’t talk about the past!» Gabe replied quickly, as if Stella’s words were an annoying attack. «That was a wife’s obligation—to serve her husband. And I’ve already paid you back by giving you food and a decent place to live all this time, haven’t I? So we’re even.»
«Listen carefully, Stella. At the hearing tomorrow, I want you to agree to all the divorce demands without objection. As for the marital assets, forget it. The house, the car, the savings—it’s all in my name.»
«You have no real financial contribution to their purchase. So don’t even try to claim a division of assets.»
Stella’s jaw dropped as she read that message. How clever Gabe was regarding the modest house they lived in. The down payment had come from Stella’s savings from sewing day and night before Gabe became successful.
«But Gabe, this house…»
Stella didn’t get to finish typing when her phone rang. Suddenly, Gabe was calling. Stella answered with trembling hands, afraid but needing an explanation.
«Hello?» Stella’s voice was hoarse and weak.
«Listen, Stella.» Gabe’s voice was loud, firm, and full of intimidation from the other end. «Don’t even try to fight this. I’m a lawyer. I know the loopholes. If you dare to claim any assets or complicate this divorce, I’ll make sure you don’t get a single penny.»
«I’ll expose all your faults in front of the judge. I’ll make you a disgrace for life until no one even wants to be your friend.»
«What faults, Gabe? I’ve served you all this time. I never did anything wrong,» Stella sobbed. Her heart ached at being accused of things she hadn’t done.
«I can find your faults. That’s my specialty,» Gabe shouted arrogantly. «I can twist the facts until you look guilty. So if you want a quiet life after the divorce, do as I say.»
«Show up tomorrow, nod your head in front of the judge, sign, and get out of my life. Just take your clothes. Everything else is mine.»
The call was disconnected unilaterally by Gabe. Stella weakly placed her phone on the table. The dining room felt so silent and oppressive.
She looked around the modest house she had cared for with all her love for the past five years. The walls she had painted herself. The curtains she had sewn herself. Everything bore the mark of her hands.
And now, Gabe wanted to snatch it all away just because he felt Stella was no longer worthy of standing with him at the peak of success. A success achieved thanks to Stella’s prayers and sweat as well. That pain slowly transformed into an oppressive weight crushing her chest.
Stella felt so small and helpless. Her opponent was her own husband, a lawyer who understood the law and was skilled with words. What could a simple woman like her do?
She had no lawyer she could afford. She didn’t know any influential people. Yet, in the midst of that despair, Stella looked at her reflection in the mirror of the sideboard. Her face was swollen, her eyes red and puffy.
Should I just give up like this? she asked herself silently.
Suddenly, she remembered her late mother’s words: «Be a strong woman and keep your dignity.»
«No,» Stella whispered softly as she wiped her tears away harshly. «I may be poor now. I may not have an advanced degree like Gabe. But I have dignity. I won’t let him trample all over me anymore.»
«Let him have the assets. But I won’t let him humiliate my dignity.»
That night, Stella couldn’t sleep. She spent the night packing some of her clothes into an old duffel bag. She wouldn’t take any possessions if that’s what Gabe wanted. But she would go to the courthouse tomorrow with her head held high.
She would face Gabe. She would show him that while he could divorce her, he couldn’t destroy her spirit.
Tomorrow was the decisive day. Stella zipped up her old bag. She had no money to take a taxi to the courthouse because Gabe had blocked her access to their joint savings account. The only car had already been taken by Gabe a week ago.
«I’ll take the CTA bus,» she murmured softly. «It’s okay. I was used to walking and taking public transit before Gabe became successful.»
Outside, the night wind blew hard as if signaling the life storm she would face the next day. Stella closed her eyes, praying in her heart for God to give her the strength to get through that difficult day.
Unbeknownst to her, God had already prepared a different scenario. A scenario that neither Stella nor Gabe could have ever imagined. A simple encounter the next morning that would change everything.
The morning sun wasn’t yet high in the sky, but its rays already felt scorching on Stella’s skin. Today was the day she dreaded most, but one she had to face, like it or not.
Stella stood in front of the old mirror in her bedroom, adjusting a simple cream-colored scarf that had faded slightly from being washed so many times. It was the scarf Gabe had given her five years ago when he received his first paycheck as a paralegal. Back then, Gabe had given it to her with a look full of love, but now the item was just a silent witness to the drastic turn in Stella’s fate.
She chose a modest, long dress with a small floral pattern. She wore no jewelry. Her wedding ring had been taken off and placed in the dresser drawer the night before.
It felt too heavy to wear that symbol of a sacred union when that bond was about to be forcibly severed by law that day. She tried to cover her swollen face with a little powder, though the dark circles from crying all night couldn’t be completely hidden.
Stella left the tract house that had been her castle until now. She closed the door carefully. The key to this house might soon have to be handed over to Gabe, according to her husband’s threat yesterday.
«Just take your clothes, everything else is mine.» Those words echoed again, making Stella’s stomach ache.
As her feet stepped past the gate, Stella saw a few neighbors gathered by their mailboxes, not far from her house. Stella tried to lower her head, hoping to pass without drawing attention, but that hope was in vain.
«Hey, there’s Stella,» one of the women whispered, just loud enough to be heard. «All dressed up so early. Where could she be going?»
«They say she’s going to her divorce hearing,» another neighbor said with an obvious gossipy tone. «Poor thing, and her husband is such a successful lawyer. His cars are always new, and his wife has to walk to the courthouse.»
«I wonder if Stella did something wrong to get divorced like this?»
«Could be. Rich people usually look for someone on their level. Maybe Stella didn’t take care of herself. That’s why her husband found someone prettier.»
Those sharp words pierced Stella’s ears. She felt like screaming to defend herself, to say that she had sacrificed her youth, her smooth skin, and her energy to support Gabe’s career until he succeeded. She wanted to tell them that she didn’t take care of herself not out of laziness, but because she saved the household money to buy Gabe expensive shoes, so he wouldn’t be embarrassed when meeting clients.
But Stella chose to remain silent. Her tongue was paralyzed. She just quickened her pace, leaving the group of neighbors who were watching her with contempt.
The walk to the bus stop was quite long, about half a mile from her neighborhood. Stella walked along the dusty sidewalk. Private cars zipped past her.
The luxury cars that passed reminded her of the car Gabe used to drive. Before, Stella would sit in the passenger seat, listening to Gabe talk about the cases he’d won. Now, she was just a pedestrian, marginalized by the sun’s heat and the road’s dust.
The heat and dust started to make cold sweat drip down her temples. However, the fear in Stella’s chest was far more unsettling than the weather. The image of the cold, formal courtroom haunted her.
She imagined Gabe sitting there in his expensive suit, accompanied by his well-spoken lawyer colleagues, ready to tear Stella’s dignity to shreds with legal arguments she didn’t understand.
What if I say the wrong thing? Stella thought anxiously. What if the judge believes all of Gabe’s lies? What if they really throw me out without a penny? Where will I live then?
That fear was like a monster slowly devouring her courage. Stella clutched the strap of her bag tightly. She felt so small, like an ant about to face an elephant.
Gabe had everything—money, status, legal knowledge, and connections. Stella only had her honesty and the remnants of faith that God doesn’t sleep.