avatarColleen Sheehy Orme

Summary

The author's husband unilaterally and unfairly determined her financial worth in their divorce, disregarding legal standards and her substantial contributions to their marriage and business.

Abstract

In a personal narrative, the author describes the emotional and financial abuse she faced during her divorce, where her husband, referred to as "The Goose," assigned her a monetary value based on his own biased and selfish criteria, rather than adhering to legal divorce proceedings. Despite her significant role in building their business and raising their children, he undervalued her contributions, likening her to an employee rather than a 50% owner. The Goose's actions included hiding money, lying about his income, and attempting to leave her with minimal financial support, reflecting a deep-seated belief that she was undeserving of fair compensation after their separation. The author highlights the injustice of her situation, emphasizing the importance of divorce laws and the need for equitable treatment of spouses, especially in cases where one partner has sacrificed their career for the family.

Opinions

  • The author's husband believed he could unilaterally decide her worth, ignoring legal divorce protocols.
  • The husband viewed the author's contributions to their marriage and business as less valuable than his own, despite her integral role.
  • The author challenges the societal undervaluation of stay-at-home mothers, pointing out their significant contributions to the household and business.
  • The husband's sense of entitlement and arrogance is evident in his belief that he is above the law and can dictate the terms of the divorce without consequence.
  • The author expresses outrage at the husband's audacity to personally appraise her, equating it to a form of emotional and financial abuse.
  • The author emphasizes that both parties are responsible for the success and demise of their marriage, and thus both should be entitled to fair asset division as stipulated by law.
  • The author reflects on her own naivety in not understanding the extent of her husband's manipulative behavior until it was too late.
  • The author believes that divorce laws exist to ensure fair treatment and asset division, which was not honored in her case.

My Husband Decided My Value in Divorce

And it was based on money, not the law

Photo by Angela Roma: On Pexels

“You’re lucky,” he says. “I’m being generous.”

His arrogance is premeditating.

He’s appointed himself judge and jury.

I just don’t know it yet.

“Why would you leave the Golden Goose anyway?” asks my husband.

The Goose is calculating my worth. It’s not based on being college sweethearts, best friends, abandoning my career to build a business with him, motherhood, or the tragedy of our lost love.

It’s not based on divorce law, it’s his personal appraisal.

He’s assigning me a monetary value.

He’s dictating what I should be worth and it’s all about the money.

He forgets I’m the girl who was buying his college drinks. Looking back, it was a sign. The country club boy who spent his money recklessly. And had no problem letting his girlfriend who was paying her way through school pick up the tab.

The Goose has no intention of following property and asset law.

He believes this unfairly overvalues me. Why should I get what he refers to as ‘his money?’ I’ve served my purpose in his life. I’ve helped him build a business, and investment properties, and raised our children.

He clings to society’s antiquated valuation of the stay-at-home mom.

The bonbon-eating lazy sponger.

The woman who takes advantage of the poor hard-working feller.

The Goose says he shouldn’t owe me more than any other employee. He forgets I’m a 50% owner. There’s a vast difference between me and any other employee of our business.

You see, the Golden Boy, before he self-titled a name change, the Golden Goose, asked me to quit my own career as newlyweds. I walked away from building a profession of my own to work full-time growing a business with him.

It was a big ask.

But back then his last name was Boy, not Goose so I was unaware.

Of just how big it was.

He says I did some administrative work and how valuable could that be? When it frees the Goose up to sell all day and double and triple and quadruple the business…I’d say it’s worth a pretty penny.

But none of that matters because he’s appointed himself judge and jury.

The law doesn’t matter in these here divorce territories.

It’s the wild west of divorce emotional and financial abuse.

The Goose thinks he’s the one victimized. I’m trying to rob him of ‘his money.’ He claims I have never contributed financially throughout our marriage. He is a self-made man.

He’s so successful in his opinion, he’s above the law.

He’s going to decide what I deserve.

His final verdict? Zero savings and zero retirements, no credit because he’s made sure to ruin it. It seems even though he escapes consequences, he thinks leaving him means I should suffer some. The monthly amount I receive is approximately 65 to 75% lower than it should be.

I know what you’re thinking.

What about the law?

Don’t even Geese have to abide by it?

Not when they lie and lower their income because they’re self-employed. Not when they’ve been hiding money from the business for years. Not when they lie, cheat, and steal.

I’m outraged that a man decided my value.

How dare he?

Who does he think he is?

Does the Goose think he’s God? He might. He’s that off the charts. There’s a reason divorce laws are in place. There’s a reason after decades of marriage, people are afforded their retirement and assets. And the ability to rebuild their lives.

It’s barely possible to articulate the level of arrogance it takes to act like a ruler of your own kingdom. As if you deserve all the riches and the little people who hold you up deserve nothing.

I built that life with him.

I sacrificed my own career. I got a part-time job to start saving for the first investment property. I paid the bills for our home, business, and rentals. I handled our investments, insurance policies, mortgages, and more. I raised our children. I only handed him the finances once I told him I was thinking of leaving him. Stupid me, I naively didn’t understand why he suddenly wanted to pay them.

Two people were responsible for our marriage.

One, if you count the fact that the Goose started uncharacteristically drinking and scaring my children and me. His behavior ended our relationship.

He wasn’t a victim.

He was responsible for the end result.

Making it even more egregious that he felt he could personally appraise me.

My husband decided my value in divorce.

It was based on money, not the law.

All he did was show how worthless he truly was.

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Relationships
Marriage
Divorce
Finance
Abuse
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