As I walked into the quarterly executive meeting, my husband's face went from smug to shocked in seconds. Five years ago, he left me for his assistant, saying I'd "never understand the business world." Today, as the new owner of Meridian Enterprises, I was about to announce his termination—and the secretary who handed me the documents was his girlfriend who had replaced me in his life.
The executive boardroom of Meridian Enterprises gleamed under soft recessed lighting, the polished mahogany table reflecting the faces of sixteen anxious executives. I adjusted my tailored navy suit—selected carefully for this moment—and felt the weight of the leather portfolio in my hands. Inside contained termination papers for seven executives, including one name that had once been on my marriage certificate.