Chapter 15 - THE DIVORCE PROPERTY
Lenora’s divorce was financially complex.
Thirty-six-year marriage.
Kensington shares.
Real estate.
Trusts? Avoid.
Retirement.
Art.
The penthouse.
No instant half.
Attorneys valued.
Sterling claimed some shares premarital/family.
Lenora’s early capital and founder role mattered.
They negotiated while criminal case pending.
No one forced settlement.
Lenora did not want Sterling’s 38%.
“I want what is mine.”
What was hers?
Her existing 30% shares.
Marital assets subject to division.
Penthouse interest.
Other investments.
She refused to use divorce to take company control.
That surprised people.
But her goal was freedom, not throne.
Kensington board offered to buy back some of both spouses’ shares over time to reduce family concentration.
Could protect company.
Lenora agreed to sell 8% over five years.
Sterling refused.
Fine.
She remained major shareholder.
Then I finalized divorce from Thatcher.
Short marriage.
Few marital assets.
Wedding gifts.
Apartment deposit.
No children.
No support requested.
He kept ring? I returned wedding ring through counsel. It belonged? Usually gift completed marriage, legally mine. I chose to return? Could be symbolic but financial. Better sold? No need.
I kept my engagement/wedding ring as property until settlement, then accepted it as mine and sold later.
Thatcher wanted Plaza wedding cost reimbursed from me.
His parents had paid.
No basis.
Dropped.
Our divorce decree did not say why.
Public record:
Irretrievable breakdown.
Private truth larger.
Then Thatcher asked whether we could ever be friends.
“No.”
He nodded.
“Maybe someday?”
“No promise.”
May you like
Good.
Healing is not access.
