Chapter 8 - The Prenup Was Where Derek’s Panic Became Visible
Our prenuptial agreement was boring.
As good prenups should be.
My condo remained:
mine.
His business remained:
his.
Premarital debts stayed with:
the person who incurred them.
Joint property created later would be:
joint.
No waiver of legitimate future child obligations.
No absurd:
cheating penalties.
Both represented by:
separate lawyers.
Derek negotiated aggressively but reasonably until one clause required disclosure of:
material business debt.
His attorney provided:
summary numbers.
I remember seeing:
approximately $96,000.
I asked:
“That’s all business liabilities personally guaranteed?”
Derek said:
“Yes.”
Not true.
The full picture included:
credit cards,
tax obligations,
an existing revolving credit facility,
Linda’s informal loans.
Depending on how one counted:
over $300,000.
His lawyer apparently knew about some but not:
all.
That became an issue between:
them.
The prenup itself was never executed.
Why?
Because Derek kept delaying:
final disclosure.
Our attorneys warned that signing too close to the wedding was:
bad practice.
I finally said:
“If this isn’t complete by Thursday, wedding pauses.”
Thursday arrived.
Derek promised:
Friday morning.
The wedding was Saturday.
Friday evening, he brought:
the folder.
Not the final prenup.
The guaranty.
Payroll form.
Joint account.
That was not negotiation anymore.
It was:
May you like
pressure.
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