My wife called me while I was visiting friends, saying she's divorcing me 2225

Описание: My wife called me while I was visiting friends saying she's divorcing me and sold our business to start over with her new partner.

I was at my brother's place watching the Bears game when my phone buzzed. Angela's name flashed on the screen. Weird timing. She knew I always watch Sunday football with Kevin.

"Hey babe, what's up?"

Her voice was different. Cold but excited, like she'd been practicing this conversation in the mirror.

"Don't 'babe' me anymore. I'm calling to tell you it's over. Victor and I are together now. And we're selling the food truck."

Victor, our so-called investor who'd been helping us expand for the past 6 months. The guy who always found excuses to stop by when I wasn't there, bringing Angela coffee and business advice.

"What do you mean, selling?" I asked, feeling my stomach drop.

"Already sold," she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice. "Cash buyer picked it up this morning, paid full asking price. No questions asked. Victor knows people in the industry."

My brother Kevin looked up from his beer, eyebrows raised. I put the phone on speaker so he could hear this train wreck.

"We're taking the money and opening a real restaurant in Miami," Angela continued. "Victor says food trucks are for amateurs. We're going big time now."

I heard Victor laughing in the background. Probably drunk on expensive wine.

"Tell him thanks for the recipe book, bro. Those tamale recipes are going to make us rich down in South Beach."

My recipe book. 15 years of perfecting my late grandmother's secret recipes, the ones that made our truck the most popular spot at every festival in Chicago. Lines around the block at Grant Park, sold out by 2 p.m. every Saturday.

"You can't just take my recipes," I said, trying to stay calm while my world collapsed.

"Actually, we can," Victor chimed in, clearly enjoying himself. "Business partnership means shared assets, buddy. Angela's got copies of everything. Every ingredient, every technique."

"Don't worry about us," Angela added with fake sweetness. "We'll send you a postcard from our grand opening. Maybe you can get a job with one of those corporate food chains. I hear Taco Bell is always hiring."

They both burst out laughing before the line went dead.

Kevin stared at me, beer frozen halfway to his mouth. "Dude, I'm so sorry. That's beyond messed up... your grandmother's recipes..."

I sat there for a moment, processing what just happened. Then I started laughing. Really laughing.

"Bro, are you having a breakdown?" Kevin asked, looking genuinely concerned. "Should I call someone?"

"Actually," I said, grabbing another beer from his fridge and popping it open. "This is perfect timing."

Kevin frowned. "How is your wife stealing your business and running off with your investor perfect timing?"

"See, what Angela and Victor didn't know was that 3 weeks ago, I'd gotten a call from the Chicago Health Department. Our truck had failed a surprise inspection. Major violations that shut us down immediately. Broken refrigeration unit leaking coolant into the food prep area. Outdated grease traps that hadn't been cleaned in months. Expired permits that Angela was supposed to renew. Gas line issues that made the truck a literal fire hazard. The inspector told me we couldn't serve food anywhere in Illinois until we completed a full kitchen renovation. Estimated cost, $50,000 minimum, plus months of downtime. I've been losing sleep for weeks trying to figure out how to break the news to Angela gently, how to explain that our dream business was about to become a financial nightmare. The violations were so severe that operating the truck would result in immediate arrest. The buyer they just sold to, he's about to discover he bought a beautiful-looking food truck that can't legally serve food to anyone.

"But here's the real kicker. I never wrote down my grandmother's actual recipes. What Angela copied was the health department version I kept for inspections. Basic ingredients, standard measurements. The real recipes with the secret spice blends and cooking techniques that made people drive across the city were never on paper. They're all in my head, passed down orally like my grandmother taught me."

My phone buzzed with a text from Angela.

Don't try to contact us. We're blocking your number. Good luck explaining to everyone why your precious truck disappeared.

I showed Kevin the message. He shook his head in disbelief.

"So, what's your plan now?"

"Well," I said, settling back into the couch and taking a long sip. "I've still got my reputation, my real recipes, and Victor just unknowingly paid for my fresh start."

"What do you mean?"

"Food truck was always meant to be temporary. I've been saving up to open a proper restaurant for years. Now I don't have to buy out Angela's half or deal with Victor's business advice."

Kevin raised his beer with a growing grin.

"To new beginnings and karma working faster than expected."