The Fate of Martín (Part X)

As it turns out, Martín continued paying his share of the mortgage dividend until he decided to stop two months after being expelled from the apartment. He knew this would trigger Magdalena's reaction. Meanwhile, he focused on work, gym, solo walks, and photography, with no social life.

The following Tuesday, he received a call from José Tomás Izquierdo, inviting him to attend a course on oral arguments. "I'm organizing a workshop with two excellent speakers, if you're interested in participating." It was scheduled for the following Saturday.

"Thank you very much for the invitation, but I suppose it's expensive, and I'm on a tight budget," Martín replied.

"Yes, it's true it's expensive, but it's an invitation from our studio. It's all day Saturday, including lunch, if you're interested," José Tomás said.

"Really? I appreciate it," Martín responded.

"There's one condition, though," José Tomás added.

"What's that?" Martín asked.

"That you treat me more casually, that you use the informal 'you' with me. We seem like old men with this formal treatment," José Tomás said with a laugh.

Martín agreed and provided his email address for the formal invitation.

He mentioned the invitation to his boss, who asked if he was thinking of looking for another job. Martín reassured him that he wasn't and that he shouldn't worry.

That afternoon, Martín received another piece of news. After 3:00 PM, a judicial receiver arrived to notify him of a divorce lawsuit. All Martín had to do was sign to acknowledge receipt of the lawsuit, but he asked the receiver for 10 minutes to review it. He quickly scanned the document and saw that Magdalena was demanding all the conjugal assets: the car and the apartment. This was what he had been expecting. Not only did he sign to acknowledge receipt of the lawsuit, but he also accepted all of Magdalena's demands, which meant the judge could grant the divorce without needing to hold oral hearings. Martín didn't want to see Magdalena again and had already decided to give her everything. He felt relieved, knowing he wouldn't have to talk to her anymore.

On Saturday, Martín attended the seminar, which exceeded his expectations. There were 30 lawyers, all practicing and around his age, and the organizer was José Tomás. The speakers were excellent, and the organization was perfect, with exceptional attention to the participants. The event was held at a modern and cozy events center, with coffee, juice, pastry, fruit, and a high-level lunch.

This wasn't cheap, and Martín suspected that José Tomás was trying to impress him to convince him to work together. He was right, but only partially.

During the breaks and lunch, José Tomás spent time with Martín, and they had long conversations. José Tomás had a magnetic personality, engaging conversation, and the ability to steer the topic to what interested hi...