Hello, Cécile. 

How are you? 

I hope you are well. It’s been a long time since I last heard from you. 

I am writing to you today because the situation I find myself in practically compels me to do so. I didn’t intend to involve more people in this difficult story, but given the direction things have taken, I had no other choice. I don’t know how much you know about my story with Robert or what he may have told you all about our relationship before and especially about our separation, but I imagine you didn’t hear good things or may not have reached positive conclusions. 

I realize today that this is perhaps something I should have done a long time ago. I should have tried to communicate better with his family in the past, at least in writing, which is the medium I am most comfortable with. Although I am not good at verbal communication, I write very well. Maybe, if I had done this earlier, things wouldn’t have reached this point. 

Even though you are Robert’s sister, and it seems obvious that you would support him for that reason, every story has two sides. Criminal lawyers even say that there are more than two: the side of each protagonist and the side of the observer. So, I decided to tell you my side of the story and put you in the position of an observer, because even though my relationship with Robert was much more long-distance than in-person, you,and I think all family, knew about our story. We had a serious, formal relationship, which resulted in shared assets. Or at least I understand that everybody knew, after all, some of you attended our wedding celebration here in Brazil, and at least for me, it wasn’t a theater or a show. For me, it was the real formalization of a commitment, in front of our families and friends. However, there are certainly many details about our life here in Brazil, and especially about me, that I’m sure you, his family, probably don’t know. 

So, for you to evaluate the situation I find myself in today and maybe help put an end to the weight and humiliation I’ve been carrying, I will tell you the part of the story that I lived here in Brazil, from my perspective. Let me introduce you, then, to my version of the story. 

I was born and raised in Montenegro, RS. In 2009, when I met Robert, I had a good job, within the reality I was in. I had worked for the government for over 15 years, had job stability and health insurance for both me and my son. I was the vice-principal of a municipal school in my town. I earned a reasonably good salary, within the reality of a teacher, of course. But I paid my bills and lived independently. I was raising and supporting a child on my own, with almost no help from his father. He wasn’t involved in his son’s life and paid a meager amount of child support, which didn’t even cover half of the tuition at the private school where my son studied. I was in full mental and physical health. I had strength to work. I had a network of acquaintances, family, friends, and colleagues, after all, I was born and lived in this town until 2011. I had a history there. 

It was in this context, then, that in April 2009, I met Robert. In a restaurant in my town, where I went for a beer with my friends. That day I went out almost against my will, to support a friend’s flirtation. 

When I saw Robert for the first time, as he entered the restaurant, he immediately caught my attention. I didn’t even imagine he was a foreigner! Judging by his appearance, I thought he was from the Serra Gaúcha region. In any case, I didn’t approach him and stayed far from his table. Later, a colleague of mine, who was an English teacher and was with us that day, noticed that everyone at his table was speaking a different language and told me he hadn’t taken his eyes off me… I was surprised but didn’t pay much attention, until Robert sent drinks to our table. That’s when my colleague invited him to sit with us. And that’s how I started talking to Robert, with the help of a third person, who did the translations and mediated our initial conversation. My spoken English was very basic, although I had a good level of reading and writing, as I had worked for many years with educational computing, and most of the technical material available at that time was in English. 

After this first conversation, we quickly got closer. He was learning to speak Portuguese with me, and I was learning to speak English with him. We had other meetings, and I only found out he was married after we had already become more intimate… It was then that he decided to tell me. But, in his words (which I really genuinely believed without questioning at that time), his marriage was already nearing its end, they were sleeping in separate rooms, and they were in the process of separating. He even told me he thought that she, the “almost ex-wife,” already had someone else. Since I was single and not looking for a serious commitment, I thought at the time that this was his problem, not mine. So, I decided to continue the romance because, for me, it was something temporary. He would leave, and we wouldn’t see each other again, and the betrayal was his, not mine, after all, I was single and had no commitment to anyone. Precisely because I tend to take my commitments very seriously. 

What I didn’t imagine was that I would fall madly in love with him… 

We saw each other almost every day, and it was like this for nearly six months until he returned to Canada. After that, we continued communicating via email and messages, always very passionately, with the clear intention of seeing each other again. I still have those messages. It went on like this for about six months, during which he always told me he couldn’t return to Brazil to see me because of his work trips. Then, in March 2010, he invited me to meet him in the United States, where he was working, so we could talk and plan something. He even paid for all my travel expenses. So I went to meet him, and there we talked, made plans, and decided that we would be together and live in Brazil. I made it clear that I wouldn’t move to another country with my teenage son because my son was in high school, and I didn’t want to change his life because of mine, not before he finished his studies and I was sure our relationship would work. 

Early in our relationship, Robert told me about his plans to open a company in Brazil. He said that it would be very advantageous for him from a tax standpoint, as in Canada, he paid much higher taxes than he would in Brazil. Since he was a foreigner, had no business partner, and was still separating from Micheline, he couldn’t apply as a business owner here without becoming a permanent resident. That’s when I sought a lawyer to see what could be done. We scheduled a meeting, and she attended to us. She suggested that we enter into a Common-Law Union agreement, which legally gave us the same rights as a marriage, according to her, in both countries, allowing him to apply for permanent residency in Brazil. That’s what we did. This common-law union was legally registered at a notary and later recognized by a judge, having been established in 2009, while he was still married to Micheline.

It was a true marathon to get all the documents and paperwork completed. Even witnesses here in Brazil had to be summoned, and I was the one who took care of all of that. My goal was simply to make it easier for Robert to access my country so that we could spend more time together, as the distance and time limitations were a problem. That was my wish at the time, to be able to spend more time with him without any restrictions.

While the process was moving through the courts here in Brazil, Robert told me that he had informed his ex-wife about us because she was making the separation difficult. He said she was furious with him, and for that reason, she filed for a contested divorce, which took more than a year, if I remember correctly. According to him, the ex-wife left him with nothing, even taking his retirement savings, and he would have to start life over from scratch.

So, in the midst of this conflict and upheaval, I opened the doors of my rented apartment to him, where I didn’t have much of value, but what I had, I had earned on my own through my work. I gave him the best I had to offer: my affection, my dedication, and my trust. In return, Robert started helping with the household expenses, which I found perfectly fair.

What we had agreed upon up to that point was that we would live in Brazil, and until he could financially reorganize himself, he would work outside of Brazil. I told him I didn’t like the idea of living like that, but, according to him, it would only be temporary until we had more stability… so, I accepted the conditions.

As we deepened our relationship, we decided to rent a bigger house in my town, for more comfort and to better accommodate visiting family, including thinking of you all. Robert always told me he wanted to have two houses, one in Brazil and one in Canada, and live in eternal summer, spending six months in each house. It sounded like a wonderful dream, and I embraced that dream with him. That’s when we started investing heavily in this life plan, and after spending a week at the beach in Florianópolis, we decided to invest in a home there. Soon after, we started looking for a place and bought a plot of land in Palhoça, Santa Catarina. There were many trips there to handle paperwork, hire labor, etc.

That’s why, in July 2012, we moved to another city, as it would be difficult to oversee the construction from a distance, given it was almost six hours away from where we were living. In reality, I was the one who moved for this reason, as Robert was traveling more than he was at home and couldn’t oversee the construction in this way. We then began building our first house, which, at the time, I didn’t imagine would be so large, so expensive, so problematic, or that it would take so long to complete. It was a very difficult project that took nearly six years to build, and when we moved in, it still wasn’t finished. I had my reservations about this project as an investment, as I wasn’t sure if Brazilians would accept a Canadian construction style, which was new here at the time. But I like innovation, and Robert seemed confident that he knew what he was doing. He said he had experience in construction and that this would be a great investment, opening the door for him to build more houses and make that the company’s main activity, so this was the path. I agreed, and we started investing heavily in it.

To me, everything indicated that we were building a castle that would be the foundation of our dreams for the future. It wasn’t the style of house I had dreamed of for myself, but I used to buy into Robert’s dreams and work towards building them as if they were mine. I understood that this was my role as his wife and life partner, which I thought was the place I occupied. For Robert, the house was just an investment, a business. For me, the house meant stability, security. I wanted to make it a home, not just for me, but for everyone who visited us, especially for you all, who would have to travel a long distance.

What you don’t know, and it seems even Robert doesn’t, is how much buying into these grand dreams cost me. I left my career, moved to another city, distanced myself from colleagues, friends, and my family to pursue these dreams. I did all of this for him and for this life plan, which seemed promising for both of us. It was for the promise of a stable life, security in the future, of being together every day, and meeting the family needs of both sides.

When I met Robert, my personal life plan was simple: to study, have my own home, and provide good educational opportunities for my son. That’s it. I didn’t want a big house or a new car (I didn’t even know how to drive when I met him). But I wanted someone I could trust, who would be my partner, who would help with everyday tasks, who was loving, who could hold a conversation, and who treated my son well, as he was the most precious thing I had. That was my big dream. I had no greater financial or material ambitions.

Then Robert started showing me that life could be much more than that… with trips, expensive gifts, outings, and lots of electronic gadgets, things I didn’t even know existed. Obviously, I loved it all; who wouldn’t like being treated like a queen and receiving so many gifts? In the beginning, it was all the best! But what really hooked me wasn’t the gifts. It was the way he treated me when we were together. He was affectionate, loving, and we spent hours and hours talking, making plans for the future. I felt like I was living a real fairy tale!

That was until I discovered his first betrayal. Shortly after you visited us, Cécile, I found out that he cheated on me with a girl in Jaguariaíva, Paraná. That’s where he was working, and you had been there with us on a trip. My world collapsed at that moment. I had just left my career, moved to another state to oversee our home’s construction while he was traveling… It took me months to recover from the shock of it. It shattered my trust in him and deeply affected my self-esteem. I had to work very hard to forgive him, really hard.

In a conversation we had before, I thought I had made it clear that I was faithful and wanted the same from my partner. I said that I understood people could be physically attracted to or even fall in love with others when they are in a relationship, and I told him that if that ever happened, I wanted him to tell me before I found out. And how did I find out? When I saw the message pop up on his phone screen while he was taking a shower. His phone rang, and I picked it up to bring it to him, and there was a message from a woman asking him for money… meaning she had enough intimacy to ask him for money!

After the fight we had because of that betrayal, all the drama, and him trying to blame me for his own betrayal, saying that the affair happened because I was acting differently towards him, a few weeks later he came the marriage proposal. After all, it had only been a “slip,” he loved me, and he seemed to want to prove that to me. It wasn’t easy, but I ended up deciding to give him and our relationship another chance, even with the broken trust.

After all, I had already taken a big step by moving to another State and leaving my career behind. It was then that we scheduled the wedding, and I started preparing for it, mostly on my own, since Robert was never home, always traveling for work.

I have to admit that I never trusted him 100% again. Today, I see that perhaps I never should have. I was naive and rushed. I allowed the relationship to progress too quickly, giving him too much trust without truly knowing who he really was.

Anyway, we moved on with life, and a year later, I had a beautiful wedding celebration that I worked tirelessly on, almost by myself, to make sure the ceremony and accommodations were perfect for the family, especially from his side, that would be traveling from far away. I had never thought about formally getting married before, but I loved Robert, and I imagined that this would make our legal situation easier, as everything was so complicated when it came to living with a foreigner. But it was easy to change my mind because I was in love with him.

So we celebrated our union with the presence of some of you, my family and my lifelong friends. For me this was a very important day that served as a milestone of responsibility and commitment to Robert. But after the celebration and our honeymoon, as I tried to get more support and a more active role from Robert in our life,  and when I was dealing with problems in my health, Robert progressively distanced himself more and more. I could never rely on him, as he was always spending six weeks away and two weeks at home. 

A lot happens in six weeks, and many day-to-day problems need to be solved, as you know. Especially when you have a business. Documents are not generated or delivered by themselves. There are dealings to be made with accountants, banks, and services. Emails need to be sent, signatures are required, and deadlines have to be met. Often, there was no way to wait for Robert to return from his trip to handle things, which is why I ended up becoming a partner in the company, to represent Robert in his absence. So I could assign documents and solve problems owned by him.

While I kept pushing myself harder to please and meet expectations, to be a good wife and help Robert, dealing with the legal and bureaucratic aspects of the company, I became more and more overwhelmed, while Robert’s routine remained the same — the constant back-and-forth of six weeks away and two weeks at home. Although I still traveled with him sometimes, our time together was very limited. Due to the demands of the company, I ended up focusing more on it, as there was no one to help me. With the expenses we had with the house and because of my health, the trips with him became less frequent. So that we could invest in our assets, I became increasingly alone. I used to visit my family more often, but with my back problems, traveling six hours alone became unfeasible. So, I ended up isolated in Santa Catarina while Robert traveled.

I started getting really upset with this situation. Many times, I tried to talk to Robert about it, trying to find new strategies so that I could get more support from him. The excuse was always the same: “I need to work; who’s going to pay the bills?” As if working away from home was the only possible solution. I think that if he really cared about me, he would have found some way to meet my needs as well. Perhaps he could have looked for a job in Brazil, accepting a lower salary, living a more humble life but also a calmer one, with less stress and more quality of life for both of us. But Robert had an almost unhealthy ambition, in my view. A need to have. I understood that maybe he needed to feel financially secure, but I couldn’t understand how he could sacrifice my well-being and our relationship for that.

Then came the first arguments. When I disagreed with him, he shut down. Every time I tried to give my opinion on something or renegotiate the terms of our relationship, it turned into that. Either silence or an argument. The partnership was over. Life became all about working and making money, showing off “how happy we were” to others. I had nothing to complain about, after all; I lived a perfect life in the eyes of the family and society. If I had a nice house, a nice car, and money in the bank, everything was fine. Unfortunately, I was looking for more than that in a marriage. So, between us, everything became a negotiation of frowns, the silent treatment, secrets, and with Robert’s indifference. And eventually, the arguments turned into threats. Welcome to a toxic relationship!

I withdrew and became sad. I think that from so many secrets, betrayal, and silence, came my illness. Right after the betrayal, I started developing small sores on my skin. And gradually, it got worse and worse, until, after a trip we took to Mexico, I injured my foot on a cactus, and the wound worsened rapidly. I developed terrible dermatitis, and my feet were covered in blisters and sores, injuries that prevented me from walking. I spent three months unable to wear shoes, with my feet bandaged. Alone at home. Robert was always traveling; his routine never changed. After all, he had to bring money home, and working by traveling and being away for six weeks seemed to be the only way he knew. So, the person who supported me in his absence was the cleaning lady who cleaned my house once a week. She was the only person that I used to interact with in his absence. I found it very difficult to make friends when I moved to Santa Catarina.

Anyway, after almost two years of visiting many doctors, it was determined that I had an unusual autoimmune disease. Psoriatic arthritis and palmoplantar psoriasis. Due to the complications that arose, two years after battling with all the topical medications with no improvement, I started immunosuppressive therapy with oral medications. It was a year of treatment until that also stopped working. Then, after several more tests, my doctor told me that if I didn’t start treatment with injectable immunobiologicals and undergo regular monitoring, I could face serious mobility issues, as the joint problems I was experiencing would worsen over time and could become irreversible, affecting my mobility earlier than expected for my age.

I think I don’t need to say how this affected my self-esteem… finding out at 42 years old that you have a chronic illness that could cause permanent mobility issues and limits your daily activities is not something easy to process. I lived with terrible pain; sometimes, I couldn’t walk or move properly, and because of the immunosuppressive treatment, I also often felt weak, vomited, had headaches, and couldn’t sleep well. I was always dealing with something… if it wasn’t inflammation from the disease itself, it was a virus caused by the immunosuppressive treatment. This went on for years until the immunosuppressive treatment took effect and my disease became inactive, which gave me a break for two years.

For many times, I tried to tell Robert how I felt and how much this bothered me, but the response was always the same… “It’s nothing, go exercise, you’re eating too much, you need to lose weight, you’re always complaining.” There was no room for meaningful conversations anymore; it was just about what he did, where he went, what he did at work while traveling, or about the company. Nothing else. I was always alone at home because I didn’t know anyone here and because I didn’t think it was right to go out alone, since I saw myself as a married woman, and in my mind, that wasn’t appropriate. I felt I had become a burden to him.

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, when there were no vaccines yet and people were dying all around the neighborhood, I had a panic crisis. I was undergoing immunosuppressive treatment that made me vulnerable to viruses, fungi, and bacteria, and I was simply terrified! I sought his support, and the most he could say was that he didn’t know how to handle my emotions… I should find a psychologist. All I wanted to hear from my husband was something like, “Everything will be fine, stay calm, I’m here for you,” . But from that moment, I started to notice his lack of empathy towards me, and it began to bother me deeply.

I then started therapy and started to analyze the situations I was going through and what I was feeling. I began to realize how uncomfortable I was with having my needs always pushed aside. But it was only after the humiliation I suffered, with his abandonment in 2022, that I woke up and decided that I would no longer allow him to treat me this way. I started to see clearly Robert’s disregard for me and the company. He was already working in Canada, near his family and friends, so he didn’t need Kátia anymore. Kátia only talked about problems. Kátia, after all, was the problem. That’s when I understood that my marriage was over, and I was the only one who hadn’t realized it yet. He had already made his decision and had planned everything in advance to leave me, and I just didn’t notice.

In November 2022, when I yelled at Robert over the phone and demanded that he come home so we could try to resolve the company’s debt situation with the bank manager, so we could talk and work things out between us, he told me he couldn’t because he had work commitments. And if that wasn’t good enough for me, then it was best that we end our relationship. Just like that, over the phone. After almost 13 years of marriage, with shared assets and a company, he acted like we were just dating. All because I said that if he didn’t take responsibility for his mistakes, I would tell his family what we were going through. After all, I was the dramatic one, the one out of control, but I was the one who had to solve ALL the problems here in Brazil, which also involved my name and my personal credit.

I even tried asking Stephanie for help. I sent her a message on WhatsApp, asking her to talk to him and suggest he find someone in the family to talk to, maybe a friend. I tried to communicate with her because, in my mind, we were closer. I was worried about Robert’s mental health too because even with the company going bankrupt, he didn’t seem to care. I was in a panic, seeing that we were about to lose our house. It was all we had. I don’t know if he was blind to what was happening or if he had simply decided to ignore it too. I even thought about talking to you all, but I soon realized that I wouldn’t get any support because, in reality, no one really knew me. My shyness and communication difficulties had put me in this lonely place. 

So, I resolved to stand by my decision to separate because, in practice, I was already living alone anyway.

I got tired of always trying to please, of doing what was politically correct, and of diminishing myself so others could stay in my world. I simply decided to put an end to it, not just with Robert but with everyone who disrespects me. Because  I feel like everyone is entitled to judge me and tell me what’s right or wrong. About what I should do with my life, how I should feel, how I should behave… especially those who don’t look at themselves and work in their own shadows.

It’s funny how people see things. It’s not right to shout, it’s not right to complain, it’s not right to ask for support or companionship. It’s not right to ask a husband to be faithful, honest, and responsible for his actions, to take care of his wife. But it’s okay to cheat, it’s okay to ignore the other person’s happiness and safety, to always put the wife last in the priority list and completely disregard her needs, even her health needs. It’s okay to end a marriage over WhatsApp and not even show up to pack your things and take your personal belongings. All because one day the wife decided to stand up for herself and set boundaries, so she blew up and said some hard truths. After all, she’s not allowed to speak, she’s not allowed to find anything wrong, her opinion doesn’t matter.

I never thought I’d end up in a marriage like this in the 21st century. But it seems that some men will live forever in the caveman era. Either the woman keeps quiet, or she suffers violence: verbal, physical, or financial. But I wasn’t born for this. I’d rather spend the rest of my life alone than keep up a sham marriage. I always wanted more from a relationship, and my mistake was settling for so little, hoping that one day I’d get something in return for my dedication. I guess I was really ingenuous.

I married Robert because I loved him, at least the version of him he presented to me in the beginning of our relationship. It wasn’t to become a slave or a prisoner to his whims. It wasn’t to live locked up in the house like a doll, for him to use whenever he wanted. That’s how I felt when I yelled at him and told him to seek psychological treatment because I had already tried to talk to him many, many times, but he simply ignored me or said I was “too emotional.”

Even with a broken heart, I swear I tried EVERYTHING I KNEW to communicate with him, even in writing, to amicably settle the terms of my separation from Robert. I sent emails, text messages, and tried more than five times to set a date for him to come to Brazil so we could finalize the legal separation amicably, using just one lawyer, as the law required due to the division of assets. And he didn’t take any action. His excuse? “I’m working, I can’t go.”

So, when the sale of our house was finalized, I sought a lawyer who had the power to handle all the separation paperwork virtually. I told Robert that we could settle everything remotely. He was furious that I had hired a lawyer. He yelled at me, saying I would have to pay for the lawyer on my own, etc. But who else would defend my interests and my rights if he hadn’t cared up until that point?

To clarify what finally led me to seek justice and fight for my rights, I’ll try to summarize the company’s bankruptcy situation here, so you can understand the chronology of events that led our story to a legal battle.

In 2019, Robert talked to some friends about investing in solar energy, something that seemed like a promising market trend and that apparently would be very profitable. 

The idea seemed good to me, but I told him that he should handle the import and sales operations by himself since I didn’t know anything about it and knew it would bring more problems to deal with. I was trying to preserve my mental and physical health as much as possible to avoid getting worse. I was also concerned about the high investment since we didn’t have that kind of working capital in the company. Our accounts were up to date, but we were still paying off some renovations we had done on the house. But things were manageable, so to speak. I voiced my concerns, but Robert seemed to have everything very well planned out regarding costs, profits, etc. I told him it would be better for him to get someone to work alongside him in this area since he was still traveling, and I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

To avoid additional expenses, Robert decided to take charge of the entire import negotiation process, investment calculations, pricing, client acquisition, sales, customer support, etc. I continued with my part at the time, which was handling the company’s bureaucratic matters (liaising with the accounting, issuing invoices, paying bills, taxes, and resolving any issues that arose), and I also took over the logistics. Robert would pass me the orders, and I would contact the logistics company to separate the goods and hire the transportation service for delivery to the customer. Everything else was up to Robert, after all, I didn’t know anything about electrical work or installation, so I couldn’t take on that responsibility either. Robert continued providing services for the multinational company Dieffenbacher (services he provided abroad), and he put the money he earned into our Brazilian company, while simultaneously investing in the import business.

At the end of 2019, during the first import process, I became very ill. I don’t know if it was already COVID. I spent almost 15 days bedridden, ALONE at home, while still having to attend to the import team, resolving things I didn’t even know about because they couldn’t reach Robert by phone, as he was out of the country. But as much as I could and knew, I always tried to resolve the problems here, even when I was sick.

At that time, I was fulfilling the roles of wife, company administrator, and Robert’s personal secretary, in addition to taking care of the house and myself. My son had already left home, was married, and so Robert practically took his place in needing my care. I was fully dedicated to him and “our” business. I was led to believe I was a businesswoman, but only when it served his interests. If I disagreed, I wasn’t heard, and my opinion wasn’t considered. If it were up to me, he wouldn’t have done the import at that time because I knew it would bring more problems for us, and I would have to deal with them later.

Then, the pandemic hit. With the border closures and the crisis caused by the lockdowns, the business was affected. There wasn’t enough cash flow to keep the company running until the worst was over. Robert took out a loan of over 200,000 reais at the time to invest in the solar energy business. With the crisis, he spent four months without working abroad. Instead of paying the loan installments, we had to take out other loans to keep the company’s capital flowing, and that’s how the company collapsed. More money was going out than coming in. I tried my best to hold everything together, juggling ten tasks at once, renegotiating debts with the banks, cutting household expenses, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to prevent bankruptcy if we didn’t do something because the installments were too high.

That’s when Robert came up with the idea of mortgaging the house as collateral for a new loan to try to save the company. At that time, our house was PAID OFF, and I didn’t want to lose it because I saw it as a future safety net for us. It was our asset. I always thought first about health, in case one of us got sick, after all, when you have a business, you can’t take sick leave. Even against my will, I ended up agreeing to sign the loan papers, to buy some time. After all, I thought Robert knew what he was doing, and I hoped he would find another solution later or even ask for help from you all.

Then came the biggest surprise. He simply got a job in Kapuskasing and left me here, sick, to deal with everything alone: my health problem, the company’s bankruptcy, the sale of our house. When he went to Kapuskasing, he started talking to me less and less, and the excuse was always the same. He was working too much, had no signal at the factory, was working late, and was very tired. I don’t doubt it. But he had time to send me a picture of a beer glass at the bar, to go play golf, and to have dinner with friends and family. He just didn’t have time to support me or try to solve anything. He ignored my concerns, sometimes didn’t even answer my questions. I became nothing more than his secretary, housekeeper, and personal assistant. And I was still working for free, since the company was bankrupt!

In the meantime, even against my will, I had already put the house up for sale. There was no other way to solve the financial problem we were facing. It was either that, or we wouldn’t even be able to pay the mortgage. It was what had to be done to try to save something.

So, I told him once again that I was leaving the company, that I didn’t want to be a partner anymore, and asked if he wanted to keep the company on his own. I proposed working for him as an employee for a while, until I found another job and he found another person or partner to manage the business. He said no, that he couldn’t afford an employee and that he didn’t want the company anymore. Perfect then, just pay off all the debts and close the business.

After the day he broke up with me over the phone, I didn’t want to speak to him ever again. I had already endured too much, and that behavior felt like the ultimate disrespect. It felt like a virtual slap in the face. But I was forced to keep talking to him because the company was still open, and we had business matters to deal with. But I distanced myself as much as I could to avoid fighting. I still wanted him to come to Brazil so we could divide the assets and end the common-law marriage contract without having to file a lawsuit. However, after five attempts to set a date with him, and him saying he couldn’t come — because he was working — I exploded again. I said I would seek a lawyer to resolve the matter then. And that’s what I did, in March 2023.

I found a lawyer who understood international law and could handle our separation even if Robert couldn’t, or didn’t want to, come to Brazil. He told me that everything could be done online if we reached an agreement. He would handle all the legal paperwork virtually. So, I reached out to Robert and told him that I had found a lawyer who could carry out our separation remotely and finally resolve our situation once and for all.

I was caught off guard by Robert’s fury. I tried to explain to him that the idea was for us to use the same lawyer, without entering into a contentious process, but he was outraged! He said he wouldn’t pay and that I would pay for it alone. So, I waited.
When we sold the house in May 2023, I informed Robert and gave him all the details of the negotiation. He said he would come to sign the contract, but still, he didn’t show up. When the sale was finalized, with a down payment of 100,000 reais, he signed the contract online, and I transferred part of the money to him, another part to myself, and another to the company, which was already 50,000 reais in the red. I sent him all the details of the negotiation via WhatsApp, explaining how the payment would be made and how I would use the money to pay off the company’s debts. I have all these conversations saved to prove what I’m saying here.

When the sale proceeds came in, paid in installments, I used them to pay all the company’s debts and moved to the beach house so the buyer could take possession of the house we sold. I did the entire move by myself, packed my things and his, hired transport, and rented a storage space… all on my own. The new owner moved into the house and noticed that there was a leak in the upstairs bathroom and that the floor in the closet seemed to be sagging. He then called a contractor to assess the damage, who also found structural problems (in the roof support columns) and prepared an estimate for the work. This contractor, who did the assessment and the estimate, was recommended by Robert himself at the time of the house sale.

When the contractor did the assessment, he told the new owner that Robert already knew about the house’s leak problems. I’m not sure if he knew it was so serious, but he was aware, as they had discussed it before. The buyer then contacted the real estate agent who handled the sale and threatened to file a lawsuit against both of us for selling the house with hidden defects. We would have to return the money already received and pay a penalty for breach of contract. At this point, I had given up trying to talk to Robert, as he would just yell at me. I then asked my lawyer to urgently contact him and explain the seriousness of the situation so he could come and resolve the issue, or at least send someone from his family to handle it on his behalf. Once again, I was left to solve the problem alone! Robert simply refused to agree to the repairs, but he also didn’t come to see the problem for himself, didn’t appoint anyone, and didn’t send another professional to provide a comparative estimate. We tried once again to reach an agreement, now with lawyers from both sides, and Robert refused to authorize and pay for the repairs, claiming they were unnecessary and too expensive, as if it were an optional issue and not something that would end up in court and cause us financial harm.

To avoid legal complications for myself, since I would be the one held accountable in his absence, I authorized the work in a meeting with the real estate agents. I then contacted Robert’s lawyer and explained everything that was happening, presenting her with a spreadsheet detailing all the income and expenses from the house sale, the amount that went to me (50%, as per the law), what was rightfully Robert’s, based on each of our responsibilities, both for the house and the company. I once again explained the repairs that needed to be done on the house, even though I didn’t have to do this, as I had a power of attorney that gave me full authority to do whatever I wanted with the house, without needing his consent. I gave Robert one more week to accept my settlement proposal before filing a contentious lawsuit. Once again, the response I received was that Robert didn’t agree with the amount to be spent on the repairs and didn’t agree with my decision to go ahead with them.

At that point, I gave up on the negotiations because I realized I was just wearing myself out and wasting my time. Since there was no dialogue or proposal he would accept, I closed our last communication channel by blocking him on WhatsApp and proceeded with filing the contentious lawsuit.

Now, let me give you a numerical perspective.

Our house, which had been appraised at 1,300,000 BRL by the bank when we took out the mortgage in 2021, was sold for 1,060,000 BRL. Of this amount, 60,000 BRL was paid by the buyer to the real estate agent and never entered our joint account. The mortgage on the house was automatically deducted by the bank from this amount.
755,999.52 BRL was what actually entered our joint account. According to the law (defined here as 50% for each spouse), the amount to be received by each of us was 377,999.76 BRL, as can be seen in the table below.
The image below is a summary of the spreadsheet I presented to his lawyer. In yellow, I highlighted the amount that was transferred from the joint account to our personal accounts. 

You will notice that I did transfer almost all the money received into my account, it’s true. But also note further down the table, where it says “TRANSFERIDOS DA PF PARA INOVATION” the amount I PAID from the company’s debts and how much Robert actually paid from his account. Also note the amount Robert would have received after the company’s debts were paid and after the post-sale repairs on the house, which are also his responsibility. What I still owe Robert is the amount highlighted in blue: 23,391.91 BRL.

What I told his lawyer before filing the lawsuit was this: the money I still owed Robert would be paid when the beach house was sold, as I still had my share to receive from this house, as well as my part of the car’s value. I wouldn’t deposit this amount to Robert; it would be deducted from my share in the house sale. And I would buy Robert’s car (even though he had promised to give it to me earlier).

The assets we had here in Brazil are detailed in this spreadsheet, in REAIS (BRL). The company’s debts were paid according to each partner’s share. Robert owned 90%, and I owned 10%. Regarding the house mortgage, 50% of this debt was paid by me. I didn’t even include the amount there because it was automatically deducted by the bank, but this can be easily confirmed in the bank statements.

In my opinion, I shouldn’t have paid half of the house mortgage since I didn’t want to pursue the solar panel business from the start. If you analyze it, the debt I had in the company before was 10%, according to my share, but when it transferred to my personal name and became a property mortgage, I ended up with 50% of the debt. But since I honor what I sign and keep records of my actions, I paid what I owed. I’m not making up numbers; I have proof of everything stated here, along with a folder full of documents that prove I’m not lying. All of this was made available to Robert’s lawyers for over a week to be analyzed. I shared the folder link with his lawyer, containing photos, audio recordings, a technical report, the project’s financial records, and details of the company’s debts that had been paid to the bank. I gave him a week to come to an agreement with me, and yet, HE CHOSE NOT TO AGREE.

So why am I bringing this to you now, considering I’ve been in a legal dispute with Robert for almost a year, since our fight in November 2022?

When I made the decision to separate and, more importantly, to leave the partnership with Robert, as it was only causing me financial and emotional harm, I asked him to provide financial assistance until I found a job. I had been out of the job market for 13 years, and working in a family business here in Brazil doesn’t impress employers. At the time, my idea was to use my share of the money from the sale of the Palhoça house to refinance the beach house so I wouldn’t have to pay rent. I would pay for something that would be mine. I also wouldn’t need to buy furniture, as the house was fully furnished. But I couldn’t do this without a fixed job since the bank wouldn’t approve the loan. So, since I had already proposed that Robert hire me formally so I could prove income and he refused, I asked him for financial support in the form of alimony until I could stand on my own, because I needed to keep paying my health insurance, which is not a luxury for me, it’s a necessity. He also didn’t think that was fair. I told him that I would then stay in the beach house, and he shouted at me that I would have to pay him rent if I stayed there and that the house should be sold. So, I rented a house, packed my things, and left. I left the house clean and the key in a safe. I told him to sell the house and call me when I needed to sign the papers. He didn’t do that either. I also told him that if he wanted, I could even sell the house since there was an interested buyer, but in that case, I would charge a commission for the sale, as I would have to chase after the paperwork, lawyers, notary offices, and city hall again. I told him I would charge less than a real estate agent, but he also found my proposal outrageous. To him, it was fine for me to work for free for him.

I want you to understand that I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE but to file a lawsuit to fight for my rights, as Robert decided that I didn’t deserve any consideration and treated me like garbage. After all, in his mind, I had no right to the proceeds from the house sale. According to his understanding, I should have given my share to him.

I can’t believe that now, knowing all this and as a woman, you would read what I’m telling you here and agree with his actions. Unless I was judged by everyone just because I’m Brazilian. Yes, because there was a veiled judgment against me, as his family gradually unfriended me on Facebook. I know that many foreigners think Brazil is only full of criminals and prostitutes, but I can assure you that it’s not like that, and that is definitely not my case. Although I was accused of theft by Robert’s lawyer, you can see from the information I’m providing here that this isn’t true.

In short, after almost 13 years of marriage, of exclusive dedication to my husband, the house, and the company, Robert decided that I should leave this relationship with nothing, even though the money I kept for myself wasn’t enough for me to buy another property or support myself amid the crisis we’re facing here, with my high healthcare costs, especially while being unemployed.

I know part of the blame for living and ending a marriage on such absurd terms is mine because I didn’t value myself and stayed married to someone who didn’t appreciate me, cheated on me, and made a fool out of me. But I WILL NOT ALLOW Robert to say in court that I stole from him, speak badly of me, or prevent me from starting my life over here. The money I kept was rightfully mine. While I was married to him, I wasn’t out there spending his money on jewelry and shoes. I WAS WORKING in the company and taking care of our assets, the house, and his things too. So what is mine is mine, and I won’t accept any challenge to that. I also deserve financial support  to start my life over, just like he did with Micheline for a while. I don’t deserve less than her, I am not a whore. I was married to him. In fact, I still am, since the judge has not yet ruled on the case.

Beyond that, this “Brazilian thief” ended up like this: without a husband, without a house, without a job, without retirement, sick, and with no one to help me. As if that weren’t enough, I’ve been getting over 80 calls a day from the bank where Robert still has an active checking account because he hasn’t paid the beach house mortgage since May, when I officially filed for divorce through my lawyer. Since I was Robert’s contact here in Brazil and was the one handling his personal account matters while he traveled, they are calling me. I have to keep my phone turned off for peace! Now they’ve started calling my relatives to find out about me because of him! That’s enough!

Unfortunately, with this lawsuit dragging on slowly, I’ve already spent all the money I had (from MY SHARE of the Palhoça house sale) on rent, health insurance, consultations, medications, and food over the past year. Along with other expenses I paid for, which were Robert’s responsibility and that he left behind. The beach house mortgage is already being legally charged, and the house could be seized by the bank and go to auction at any moment. The bank’s lawyers have already sent messages saying they will file a lawsuit if immediate action isn’t taken. They will end up taking the car too. I won’t allow my share of the house sale to be lost, and for me to end up homeless, due to Robert’s complete neglect! This only demonstrates his total disregard and disrespect for my health and physical well-being since he preferred to lose the house to the bank rather than sell it to me, when I could have bought it.

I know it’s highly inappropriate to speak to you now, in the middle of a lawsuit, and my lawyer probably wouldn’t approve of this. He doesn’t even know that I decided to contact you in this way. But my credit has been damaged in Brazil due to the debts Robert left behind. I left the house so Robert could put it up for sale long before I filed the lawsuit. He didn’t do it because he didn’t want to. He could have even bought the house with your help or offered it for you to buy if you were interested.

It was at that moment that I realized the truth. Why didn’t Robert sell the house? Why did he start complicating everything in the separation? What could he be hiding that might come to light in this divorce process? There was something very strange going on. His actions didn’t make sense. What could it be? Whatever, I GOT TIRED to live in the dark!

With the bank constantly harassing me with debt collection calls, in May of this year, I broke the silence and reached out to Robert again, trying to find a solution to the problem by contacting him via Messenger since I no longer have his email or phone number. I asked him if there was anything he wanted to say that could ease the situation and told him that I didn’t wish him any harm. I said that I was grateful for the good times we had and all the good things he had offered me, but that I just wanted to close this chapter and move on with my life. The response was only silence and “I don’t have any money.” He told me to sell the car to pay off his debt (even though half of the car’s value is also mine). During this conversation, I asked him to formalize a proposal through my lawyer, but once again, he did nothing. After that he just blocked me on Messenger also. So I need to deal with his problem by myself again.

There was another attempt at a settlement during a meeting with the lawyers, and to my surprise, once again, his lawyer accused me of theft, and no offer of assistance was made. Two days later, I received an email from Ford at the old company email, which I still keep, asking Robert to rate his purchase of the F-10 truck. Does this mean that I should be walking on foot, with my health the way it is, to pay off his debts here in Brazil while he drives an F-10 truck in Canada? Who is really being dishonest here?

I don’t know if Robert ever told you about my healthcare costs. The medication I use, a biological injection that I take every month, costs almost 18,000 reais per dose. The Brazilian government doesn’t provide this medication. Because of this, I have spent almost 5,000 reais a month on health insurance, paying the company’s health plan on my own to avoid losing my medication, as the health plan is legally required to provide it. Only my rent is costing 3,500 reais. Now do the math there and see how I’m living here, unemployed, with the money that I “stole from Robert,” as his lawyer claimed in the lawsuit.

Honestly, I still find it very difficult to understand why Robert chose to stop paying the beach house mortgage instead of selling it to me when I could have bought it and renegotiated the debt. Now I can’t do anything because the little money I had is gone. I had to take out a loan to survive because I’m still unemployed, despite my efforts to find a job. I can’t apply for just any job due to my health. I can’t walk for more than 30 minutes, I can’t stand for long periods, and I have physical limitations. Being a teacher is no longer an option for me because I no longer have the mobility to work with young children.

In 2022, before filing the contentious lawsuit, I contracted COVID again, and the medication that had kept me stable stopped working. I developed severe lesions on my feet and hands, and even after switching medications, I’m still not well. With everything that happened, Cécile, I fell into a deep depression. My rheumatologist suggested I see a psychiatrist to evaluate me and prescribe an antidepressant, as this could also be affecting my physical health. During that evaluation, at the age of 50, I discovered that I am autistic. This brought me a certain emotional relief, I admit, because it helped me understand many of the experiences I had throughout my life, especially those where I was judged as being too dramatic or overly sensitive. Well, now there’s a medical explanation for my “way of being,” which not everyone likes.

However, despite all these challenges, I made it to 50 years old, always managing on my own and still carrying the responsibility for others on my shoulders, so no one can judge me for that. But here’s something interesting: I’M NOT STUPID! My IQ is actually well above average! It’s easy for me to conclude that if Robert had the nerve to do all this to me, there must be something very important that was hidden from me, or from you, and it’s time for the truth to come out because I SHOULDN’T BE DEALING WITH PROBLEMS THAT AREN’T MINE. If he can’t take responsibility for his own actions, it’s time for him to seek help from his family or psychological support. I have no one to help me with my problems, no one at all, and I’m not going to carry his problems on my back any longer.

I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. I sleep soundly at night. The Brazilian justice system will do the math here, and then they will seek information about his financial situation in Canada, as the case will eventually be referred to the Canadian court. At that point, they will calculate what he still owes me, and the lies and secrets he’s been keeping will come to light.

My Brazilian family is humble, Cécile, but we are honest people. Unfortunately, my family is very small and doesn’t have the means to help me. My sister has been providing emotional support, but she can’t help me financially. And she’s already helping a lot by taking care of our mother, who is also ill and 78 years old. My son already has a small daughter to take care of, and I won’t be a burden on his life.

Robert’s immaturity in handling this situation has left me perplexed. A 60-year-old man acting like this, I really didn’t expect. My son saw him as a father. He truly liked him. My family admired him. Everyone here was shocked by his lack of consideration for me. He simply used me and threw me away as if I were trash. A broken doll is no longer good to play with. And a doll that talks… But I guarantee that no one knew what I went through here in silence. That part he probably didn’t tell you. The shame and humiliation I endured. Going from a three-story house to living in a rental, sick and unemployed, without any support. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone!

Know that if we had lost everything and he had the humility to apologize for affecting my financial, physical, and emotional stability, if he had taken responsibility and offered me help, so I could restart my life with dignity, I wouldn’t have gone to court to claim my rights. Since that didn’t happen and given the accusations I’ve faced, I can only conclude that this is simply a lack of character.

It’s important to remember that, even though I recognize my own responsibility for staying in such a relationship for so many years, it doesn’t lessen Robert’s responsibility. So, putting all the blame on me and walking away, pretending nothing happened, is, at the very least, mediocre behavior.

I’ve had enough, Cécile. I’m done being nice, keeping quiet, and having compassion for someone who doesn’t value me. I deserve peace of mind so that I can recover my physical health. If Robert doesn’t have the money to pay his debts here, he should take out a loan in Canada, just like I had to do here to pay for my medication. Or he should ask for financial help from you. I have no support network. I’ve always been the one supporting everyone, and when it’s my turn to be supported, everyone disappears.

I also won’t waste any more time explaining things to Robert, not after all the attempts I made before filing for a contentious divorce. If he has doubts about my rights, maybe he can read the Brazilian Civil Code or ask his lawyer. At least here in Brazil, debt repayment is proportionate to each person’s income. Now, if I receive ZERO REAIS a month since I’m unemployed, I should be paying ZERO debts. However, I took money from my own pocket to pay off debts that were his responsibility, and that bill is one he’ll be forced to settle as well.

I gave Robert enough time to take action and do something. In fact, when I filed the lawsuit, I thought he would understand the seriousness of the situation. But he decided to continue with his lies, because his pride is greater than anything or anyone. Well, when the time comes for the judge to review how he was using the company’s money and see his financial irresponsibility, maybe he will change his mind. After all, if he had a company where he held 90% control, his fiscal responsibility should have matched that, as well as the 50% administrative responsibility, which he dumped entirely on my shoulders. And if he continued receiving company money in Canadian accounts, that constitutes tax evasion. I’m not sure about Canada, but here in Brazil, one of the few things that actually leads to jail is tax evasion, money laundering, and embezzlement.I hope he didn’t do any of that, because that will come to light during the trial, and I won’t help him if he implicated my name in illegal activities abroad. And if anyone helped him with that, they would also have legal complications.

Maybe he can tell you there that I’m crazy and imagining things… but if I’m imagining things it’s because he was never completely honest with me and constantly left me without answers, ignoring my concerns and leaving me without answers. But I think I had more than enough evidence to know that what he did to me was unfair and dishonest. He took advantage of me.

I am a very honest person, Cécile, I’ve always respected the law. And in almost 13 years of marriage, I never transferred a single cent from the company to my account without Robert knowing why. Everything that went into my account I used to pay for our household expenses, my personal expenses, and my health treatments. I didn’t even help my own family. My poor sister was taking care of my sick mother, and I couldn’t help her. So, I don’t accept the slander that was thrown against me behind my back and in court, nor can I accept living the way I am now, in this humiliating condition.

I bet some people in Canada may have called me a “Gold Digger.” But it wasn’t me who prioritized money and appearances over the health of my spouse, nor did I exploit her naivety and patience for financial and tax benefits, only to abandon her without explanation afterwards. I prefer to believe that his family didn’t know anything about this, because if you guys supported these actions, I understand that you also think I’m worthless. Either way, no one knows me well enough to judge me. We’ve only met a few times for me to be judged so negatively.

I want you all to keep in mind that despite my communication difficulties and shyness, I considered you part of my family. It’s a shame no one ever came to me to learn more about me. I am a good person; I have character, believe me. And I loved Robert.

I was so devastated by everything that happened that I went into “Autistic Burnout.” I don’t know if you’ve heard of it. I hadn’t  heard of it until then. I couldn’t speak, my thinking was not clear. I didn’t leave outside the house, I couldn’t sleep at night, I wasn’t eating properly, and I couldn’t complete any tasks, not even simple day-to-day chores like doing the dishes. And I got really sick. My sores get really ugly and it aggravates badly. I could not walk for months. Only now, after almost 6 months have I changed my medication, I am starting to get better and slowly managing to do things, but still with great difficulty. But I’m back to studying, and I’ll be taking an exam at the end of the month to return to working in education, as I used to. But even if I pass, it will take time before I’m called, and until then, I need to support myself.

The owner of the house I’m renting has asked for it back, and I’m not in a position to rent another place without money, without a job, and without credit. Therefore, I’m informing you that, since I have no other option, I’m moving to the beach house until this situation is resolved, not because I want to, but because I have no choice. After all, it’s been sitting unused for months, waiting for Robert to take action and sell it, and he did nothing, while I was forced to spend all my money on rent unnecessarily. The house will no longer be sold until the legal proceedings conclude, and the court assesses and divides the assets and his accounts, both here and in Canada, and the judicial process is completed.

Robert’s belongings are still with me. If you’re interested in retrieving them, I can rent a storage unit here, provided someone pays for it. His tools and personal items are not my responsibility. I haven’t thrown them out to avoid legal trouble and also because there are family photos and mementos that I felt sorry to throw away. You can also hire Latam’s CARGO service, which, as I understand it, collects loads from the location. I can pack everything in boxes and provide the volume when I move. Then you can arrange the pickup. But immediate action needs to be taken because I have to move by October, and I won’t take his things with me this time. If no other solution is found, I will donate everything. There’s no space for these things in the beach house.

So, Cécile, I’m asking that after reading everything I’ve told you here, you carefully consider my situation and see if it isn’t time for you or all the siblings to talk to Robert and ask him to take responsibility by paying the debts he has here, with the bank and with me, and making the proper division, as required by law. Since he had more than enough time to do something or explain his actions before, and I no longer trust him, I won’t talk to him again without a third or fourth person present, as I don’t believe anything he says anymore.

Unless Robert contacts my lawyer and makes an offer worthy of an honorable man by September 12, the date I have a meeting with him to list the evidence to present to the judge, I will submit this same letter that I’m sending to you to her, along with my folder of evidence, and ask to the Brazilian Court send the process to Canadian Court. I think after you read my letter and check the info I give you here, you will see that what he did was unfair with me. 

At the very least, I want him to support me financially for two years so I can complete my postgraduate studies in peace. I’m not asking for anything more than I deserve after everything he put me through. This past year, I spent everything I had to support myself and take care of my health. I wasn’t throwing parties and wasting money, as he may have imagined or told to the family. If he wants to verify my accounts and expenses, I have no problem with that, as long as he does the same, in Court. He should submit his bank statements to the judge, including those related to what he received from our business while it was still open here in Brazil under my responsibility, and while I was still paying all its expenses, because my name was there also. Maybe he can explain to the judge how he felt entitled to spend 2,000 BRL at a Golf Club while his wife was in need at home, and the company was going bankrupt. How do I know this? His bank account manager here in Brazil sent me his overdue credit card bill to pay, and there it was, among the expenses. I’ll attach that bill to the lawsuit as well.

I don’t want my name involved in international illegalities (which I strongly suspect may have happened), and I won’t sign contracts or agreements blindly, even if it takes years for everything to be investigated by the authorities. So if there are things I don’t know that are important for me to know, it’s long past time for him to come clean.

I am making ONE LAST ATTEMPT to try to resolve things before filing another lawsuit against him, this time holding him accountable as a business partner. The problem is, if I do that, Robert will get himself into a situation that could bring serious consequences not only for him but for anyone who has been financially involved with him in Canada. If I have to do this to recover what’s mine and find peace, I will do it without feeling sorry for him. Let’s start by saying that between October 2022 and August 2023, in 11 months, Robert withdrew 163,700 BRL from the company, while I withdrew 36,550 BRL, since I even took out a personal loan to inject money into the company in October 2022, when the company’s credit limit had been exhausted. During the same period, the company received R$ 577,090.45 from invoice payments he collected until May and from the house sale money used to pay off debts. Can you see how these numbers don’t add up? If necessary, I will provide all this information to the judge so that a FULL AUDIT of the company’s accounts, mine, and his (and anyone else involved in this situation without my knowledge) can be conducted.

To give you a small glimpse of what I’m talking about, I’m leaving here, at your disposal, a link to the spreadsheet presented to Robert’s lawyer in August 2023. The amounts are in REAIS (BRL). Do the math yourselves. Analyze the table, where the company’s account summary and the details of the division of our assets are presented, and see who stole from whom.

HERE IS THE SPREADSHEET: FINANCIAL REPORT.

Please note that there are two tabs, one shows the company data (shares are 90% Robert and 10% Kátia) and the other the division of assets (shares are 50% Robert and 50% Kátia) as previously defined in our contracts.

There may be some small errors, but I can assure you that they are not of great value. Considering that in addition to the expenses described in this spreadsheet, I was also paying expenses for the beach house (even though it was closed), taxes and other company expenses that are not described there, I will attach them to the process later.

I need to emphasize that the amounts detailed in this spreadsheet were not contested by Robert at the time… only the issue of the construction. Well, since he was notified in advance, didn’t come to resolve the situation here, and didn’t send anyone to do it on his behalf, and since I had power of attorney to take action, he has no grounds for dispute on this matter. The construction was backed by an engineer’s technical report, and its execution was supported by photos, countless audios, and videos. I don’t see how “being busy working in Canada” could have prevented him from taking the necessary steps, given that he was the one overseeing the construction of this house, and he was primarily responsible for it.

I sincerely regret that things ended so horribly. Both sides lost a great opportunity to strengthen our ties globally. It would have been wonderful if we had gotten to know each other better and been more open and honest about who we really are, including myself. In the end, I think everyone lost in this, especially the family on both sides.

I don’t have wealth, but my country and I offered Robert a great opportunity. It’s a shame he sabotaged this relationship and acted so poorly toward me. But I’m at peace with my choices. I’d rather live alone and be free to be who I am than live for appearances. I finally understood that love doesn’t have to be difficult, and no one should change for someone else. The desire to change comes from within, just like the desire to be present and give oneself to a relationship. If we’re not happy with someone, it’s simple. Just be honest, fair, say you’re sorry, and move on. Each one on their own path. There’s no need to manipulate or try to destroy the other person, preventing them from moving forward, as he did with me. And I won’t let him treat me like just anyone. Using someone and then discarding them when they’re no longer useful has consequences. He may have done that with other women while traveling the world, but he won’t do that with me. I will make sure that I am the last woman to be deceived by him outside his country.

I hope you have the sensitivity to read my story with an open heart. I imagine you must be at least surprised by what I’ve shared with you here. I didn’t want to take this situation this far, especially since I’m already suing him. But things could get even worse, and I’m trying to protect my health and stability first. I decided to direct this text to you because, as you were a teacher, I thought you might have more sensitivity and empathy to understand who I am, what I’ve been through, and maybe bring some justice to this situation before it escalates further. Also, because Robert once told me that you were like a mother to him, as you took care of him a lot when he was a child. I thought maybe he would listen to you.

Despite everything I’ve been through, believe me, I don’t wish Robert any harm. I had some very good moments with him, though they were few. When I’m upset, I can sometimes be quite harsh with my words because I can’t express myself well, and I end up bottling things up. Then, when I do speak, it comes out like this, stormy and aggressive at times. Today I know that’s part of being autistic. But I don’t hold grudges against anyone. I hope Robert finds happiness and peace there and allows me to find mine here. I am looking to heal myself.

Discovering that I’m autistic has freed me, but socially, I know it also limits me. But that’s okay, I’m at peace with my limitations. I’m doing postgraduate studies in “Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)” and I’ve come to understand that I am indeed different. I have special traits, some good and some bad. Unfortunately, I can be naive at times and trust people too much, which is why I ended up in this situation. But, as the saying goes, we live, suffer, and learn. I hope that through my work, I can help others not go through what I’ve been through in my own life.

I hope I’ve been able to communicate with the necessary clarity in writing. Since the text was very long and I initially wrote it in Portuguese, I got tired of translating and I used artificial intelligence to translate it into English, so there may be some errors. I hope the message doesn’t get distorted. I want to make it clear that I have evidence of everything I’ve said here – documents, bank statements, receipts, emails, text messages, audios, photos, and reports. I will present everything to the judge during the proceedings when he requests it, and Robert will have to do the same to prove that I’m lying. 

I hope that your understanding  can help me to resolve this situation in the best possible way so that I can move on with my life in peace. I also imagine that you are concerned about Robert and the more serious implications this legal situation may have in the future, especially as this litigation process unfolds in Canada.

Thank you for your attention.

Take care,

Kátia

P.S.: I attached to this folder some proof of my health condition, which prevented me from even walking until March this year and how I am now. Although I’ve improved a lot, I still can’t wear closed shoes or walk for more than 20 or 30 minutes. This prevents me from sometimes performing simple tasks, like going to the grocery store or cleaning the house, for example. Look at the photos to see what happens if I don’t get the right treatment on time. If I get stressed. What you see externally in the photos also happens internally, in my joints. Imagine the pain I feel, and reflect on what you would say about a man who saw these photos and did absolutely nothing to help a person who fully dedicated herself to him and carried his responsibilities on her shoulders for years. If anyone there still thinks I’m not working because I don’t want to, I want them to see the images and judge me again. A chronic illness like the one I have may not be as serious as cancer, but it also slowly punishes you and drains your energy. Dealing with my illness alone is already difficult, now imagine facing everything I went through here by myself. Also, consider that I had to cancel my health insurance last month, and now I won’t have access to the medication I need to take monthly. Look at how I will end up being again soon if I don’t get access to my medication. I’m asking for your help for this reason. I really can’t work like that and I need to contract a person to help me with my moving, again. I also left there some documents that prove my rights, that I am fighting for.

Please, help Robert to finalize his obligations he left behind here in Brazil and pay at least part of what he still owes me this month. I won’t sell the house and live on the streets to make this happen. He may deny it to you, but if he has any conscience left, he knows he owes me, at least morally. Please help me avoid the humiliation of being evicted from the beach house again, this time, from the bank, until the divorce litigation is ended. Robert’s debt with Bradesco bank should be around 30,000 reais, I believe. I don’t have access to the account to confirm, but the last time his bank manager sent a message to me, in May 2024, there were debts related to his checking account, credit card, and loan installments. He needs to pay this and remove me from this commitment. His manager, from his bank account in Bradesco, sent me the info that his account is blocked until he negotiates all debts. Here is the data they send to me, some days ago:

He needs to inform the code in this message to the bank lawyers to negotiate his debts. I am so tired, Cécile. Help me to get some rest. I need to be able to have peace to heal my body. I am praying to God that you understand my letter and what I crossed by. Thank you.