Belle Burden's Jaw-Dropping Story About the End of Her Marriage Is Spellbinding Readers

Ending a marriage is one of those devastating experiences that can rock your entire world. Not only are you seeing the end of a dream and an entire future storyline, but you're separating from one of the people who authored your past. While some marriages end with a sigh of relief, most come with at least some measure of grief.

And for many, that grief is compounded by the actions of their soon-to-be-former spouse. Lawyer and author Belle Burden can attest to that unique type of pain.

The socialite and heiress published a book called Strangers that dives into the painful and shocking way that her marriage ended, leaving her to pick up the pieces in a mosaic she never imagined she would watch crumble.

Here's what we know about her ex-husband, Henry Davis, and the way her picture-perfect life crumbled in an instant after a little bird told her of his affair.

The year was 2020, and the COVID pandemic saw people locked in their homes, uncertain, afraid, and frustrated. Belle was relieved to be quarantining with those she loved most: her husband, Henry, and their daughters.

While she knew COVID was looming over the world like a specter, she had no idea what she was about to get struck by. It came in the form of a telephone call from an unknown caller who let her know that her husband was having an affair with his wife.

Belle was devastated, but her husband's next actions would drive the knife deeper, shattering all sense of hope and security. Not only did he walk out on her and their daughters, but he did so callously, seemingly switching off his care and compassion in the blink of an eye.

So, what do we know about the man who left Belle in the blink of an eye to tend to his mistress?

He's not as public a figure as Belle, but we know that they met at a corporate law firm, were married for 21 years, and they lived together in what seemed like wedded bliss in their Martha's Vineyard home (via Daily Mail).

In her book, Belle mused that her ex-husband described an overnight switch flipping as he suddenly fell out of love.

Belle's story will resonate with many readers who found themselves on the painful end of an ending marriage, blindsided and hurt by their spouse's sudden disinterest.

While her story may be common in some ways, there's one thing that's not: the life she lives.

As a lawyer in New York City and an heiress of the Vanderbilt fortune, Belle lives a more privileged life than most. But she's mindful of that gulf between herself and her readers, and wants simply to point out that heartbreak doesn't discriminate.

In an interview with Katie Couric, she mused on that topic: "I know that my privilege cushioned the fall in many ways. I had access to resources that many women in my situation wouldn’t have had."

She added, "It felt essential to acknowledge this in the book: both my internal awareness of it and so that I could be a reliable narrator. But what I hope people come to see from my story is that money cannot protect anyone from heartbreak."

Unfortunately, Belle's story ends with little satisfaction in understanding why her husband cheated and then walked away. As is the case with so many marriages that come to an end, Belle has had to accept that she may never have the answers or closure she seeks, and she has to move on anyway.

While her story has empowered her to seize control of a painful narrative, it's a solid reminder that it doesn't matter who you are or how successful you are, life still happens.