Melinda Gates recalls what it was like telling Bill Gates she wanted a divorce and what came next

Bill and Melinda Gates are no longer married, and Melinda recently opened up about what it was like to tell her husband she wanted to separate.

In her forthcoming book The Next Day, Melinda re inviting Bill to New Mexico in February 2020 on a trip she originally planned on taking alone.

When the couple arrived, things became even more real for Melinda when she found out the rental home was available because the couple who lived there had broken up.

While Melinda and Bill tried to treat the trip like any other vacation, Melinda waited until the final night to tell her husband she wanted to start living apart.

At that time Phoebe, their youngest daughter, was a senior in high school, so Melinda suggested the two remain in their Seattle home until the teen had finishes school.

"It was one of the scariest conversations I'd have had," wrote Melinda in an excerpt obtained by People. She noted that Bill was "sad and upset" but also "understanding and respectful."

How the couple moved on from there

After returning home, both Bill and Melinda continued to put on a united front in of the Gates Foundation, though she had already decided to walk away from her marriage of 27 years.

"Bill has a reputation for being one of the toughest negotiators in the world," she writes on how the coming months played out, while also revealing she "started having panic attacks."

Melinda noted that while finalizing the divorce took time, everything moved smoothly once an agreement was reached.

In May 2021 both Bill and Melinda announced they were divorcing in a t statement. She later noted that Bill's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein played a role in the split.

While Bill later called his relationship with Epstein a "mistake", Melinda says she could also no longer trust him after working through an alleged affair he had with a Microsoft employee.

The two share kids Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe. 22.