Jeff Bezos is an American businessman and owner of Amazon, in 2018 he was recognized as the richest man of our time. Until recently, the billionaire has diligently maintained the image of an exemplary family man. However, in early 2019, Bezos and his wife announced a divorce after 25 years of marriage. Journalists immediately found out that the reason for the breakup was the betrayal of a businessman with actress and TV presenter Lauren Sanchez.
Soul mates
The love story of 30-year-old Jeff Bezos and 23-year-old Princeton University graduate Mackenzie Tuttle began in 1993 within the walls of the investment firm DE Show. The future billionaire served as senior vice president there, and yesterday's student got a job as an analyst. Incidentally, Bezos personally interviewed and hired the girl, not suspecting that very soon she would become his wife. However, as the businessman later joked, thinking about getting married, he already knew in advance about all the qualities of the bride from her resume.
Mackenzie took the first step towards developing relations. According to her, Jeff conquered the girl in absentia with his perky laugh. Since their offices were located nearby, she often became an unwitting witness to Bezos' fits of fun. And when she realized that she felt sympathy for him, without hesitation, she invited him on a date.
The office romance developed so rapidly that after three months of the relationship, the lovers got engaged. After another three months, the couple went to the altar. After the wedding, Bezos shared with his wife a plan to create an online bookstore, which would later become the world famous virtual commerce giant Amazon. Mackenzie, far from business, found it difficult to understand her husband's business terminology, but she was inspired by the "passion and excitement" in his voice.
Together to new heights
In 1994, the Bezos couple quit the company in which their romance began. To implement Jeff's idea, they decided to change their place of residence and went by car across the country from New York to Seattle. While Mackenzie was driving, her husband worked on a business plan on a computer and negotiated with potential investors.
In addition, Mrs. Bezos initially assumed the functions of Amazon's accountant, and also negotiated with one of the first suppliers, the Barnes and Noble bookstore. With the advent of children, she markedly reduced her participation in the family business. During the years of marriage, the couple had three sons, and they also adopted a girl from China.
The couple preferred a quiet family life. To spend time with his wife and kids, Jeff never made important business meetings in the morning. At social events, the couple rarely appeared. Mackenzie admitted that she and her husband are complete opposites. He loves to communicate with people, while her increased attention is not easy. In addition, over the years of living together, the couple have developed lovely family traditions. For example, Bezos gladly helped his wife wash the dishes in the evenings. He also liked to give Mackenzie wardrobe items, and she, in turn, was always delighted with her husband's tastes.
The wife of a businessman for a long time herself transported him and the children to work and school, and their family car was far from a luxury brand. At the same time, Mrs. Bezos found time for her favorite hobby - writing books. After all, at the university, she studied English language and literature with Tony Morrison himself, the Nobel Prize winner. He later named her one of his most talented students.
Over the years of marriage, Mackenzie has published two books - "Checking Luther Albright" and "Traps". Her work received many positive reviews, although it did not become bestsellers. Contrary to expectations, the writer contracted to publish her works with an outside publisher, ignoring Amazon. Her husband took this decision with a grain of humor. By the way, Mackenzie called Jeff one of the main connoisseurs of her work. Despite being very busy, he found time to read her works and even brought a whole heap of critical remarks.
Draw the line
In January 2019, the couple announced the start of the divorce proceedings via Twitter. They also emphasized their mutual desire to remain friends and to continue raising children together. Since the couple did not enter into a marriage contract, journalists expected an unprecedented division of the wealth of the richest man in the world. According to experts, Bezos's fortune is about $ 137 billion. Having received half of it, Mackenzie could become the richest woman in the world.
In April, the divorce proceedings were completed. As a result, Jeff retained 75% of Amazon shares, and his ex-wife received 25%. In terms of money, Mackenzie's personal fortune is $ 36 billion - this is the third result in the ranking of the richest women of our time.
Although the couple did not advertise the true reasons for the breakup, journalists managed to find out about Bezos' betrayal with Mexican actress and TV presenter Lauren Sanchez. Contrary to stereotypes, the businessman exchanged his legal wife not at all for a young beauty. Lauren is even a year older than Mackenzie. She has three children from two previous marriages. By the way, at the time of the affair with the billionaire, Sanchez was also married to actor's agent Patrick Whitesell. For several years, the family of Lauren and Jeff were on friendly terms.
Recently, the Mexican actress, following her new lover, also filed for divorce. They say that he and Bezos have already begun to live together, without waiting for all the formalities to be followed. Perhaps the billionaire's second wedding is just around the corner.
