Part 3/5:
The devastation of Shriver’s marriage reaches a critical point in 2011, when she learns of Arnold’s infidelity with the family housekeeper, Mildred Baena, which resulted in the birth of his son, Joseph. In her poem "Time Stood Still," Maria vividly describes the profound impact this revelation had on her life. She writes, "I heard the words but I had dissolved I wasn't there," illustrating how the moment shattered her world and altered her sense of reality irrevocably.
Shriver’s pain is palpable as she reflects on how this betrayal dismantled her identity, having been with Arnold since the age of 21. During his tenure as governor from 2003 to 2011, she feels her own remarkable career and achievements in journalism fade into the backdrop of his political image.