As Melinda French Gates reflects on her future, she’s also becoming more open about her past.

In her upcoming book, *The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward*, the businesswoman and philanthropist reveals personal insights into the changes she’s faced, including her divorce from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

She shares how the end of their nearly 30-year marriage led to nightmares and panic attacks, as reported by People magazine.

In the memoir, French Gates describes how, at the end of 2019, she began experiencing nightmares that signaled her marriage was falling apart. This realization forced her to confront the fact that she would need to make decisions on her own.

While she doesn’t delve into the specific reasons behind the breakup, she does mention that Bill Gates has publicly acknowledged his infidelity.

In February 2020, French Gates had the difficult conversation with her husband in New Mexico, where she expressed her desire to live separately.

The divorce process was long and grueling, but after being finalized in May 2021, she confirmed to People that she had moved on and is now in a happy new relationship.

Looking back, French Gates has said the divorce was one of her lowest moments but emphasized that it was necessary for her well-being.

She now focuses on her work with Pivotal Ventures, an organization committed to causes like mental health, women’s leadership, and modern caregiving.