Imagine Outing Yourself as a Cheater in a NYT Wedding Announcement

In early August, the New York Times published a beautiful love story about Laren Maillian and Robert Palmer, two soulmates that met at a New York Sports Club in Harlem. Robert told the Times he noticed Lauren because she was one of the “few women who lifted weights,” a feat average woman are apparently incapable of doing. Robert proposed in December of 2018, and the two were married in August 2020 at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Westport, Connecticut, which has been closed down due to covid, but appears to have made an exception for the couple and their 25 guests. Robert referred to the relationship as “the most meaningful, deep connection I’ve ever had.” This beautiful admission came as a surprise to Robert’s ex-wife, who found out from the article not only that Robert was re-marrying but that he met his new wife four months before asking for a divorce.

Nikyta Moreno, explained to the New York Post that she and Robert met, surprise, at a gym in New York in 2013. The two were legally married in a civil service two years later with plans to have a bigger wedding in August of 2017. In the months leading up to the wedding, Nikyta purchased a gown and had some of her family flown in from London and Trinidad to help with planning and to meet Robert’s family. Nikyta says Robert asked for a divorce in March of that year. The sudden separation reportedly came as a surprise to Nikyta, until she read the wedding announcement, which stated Robert and Lauren met in January of 2017. Nikyta also told the Post, “That same month, I found out I was pregnant. He told me that he didn’t want the baby. In May, I miscarried — I believe it was because of the stress. I called from the hospital, but he didn’t come.” Nikyta says until she saw the Times announcement, she had no idea why he abruptly chose to ask for a divorce.

The original wedding announcement in the New York Times also stated that Robert had never been previously married. Which Nikyta says was corrected after several of her friends called the Times to complain. Nikyta says she, too, has found someone (although she didn’t feel inclined to shout about her relationship in a newspaper) and is happy for Robert but wishes he had told her the truth sooner. The truth being that he was cheating on her with a former model—and would later announce his indiscretion to the world in the weird flex of the Times wedding section. Robert, in a salty response to the Post, said, “Nikyta and I were separated, and both consented to a mutual and amicable divorce. This is all very surprising to me, and I was unaware that there was ever an issue.” Surprise is really the only good descriptor for this situation.