Nicole: how I begged Tom not to leave me

by ALISON BOSHOFF, Daily Mail

Nicole Kidman says she begged Tom Cruise not to end their marriage, but he stormed out and she lost the baby they had recently conceived.

The actress contests Cruise's claim that their marriage ended early in December - saying they were still 'intimate' throughout that month and she became pregnant.

Her account comes in court papers filed in Los Angeles in response to Cruise's divorce petition in February - and it is clear she will not give in without a fight.

The 33-year-old actress says the actor left her without warning, refusing to discuss the problems in their marriage or to have counselling.

Within 24 hours, his publicists had announced the split as an 'amicable separation' blamed on the pressures of work - leaving her stunned and alone.

The legal implications of Miss Kidman's claim are huge. If - as she contends - they were still man and wife until Feburary, their marriage lasted more than ten years.

It means that, under California law, Cruise will be liable to support her until she remarries.

But if a court finds that - as he alleges - the marriage was over after only nine years and 11 months, it will allow Cruise to try to hold on to far more of his £225million fortune.

The actor filed his petition on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. Miss Kidman says she was caught by surprise when he said he wanted a divorce. Her court papers tell how they happily celebrated their 10th anniversary on December 24 with friends.

'During the balance of December and thereafter the parties were intimate and she became pregnant by petitioner but lost the baby through a miscarriage.'

Miss Kidman says she urged Cruise not to go, but to have marriage counselling. He said his decision was final and went.

The couple have two adopted children, Conor, six, and Isabella, eight.

The actor, who has said he wishes her well and promised to pay 'tens of millions' in support, appears to have hardened his stance in the light of her allegations.

His lawyer said Miss Kidman 'has always known exactly why the parties are divorcing'.

That statement --reflecting Cruise's privately repeated mantra, 'Nicole knows why' raises the question of whether she was unfaithful.

The Australian actress has already said the child she lost was Cruise's, and has denied rumoured affairs with leading men and others.

In what looks like a prelude to a bid for his fortune, she says in the filed papers that by marrying her, Cruise increased his 'celebrity goodwill' - that is, his bankability.

She says she will let him keep all the property he had before they married.

But she can be expected to ask for half of the value of their 'community' property, which includes their £3million Los Angeles home, a £2.8million house in Darling Harbour, Australia, and their 40ft yacht Alibi.

She wants joint custody of the children, and notes that she may prefer to raise them in Australia or elsewhere in the U.S.

She plans to continue her acting career subject to caring for the children and is demanding Cruise pay 'family support' to maintain their standard of living.

After reading the court papers, Cruise's publicist Pat Kingsley said: 'Life moves on and Tom is getting on with his own future.'

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