▁later , ▁they ▁came ▁close ▁to ▁a ▁re union . ▁Sh aron ▁mistaken ly ▁believed ▁Nick ▁sle pt ▁with ▁Grace ▁again , ▁so ▁she ▁sle pt ▁with ▁the ▁New man ▁hand yman , ▁Diego ▁Gu itt iere z ▁( G reg ▁V aug han ). ▁An gry , ▁Nick ▁assault ed ▁Diego ▁and ▁had ▁sex ▁with ▁Grace , ▁which ▁he ▁immediately ▁reg rett ed . ▁Sh aron ▁and ▁Nick ▁spent ▁the ▁Christmas ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁together ▁for ▁the ▁sake ▁of ▁the ▁k ids , ▁but ▁once ▁it ▁was ▁finished , ▁Sh aron ▁realized ▁she ▁needed ▁to ▁move ▁on ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁file ▁for ▁divor ce . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁real izing ▁he ▁needs ▁to ▁fix ▁his ▁marriage , ▁Nick ▁goes ▁to ▁give ▁Sh aron ▁flowers ▁but ▁is ▁shock ed ▁when ▁he ▁sees ▁Victor ▁kiss ing ▁Sh aron . ▁Hum ili ated , ▁Sh aron ▁leaves ▁town . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁Sh aron ▁Case ▁was ▁absent ▁for ▁months ▁due ▁to ▁length y ▁contract ▁negoti ations ▁which ▁left ▁her ▁fate ▁on ▁the ▁show ▁in ▁question . ▁She ▁eventually ▁struck ▁a ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁produ cers ▁and ▁returned , ▁after ▁being ▁off - screen ▁from ▁February ▁ 1 7 ▁to ▁May ▁ 1 . ▁Instead ▁of ▁having ▁the ▁character ▁depart ▁fully ▁or ▁be ▁killed ▁off , ▁executive ▁producer ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁David ▁Sh augh ness y ▁chose ▁to ▁have ▁her ▁leave ▁town . ▁While ▁away , ▁Sh aron ▁became ▁de pressed ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of