The number of years and children are irrelevant as to the validity of the marriage.
Oh really? And just what does make a marriage valid in the eyes of the Catholic Church?
Both were Catholics.
Married by a priest in the presence of family, friends, and God.
Children baptised and raised as Catholics, regular church attendants, tithing weekly.
Faithful to each other - ah, wait. There’s the hitch... The one who paid for the annullment was the one who cheated and left the family, and wanted to marry the new “love” (who, BTW, was also the cheat and left the spouse) in the Church.
The wedding can’t happen until the annullment is granted.
The annullment doesn’t happen until the Church gets the money. From each one.