A Diamond Heart

No Longer Mrs. Cooley: The Architect's Return

Xiao Xiaosu

I went to the City Clerk’s office for a routine copy of my marriage license to finalize a trust fund audit. I expected a simple piece of paper, but the clerk’s pitying look told me my entire life was a lie. "The license was never finalized, Ms. Oliver. In the eyes of the state, you are single." The three-hundred-guest wedding at the Plaza and the Vogue features meant nothing. My husband, Gray Cooley, had intentionally filed the documents with a "procedural defect" so he could discard me without a legal divorce. Moments later, an iCloud invite titled "Our Little Secret" popped up on my screen. It was a photo of my best friend, Brylee, holding a positive pregnancy test at our Hamptons estate. Gray’s text to her was the final blow: "Happy anniversary, babe. This baby is the best gift. Once the trust unlocks today, we’re done with the charade." I soon discovered they were even stealing my career, reassigning my architectural masterpiece to Brylee while preparing my eviction notice. Gray's mother called me a "barren mule" in a leaked recording, mocking the infertility I suffered after saving Gray’s life in a construction accident. I wasn't a wife; I was a three-year placeholder used to secure his inheritance. How could the man I bled for treat me like a disposable prop? How could my best friend carry his child while pretending to comfort me through my darkest moments? The betrayal burned until it turned into a cold, hard stone of fury. I didn't cry. Instead, I walked into the penthouse of the Barretts, the Cooleys' most powerful rivals. I signed a marriage contract with Kane Barrett, the man the tabloids called the "Beast of Wall Street." "I want a wedding," I told his father, my voice steady and lethal. "Bigger than the one I had with Gray." If they wanted me gone, they would have to watch me become the woman who owns their world.

Modern Revenge Divorce

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Fernando's POV

As I sat at my private bar with my bestfriend Antonio, suddenly I zone out of our conversation and flashback of that fateful night resurface in my head. I'll never forget June 13th 2008, that's the worst day of my life. Even though thirteen years has passed the incident happened, it just keeps getting fresher in my head. Sometimes is hard to forget your past. I wish I had the power, I would have completely erased that day out of my head, but I don't have the power. Getting raped on my 15th birthday is the worst birthday gift I've ever received all my life.

"C'mon Fernando, we're not asking you to kill someone, just for you to have fun" the voice of Miguel one of my friends in highschool echoes in my head said as we were playing basketball on that fateful day.

"Fernando is a puppet, he's too chicken out" Alverez another of my friend deadpans. The echoes of their voices dragged me down to memory lane and that's exactly where I'll take you to.

Alverez threw the ball to Antonio my bestfriend and he caught it. "You guys should let him be, he has the right to make a choice" Antonio argued with them and threw the ball to me.

"Exactly, I don't know why they're forcing me into this" I replied and threw the ball to the basketball net and it entered.

"Hey guys" a voice yelled behind us and our heads snaps up to the direction it came from. It was no other than the richest guy in my school named Raphael Gonzalez who always shows off just because his dad is one of the richest politicians in Mexico.

I wonder what he was doing here with his automatic five students bodyguard which he made for himself. I really don't understand why some students get freaked out with rich kids, I guess is because of the little presents he gets for them.

"Happy birthday, Fernando!" he exclaimed and I furrowed my brows at him. Did Raphael just said 'happy birthday' to me? This is quite unbelievable, what has changed for him to acknowledge my date of birth? Is unlike him, I know for sure this guy hates me from day 1 that I got into this highschool, so why the change?

"I see you're surprise. Well, I'm inviting you to a party tonight at a private club in town with the name Luciano so you could have fun and celebrate your fifteenth birthday. See you there!" he smirked and turnaround to leave with his little guards.

I was dumbfounded, Raphael was inviting me to a private party hosted by him on my fifteenth birthday? That's really weird.

"Wow!! Someone got a big birthday surprise!" Alverez exclaimed excitedly.

"That's amazing! We'll all be having crazy fun tonight!" Miguel exclaimed.

"That's new with Raphael" Antonio said staring at me weirdly.

"So new! This ain't going to end well, so I'm not going to anywhere" I replied and went to pickup the ball.

"What do you mean you're not going? Are you kidding or what?" Miguel asked.

"He's definitely kidding" Alverez answered.

"I'm serious, I'm not going to anywhere, I'll just celebrate my birthday at home with my mom" I replied.

"What?!!" Miguel and Alverez exclaimed and I shrugged.

"You guys heard him" Antonio responded on my behalf. Antonio is my best friend and he's always in agreement with whatever I say as far is something that is not going to hurt anyone.

"Shut the fuck up, Antonio, no one asked for your opinion" Alverez shunned my best friend.

"You're taking this too serious Alverez, just forget the party thing and let's continue with the game" I said to them and threw the ball at Miguel for him to catch but he let it fall to the ground. "What's up dude, pick it up" I half-yelled and he frowns at me.

"So, just this once you can't grant us the wish to be among Raphael wealthy friends? I should have known you're not a good friend all this while. Alverez let's go" Miguel said and turned to leave, so also Alverez.

"What's up with them?" I whispered to Antonio.

"I don't know, I guess they just want to belong even if is just for a day" Antonio replied with a shrug.

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