Love and Crosses What the Heart Wants by ChoJoyce

His Trophy Wife, The Apex Predator

Eydie Pfefferle

My husband of three years, Arthur Vanderbilt, came home smelling of his mistress's perfume and threw divorce papers on our marble kitchen island. He demanded I sign away all rights to our assets for a five-million-dollar "severance," calling me a leech his family picked up from the suburbs to solve a temporary PR crisis. When I refused and demanded my four percent equity in the Vanderbilt Group, he and his mistress, Serena, launched a vicious smear campaign. They planted false stories on Wall Street forums, accusing me of laundering money for an Eastern European crime syndicate. They tried to force my hand with a check for five hundred million, which I tore up and threw in his face. To them, I was just a trophy wife they could easily discard. They had no idea that the "leech" they so despised was the anonymous investor who had secretly bailed out their entire company three years ago, saving them from bankruptcy. Their final move was to hire an actress to publicly accuse me of fraud in the lobby of the most powerful law firm in Manhattan. They didn't realize I was there to retain the firm's most ruthless lawyer. After security threw them out, I looked my replacement in the eye and made her a promise. "Prepare for an FBI probe into perjury and corporate defamation."

Modern Revenge

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The feeling of waking up on Monday mornings can be very traumatizing. Riele thought as she got up from bed. Life has decided to cheat on her over everything. Her mom is being hospitalized after the incident that happened a few years ago. All she has now is her younger brother- Harry. A ten-year-old vibrant boy with glowing bronze eyes and shiny black hair that was believed he got from his dad. Riele never really knew who her father was or what he looks like. Her mom-Esmeralda had been the one taking care of them.

Anytime Riele brings out the topic of her dad, her mom always dodges the topic and she didn't understand why. But she didn't mind because Esmeralda made sure her children weren't lacking anything at all.

Riele checked her time, it was just seven- forty-five which means she has fifteen minutes to prepare herself for work, or the company bus would go without her. She entered the bathroom, did all she needed to, and for the next ten minutes, she was out. She opened her wardrobe and scanned through all the clothes she has.

"I do need to go shopping". she said as she took out a blue crop top with black-tummy trousers. "When you work in the modeling industry, you've got to show it". she quickly put her clothes on, brushed her wavy dark brown hair which she packed up in a ponytail, and wore her favorite moon-star-shaped necklace. Glancing one more time at the mirror, she looked good to go. She brought out her blue canvas and wore it.

She was admiring herself when the company horn beeped. Picking up her bag and trying to remember if she isn't forgetting anything, she went out of the house, locked the door, and entered the bus.

"Good morning Mr. Anderson." she greeted the bus driver who returned her greeting with a smile.

Since she was the first on the bus, she took her seat on the second seat by the right close to the window. Riele is someone who loves watching the movement of things when the car is moving.

"How is Esmeralda?". Mr. Anderson asked as he started the engine and drove to the next house.

"Same old story". Riele answered trying not to feel the effect on her mother.

"and Harry?".

"He's having a sleepover at his friend's place and should be back by this time next week". She answered.

The bus stopped at different stations as more company workers entered the bus. Riele was the kind of person who kept to herself so she didn't talk to most of them but she has a female bestie who means the world to her.

Checking her phone for any updates, a text came in from Charlotte- Charlotte. Riele opened the message.

Charlotte

Where the heaven are you? Don't tell me you overslept and forgot what day it is.

"Calm your bowels down! I'll be there before you even say the word Abracadabra". Riele pressed the sent icon as she kept her phone aside to enjoy the rest of the ride.

Thirty minutes ride and Riele was almost dozing off even though she slept early yesterday.

"Didn't have much sleep last night?". A guy(Allen) asked as he tapped her shoulder.

"She was probably having a nightmare of being chased by crocodiles". A girl (Madison) said as she waited for Riele to get off the bus.

"Ah ah! Very funny!". Riele said as she got off the bus and waved to the two people she just had a conversation with.

Walking to the company, Riele's countenance fell but she didn't understand why. She became sad all of a sudden. Entering the elevator which she was thankful was empty, she pressed the number 3 button on the elevator keypad since her office was on the third floor.

Waiting patiently for the elevator to make that clicking sound, the elevator door opened and she came out only for her to find her bestie in the whole world right in front of her with her arms folded across her chest.

"Took you long enough". Charlotte said as Riele hugged her which of course she returned gladly. "guess what". Charlotte said.

"You know I suck at that".Riele told her almost whining as she went to her seat. Charlotte dragged her chair closer to Riele who was setting her table.

"Guess who is retiring?". She asked.

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