Chapter 4:
“Ma’am, you really came at just the right time today.” Stella said, her voice smooth like polished glass.il
“We just got in a brand–new piece–designed by a well–known international name. Everything about it, inside and out, is top–tier.”
She cast a glance at the wom leather bag slung over my arm. “That one’s… what, ten years old? Looks it. Outdated and probably falling apart on the inside by now.”
The dig wasn’t subtle. Neither was the look she gave me when she said it.
I followed her eyes to Zack. My smile didn’t falter, but a flash of mockery passed behind it. Of course. Stella wasn’t just talking about the bag.!!
As she brushed past Zack, she made sure to graze his arm–lightly, intentionally. In return, he stiffened. Awkward. Caught.
I, of course, noticed all of that.
“Oh?” I tilted my head innocently, “Well, personally, I still prefer the older designs.”
My gaze settled on a classic piece displayed just behind her and I smiled.8
“Luxury fashion is funny that way. The newer something is, the faster it goes out of style. But the classics? They might show their age, but their value holds. Always.”
Stella’s jaw tensed. She looked at Zack, eyes sharp.
“Sir, what do you think?” she asked, forcing sweetness back into her tone.
Zack hesitated, glanced at the price tag hanging from the new model–nearly triple the cost. I could see the calculations flickering across his face.
“Honey, I think the new one’s better,” he said after a beat. “The old one’s outdated anyway. Try something different for once. And hey, once I’ve got more money, we can get you anything you want–no big deal.”
I turned to Stella, ran a hand through my hair and smiled like I had all the time in the world.
Then we’ll take the new one. If you don’t mind. Ms. Nagle, could you wrap it up for us?”
The look in her eyes? Ah, how satisfying
This game was far from over.
There was a flicker of jealousy in Stella’s eyes and that bag wasn’t cheap.8
Her looks said it all. This damn woman–once Zack divorced her, everything would belong to her, not his wife. All of it. It was only a
matter of time.
In the passenger seat, I glanced at the rearview mirror. So, someone had adjusted it. My eyes shifted to the floor, where a lipstick cap lay forgotten.”
Bright red. Not my shade.
My brow furrowed.
Zack must’ve noticed, because I caught a flicker of something in his expression. Worry, maybe. Or calculation.!
He was up for a promotion soon–Vice President of the entire company. One whisper of an affair, one hint of a messy divorce and it could all crash down around him.!!
Stella was getting reckless. Too impatient.
I turned to him, voice light, but edged with something sharper.!!
“That bag wasn’t cheap, was it? Probably worth a few months of our living expenses. And you just bought it… like that?”
Zack forced a smile. There was a pinch of pain in his eyes–maybe from the price tag, or maybe from the pressure closing in
“You’re worth it, babe. Everything you do for our family, I see it. A bag is nothing.” He continued, “If you wanted the stars, I’d climb up there myself and pull them down for you!
He reached for my hand as if that would seal the sincerity. “From now on, there’ll be more–mom of everything. You deserve the best” He paused, gave me that guilt–laced look he wore so well. “I know I haven’t been paying you enough attention lately.”
I nodded slowly, looking out the window. Smilling silently. Because I didn’t really care about the bag.
Zack was right about one thing, though, I did deserve the best. He just had no idea what that really meant
Zack kept talking, spilling out sweet nothings like he was reciting from a script he’d rehearsed a hundred times. His voice was warm, his smile soft. Anyone watching would’ve said he was the perfect husband.
And maybe he was–if they measured perfection in lies told with a straight face.
Turns out, the most seductive thing wasn’t beauty or charm. It was a man who could sell a dream so–damn–well, that you would began thanking him for it. Little did you know, he was ready to pull the rug out from under youll
The next moming, I went to the bank.
Just like I suspected, after checking the statements, I saw it–another quiet withdrawal. The e day before.
He used my money to buy me a gift. Then made me feel lucky for itil
exact amount as the bag he “bought” me the
A move straight from that damn cheating group he was in–the one where they traded tips like it was a poker game.
60.7%
9:18 AM
I felt the cold burn behind my eyes but kept my expression steady. No sudden moves. No alarm bells.
So, I took the bag and headed to a pawn shop. The owner looked at it, then back at me, visibly uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. This… it’s not real. Can’t pawn it,”“}
So, it was a fake. Even the bag was a lie.
This marriage had become a hollow shell–nothing but a performance. A slow, practiced con, where both sides were now pretending not
to notice the other’s acti
Across town, Stella was admiring her own new prize. The same model. Only hers was real
She clutched the bag like it was love itself, smiling as Zack whispered in her ear.
“Don’t be mad, baby. You know I’ve been climbing at work–this is a critical moment for me. But you… you’re the one I really care about“> “That woman at home? She doesn’t hold a candle to you. My heart–and my money–it’s all gonna be yours in the end anyway.”
Younger women were harder to manage… at least, that’s what men liked to think. They also thought if anyone could make her believe every dime was spent on her, made her feel like she was the center of your world… she’d fall just the same.
That evening, I helped Zack out in his beloved Sneaky Affairs Club chat group.
He didn’t realize that I was helping, of course–I was the one responding for him, sharing his so–called “tips” and answering other members‘ questions like a seasoned pro.
Because really, what he was thinking… I knew better than he did.
JDamn, that’s why you’re the boss. Straight to the point.]
[The legend’s back! I thought she retired for good!]
[Word is, every guy who learned from the Minister shot straight to the top.
The chat lit up, admiration flooding in like it always had.
Zack had been playing the role of group leader for years, spouting recycled tricks like he invented them.
But he’d clearly forgotten.
The true legend was never him.}
I smiled to myself and turned off the screen, just as a new friend request slid into my inbox!
Right on cue. The bait had been taken.!!
