My husband divorced me unaware that I make $5 million a year. said: I’m marrying my mistress!”
The CEO’s Trap
Then Bruce dropped a bombshell that left me genuinely stunned.
“I filed for divorce. I’ll take the house and the car. I know it’s tough, but hang in there. I don’t know how much time you have left, but I hope you keep fighting.”
“Wait, are you serious?”
I exclaimed, unable to hide my shock. Divorce? A storm of questions raged within me. Didn’t we promise to always stay together?
I had always believed that true couples would face challenges together. Bruce’s words confused me and left me feeling completely detached. At that moment, a quiet resolve formed within me.
“I don’t need him anymore,”
I whispered to myself.
“I’ll move forward on my own. I’ll just forget about him,”
I decided there and then that he would one day regret underestimating my strength and resilience. But first, I needed to end our relationship properly.
“I get it. I’m sorry for everything. Keep the house, keep the car,”
I said, relinquishing all ties with a sense of finality, ready to face the next chapter of my life on my terms.
“Whatever you want. If you need compensation money, I’ll pay,”
I said with resignation. Bruce initially looked surprised, but quickly his expression turned into a smug smile.
“I didn’t expect you to accept it so easily. I thought you’d throw a tantrum. Anyway, take care of yourself and don’t bother inviting me to your funeral,”
He remarked coldly as he left the room. As he walked away, a smile spread across my face. He didn’t realize that he had just fallen into my carefully laid trap.
It was going to be interesting to see how his life would unfold from here. I reached out to a colleague from a company I knew well.
“Hello, long time no talk. I have a favor to ask. Can you help?”
Initially surprised, my colleague hesitated, but after I explained the situation, he agreed.
“All right, let’s give it a try.”
Everything was set. I imagined Bruce’s shocked and anxious face, and this vision brought a smirk to my face. This newfound sense of excitement even boosted my motivation to continue my medical treatments with renewed vigor.
A few days passed, and one afternoon after my treatment session, I noticed that my cell phone had received 102 missed calls from Bruce. The thrill of waiting for his call was oddly satisfying.
Once I calmed down, I called him back, and his shaky voice greeted me.
“Natalie, help me. I never expected this,”
He pleaded. Hearing his distressed tone made me chuckle internally. This was exactly what I had planned. Trying to sound concerned, I asked:
“Bruce, tell me what happened.”
He took a deep breath before replying:
“My name’s on the company’s layoff list. I can’t believe this is happening.”
As I listened to his panicked voice, I smirked, knowing that everything was unfolding just as I had orchestrated. The person I contacted was the head of sales at our company.
I had asked him to reconsider the business dealings with Bruce’s company. Initially puzzled, he reviewed their transaction history and decided it was best to switch to a different partner.
That’s why Bruce’s company started calling me. Deciding to twist the knife a bit, I revealed something I had kept to myself.
“You know, there are rumors in your company about you and the new girl. Everyone likes her,”
I said, dropping the hint with feigned nonchalance. This added layer was sure to unsettle him even more as my plan continued to unravel perfectly.
“Because she’s always so cheerful, there are whispers about an affair. Is that true?”
I could hear disbelief in Bruce’s voice.
“Are you serious? You can’t be serious. This has to be a joke.”
His surprise was understandable; after all, who would think an ordinary employee could wield such influence?
“Well, actually,”
I continued, letting a pause hang to gauge his reaction.
“I’m the CEO of this company.”
Silence fell on the other end of the line as Bruce tried to process the revelation.
“It’s no lie,”
I assured him. This was the reason we had been living comfortably.
“My annual income is around $5 million. Your regular salary wouldn’t have been enough to support your lavish shopping habits,”
The truth was Bruce’s spending was exorbitant. The $2,500 monthly allowance he received from me functioned like a second salary, yet it was never enough for him.
He’d often rushed to me with a pleading tone asking:
“Can I have a little more?”
At this rate, the money he received from me might end up surpassing his actual salary. While most people would scale back to a more sustainable lifestyle, since I earned $5 million a year, giving Bruce a $2,500 allowance each month wasn’t a big deal to me.
However, I always wondered what he spent that money on.
“Bruce, yesterday was payday, wasn’t it?”
I asked him, reminding him of our routine.
“I’ve always given you extra money on payday, but that might be difficult from now on. We’re not a couple anymore, and it’s only natural that you can’t expect that monthly allowance.”
I then cautioned him about the mortgage on the house.
“Oh, and be careful with the mortgage. It’s $3,800 a month. I know it’ll be tough, but you’ll need to manage it well. If you’re late with the payment, you might have to leave the house.”
While a $3,800 loan wasn’t a burden for me, it was a significant amount for Bruce. From his reaction, it was clear he was both confused and in disbelief, repeatedly muttering:
“Really? Can this be happening?”
His sense of security was visibly shaken, reflecting his newfound vulnerability.
“And that’s crazy. What I said was the truth. This is the result of my efforts to maintain our relationship,”
I expressed, reflecting on how Bruce took advantage of my presence, pursuing only his desires. Perhaps it was time for him to face the consequences of his actions.
“Why did it come to this? I’ve been laid off and now have to figure out how to get by. How am I going to pay the rent this month?”
The despair in his voice was palpable. He sounded lost and uncertain about his future. In his position, imagining a brighter future seemed daunting.
I understood that Bruce’s situation was overwhelming and confusing, a direct result of his past actions and disrespectful behavior towards me and my family. If he had shown genuine care and respect, things might not have deteriorated to this point. This was the consequence of his choices.
