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The Long Game
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2026-02-03 23:23:12Sarah
My first day at Bennett & Associates was hard.
I walked into the office as Emma Hayes, design consultant, and I saw my life through the lens of a stranger. The logo that I'd designed was still on the walls. The color palette that I'd chosen. The furniture I'd sourced was still being used by everyone.
But my name was gone.
Instead, there was Marcus's and
Victoria's names.
My best friend had worked her way into the hierarchy of my own company.
“Emma Hayes,” I announced to the receptionist, a young man I didn’t recognize. “Design consultant for the Napa Valley project. Marcus Richardson is expecting me.”
“Of course, Ms. Hayes. He’s in a meeting, but Victoria can show you around.” He gestured toward the open-plan office.
I found her at her desk—my old desk, I realized with a shock reviewing designs. She looked exactly like she had at the funeral.
She was wearing a ring on her left ring finger. A ring that looked suspiciously like the engagement ring Marcus had given me before I "died."
"Victoria Hartwell?" I said, extending my hand with a smile.
She looked up, confusion flashing across her face. "Do I know you?"
"Emma Hayes. I'm the new design consultant Marcus hired for the Napa project."
Her entire body stiffened. She didn't take my hand.
"Oh," she said flatly. "Marcus didn't mention that he was bringing in someone new. We usually handle everything in-house.”
"Marcus hired me yesterday." I said brightly. "I'm looking forward to working with you. I've heard so much about the amazing work you've been doing here."
It was the perfect lie. Victoria's face flushed with pleasure at the compliment, and I felt sick.
"Thank you," she said, finally shaking my hand. "I've been working really hard to elevate the firm's profile since... well, since Sarah's death."
The way she said my name. With this practiced sadness that was fucking convincing.
"Must have been a difficult time," I said carefully.
"It was," Victoria said. "Sarah was my best friend. We did everything together. Started this business together, actually. She was so talented, but she was also kind of naive about business. Marcus really transformed the company once he took over."
The lie was so casual, so easy. I stood there listening to her rewrite history, listening to her take credit for my work, and I had to physically restrain myself from reaching across the desk and strangling her.
Over the next three weeks, I started mapping the office.
I learned where the financial records were kept. I discovered the password to the main server it was "Victoria2024," which told me everything I needed to know about Marcus's security. I found the files where they kept stolen client money, offshore account. They were so fucking confident. They didn't even hide it good.
They were so confident nobody would find it.
But I didn't make any move yet. Revenge was a dish best served cold. And I could wait.
On Friday, I had lunch with Victoria.
"I'd love to pick your brain about the design here," I said. "You obviously have an incredible eye."
She fucking glowed at the compliment.
We went to a wine bar near the office, and I watched her drink three glasses of wine, the alcohol loosening her tongue while talking about her engagement to Marcus, her vision for the company, her plans to expand Bennett & Associates into a luxury brand.
We’re rebranding soon, you know. ‘Hartwell & Richardson.’ It has a better ring to it, don’t you think?”
“It sounds… established,” I said, smiling.
"I used to work with Sarah," I said carefully. "Before she passed. She was doing amazing work."
Victoria's jaw tightened. "Sarah was talented," she said. "But she was also... limited. She wasn't smart about business, she didn't have the knowledge to really scale a company. That's what Marcus brought to the table."
"And what did you bring?" I asked.
"Vision," Victoria said immediately. "I understand what luxury clients actually want. Sarah was always worried about being authentic. That doesn't make money, you know?"
I sipped my wine and listened to my best friend explain how she'd surpassed me. How my death had actually been a gift to her career. How grateful she was that I was no longer competing with her for spotlight.
"Do you ever think about her?" I asked.
"No," Victoria said. And she smiled like it was funny. "Why would I? She's dead."
That night, I went home to my son.
Alexander was sleeping in his crib, his tiny fist curled around his blanket. I looked at this perfect human who had been created in a marriage built on lies and cheating.
I wasn't just getting revenge for myself.
I was making sure that my son would never have to deal with a man like Marcus Richardson. I was going to ensure that the next generation understood what betrayal looked like, so they could never be blindsided by it.
I was going to burn it all down.
Latest chapter
I Ruined My Ex-Husband and It Was Worth It NEGOTIATION
SarahI was already seated when Silas Crowley arrived.The private suite was just like I remembered. Cozy and hidden, perfect for the kind of conversation we were about to have.I had spent the last twenty-four hours getting ready. I told myself I was prepared that I could sit across from him and talk business like a smart woman, not like a woman falling for the man who wanted to ruin her.I was wrong.The moment he walked through the door, every clear thought I had disappeared.He wore a black suit that fit his body perfectly, like it was made just for him. His dark hair was neat and perfect, his eyes found mine right away, and I felt something twist hard in my chest."Sarah," he said, sliding into the seat across from me. He said my name like he had been waiting to taste it. "I'm glad you came.""I didn't have much choice," I said coldly. "Your proposal made the consequences very clear if I said no.""True," he said. He ordered a glass of wine without looking at the me
I Ruined My Ex-Husband and It Was Worth It RECKONING
VictoriaSarah called an emergency meeting at 7 AM.Everyone knew something was wrong the moment she walked into the conference room. Her face was cold as ice, her eyes were full of dark anger. Her whole body gave off so much rage that the room felt colder.Marcus and I looked at each other. We both knew this was about Crowley."Sit," Sarah said. She did not waste time with nice words, she looked straight at us.We sat."I want to know everything," she said. Her voice was low and deadly. "Everything about your deal with Crowley, every detail, every promise you made. Every fucking lie you told him."Marcus started to speak, but Sarah raised her hand."Not you," she said in a cold voice. "Victoria. You talk first."My stomach dropped."I..." I started, but my voice sounded weak."I'm waiting," Sarah said. She stood at the head of the table. She looked scary and dangerous. Like she could destroy us with one word."Marcus went to Crowley months before..." I stopped."Bef
I Ruined My Ex-Husband and It Was Worth It TRAPPED
SarahThe email arrived at 11:47 PM.I was in my bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed in the dark, when my phone buzzed. I didn't need to see the sender to know who it was from.Silas Crowley.I stared at my phone for a long time without opening the email. My hands were calm, but my heart was racing. I could feel the trap closing around me, and I hadn't even read the document yet.I knew what was in there, I could guess. The formal proposal he'd mentioned. The contract that would bind me to him. The legal noose that he'd carefully constructed.But knowing and seeing were two different things.I took a breath and opened the email.The subject line was simple: "Bennett & Associates - Partnership Proposal."Below it was a single sentence: "Read carefully. The details matter."I clicked on the attachment.Forty-seven pages with thick legal words, numbered parts and sections and references that would take a lawyer hours to understand fully.But the first page was clear
I Ruined My Ex-Husband and It Was Worth It THE GAME
Silas CrowleyI left the restaurant knowing exactly what I'd accomplished.Sarah Bennett had rejected my proposal. She'd told me to fuck off. She'd made it clear that she didn't want anything to do with me or my business deal.And yet, as I walked out to my car, I was smiling.Because her rejection wasn't defeat, it was just the opening move in a much more bigger game.I sat in the back of my black Mercedes and pulled out my phone. My assistant had the full proposal ready—forty-seven pages of tight legal words that locked everything down. It was perfect and absolutely impossible to refuse without consequence.And unlike most business proposals, this one had teeth, if Sarah refused it, she'd be responsible for Marcus's debt to me. Three point two million dollars. Money that Marcus couldn't pay, money that would force her to either sell her company or watch me destroy her credit, her assets, her entire financial future.But that wasn't why I was smiling.I was smiling be
I Ruined My Ex-Husband and It Was Worth It TWISTED JOY
MarcusI walked into the apartment and Victoria was waiting for me in the living room with a glass of wine."I heard the bitch screaming your name," she said, looking up from the couch. "What happened?"I threw my keys on the table and collapsed into the chair across from her."She knows about Crowley," I said. "She knows about the deal we made with him. She knows that he wants the company."Victoria sat up straighter, her eyes narrowing with interest."How does she know?" she asked."Crowley met with her," I said. "He must have told her everything, about the contract, the partnership and how I came to him with the proposal to take Bennett & Associates."I ran my hand through my hair, remembering the way Sarah had screamed at me. The way her face had turned red with rage, the way she'd called me every name in the book."She was furious," I continued. "She told me that I was the reason Crowley was coming after her."Victoria took a slow sip of her wine. Then she smiled,
I Ruined My Ex-Husband and It Was Worth It FURY
SarahI stormed into my office and slammed the door so hard the glass walls rattled."MARCUS!" I screamed. "Get in here! NOW!"My hands were shaking with rage, my entire body was vibrating with anger so intense it felt like I might explode. That meeting with Crowley had unleashed something in me, something dark and furious and absolutely uncontrollable.A few minutes later, Marcus appeared in my doorway. He looked confused and terrified, which was exactly what I wanted."What the fuck did you do?" I demanded, standing up from my desk. "What is this fucking deal you made with Crowley? You goddamn bozo, you gave my sweat, my company, my life's work to a man as powerful as Crowley?"Marcus's face went pale."Sarah, I can explain—" he started."Don't," I cut him off harshly. "Don't you dare try to explain anything to me. You made a deal to sell my company, a company I built from nothing, a company I poured my soul into and you gave it to a fucking billionaire who destroys peo
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