One night I went out with a couple friends hanging out trying to forget all that happened when I see him. Richard was sitting down with a girl in his lap and instantly I knew… I would take everything from him.
The sight of Richard, so casually holding another woman, solidified my resolve. The remorseful voicemails, the promises of change - all hollow lies. The fragile hope that had flickered within me, the tiny ember of forgiveness, was extinguished. A cold, hard resolve settled in its place. He thought he could just waltz back into my life, begging for forgiveness, and I would crumble? He underestimated me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing a smile to my face. My friends, bless their hearts, hadn't noticed him yet, too engrossed in their own conversation. "I'll be right back," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "Just need some air."
I strode towards him, my heels clicking purposefully on the tiled floor. His back was to me, completely absorbed in the girl on his lap, whispering something that made her giggle. I reached their table and cleared my throat.
Richard looked up, and the color drained from his face. The girl on his lap, oblivious to the tension, looked confused.
"Clair?" he stammered, pushing the girl off his lap with a clumsy movement.
"Richard," I said, my voice dripping with a sweetness that belied the venom in my heart. "Fancy seeing you here. And who is this lovely lady?"
The girl straightened, smoothing down her dress. "I'm Melissa," she said, offering me a tentative smile.
I ignored her outstretched hand and focused on Richard. "Melissa, isn't it? Richard, darling, you didn't tell me you had such exquisite taste. Tell me, Melissa, does he shower you with diamonds and promises of forever too?"
Melissa's smile faltered, and she looked from Richard to me, her eyes darting back and forth. "I...I don't understand."
"Oh, I think you do," I said, my voice hardening. "Richard and I are married, you see. Well, we were. Until he decided to spread his affections a little too thin. Isn't that right, darling?"
Richard was speechless, his face a mask of horror. He reached for my hand, but I snatched it away.
"Don't touch me," I hissed. "You forfeited that right a long time ago. I came over here to tell you something, Richard. Something important."
I leaned in close, so close he could feel my breath on his cheek. "You wanted forgiveness? You wanted a second chance? Well, you're not getting it. I'm filing for divorce. And I'm taking you for everything you're worth. Every single penny. And don't think for a second that your little hidden account will protect you. I've already spoken to my lawyer."
The blood had returned to his face, but now it was a furious red. "You wouldn't," he sputtered.
"Try me," I said, my voice a low, dangerous purr. "You shattered my heart, Richard. Now, I'm going to shatter yours. Consider this my goodbye, and a taste of what's to come."
I straightened up, tossed my hair over my shoulder, and turned to Melissa. "You know, darling, you deserve better. He's not worth your time." With that, I turned and walked away, leaving Richard sputtering in my wake.
Back at the table with my friends, I felt a surge of power course through me. The fear and uncertainty had vanished, replaced by a fierce determination. The gilded cage was not only open, it was crumbling around him. And I was finally free. I had a life to build, dreams to chase, and a score to settle. The game had changed, and Richard was about to learn that I played to win. My wings were spread, and I knew exactly where they would take me: to a life of my own making, a life where I was the architect of my own happiness. And the first step? To systematically dismantle the empire he built on lies.