With her help, the company landed several major contracts. How exactly Jessica secured them, Ethan didn’t know, but he had his guesses. She was a woman who always got what she wanted.
With her striking brunette beauty and a sun-kissed glow, Jessica resembled a Hollywood starlet. She knew how to captivate men and wasn’t shy about using her charm to her advantage. Thanks to this, she was the highest-paid employee in Ethan’s company.
She didn’t care that he was married or had a daughter. Jessica had no interest in replacing Lauren; she valued her freedom above all and had no desire for marriage or commitment.
Yet, in her own way, she was loyal to Ethan. He’d once saved her mother by paying for an urgent surgery Jessica couldn’t afford, a gesture that deeply shaped her view of him.
She might even have loved him, not romantically, but as a boss she was grateful to. Now, with their Bahamas vacation so close, Jessica was ecstatic. She’d long dreamed of escaping abroad, where she could forget daily worries and indulge in luxury.
Ethan was her ticket to a world of instant gratification. Despite her ambition and love for extravagance, Jessica stayed by his side. Her personal attachment to him kept her from chasing someone with even greater wealth.
In part, Ethan’s fortune grew quickly thanks to her. Jessica had a knack for manipulating situations and closing lucrative deals, making her a vital part of his success. That morning, with her suitcase packed, Jessica called an Uber and headed to the airport, where Ethan was to meet her.
She was buzzing with anticipation for their vacation, which promised to be vibrant and unforgettable. They planned to spend a week far from all their troubles. Meanwhile, Ethan, after kissing his wife goodbye, was in high spirits.
Looking forward to a week of indulgence with Jessica, he was certain everything was under control. But something about Lauren’s demeanor that morning unsettled him. She seemed colder, more distant, than usual, offering no “Have a great day, honey.”
Instead, she said nothing, giving him an odd, almost wary look as he left. It stung Ethan slightly, but he brushed it off as his imagination. In truth, Lauren had long known he was cheating.
Now, with concrete evidence, she was ready to act. As a journalist by trade, she’d always had a knack for digging deeper and uncovering the truth.
Her instincts told her the moment of truth was near. Her journalism work was never a source of income—Ethan fully supported the family—so she pursued it for personal fulfillment.
She was a freelance writer for a trendy magazine, publishing occasionally, but it gave her a sense of freedom and purpose. Her work added color to her life and made her feel needed.
It wasn’t just a job; it was a form of expression, a challenge to herself and society. Lauren knew a tough battle lay ahead, but she was ready.
Her plan was already taking shape, and Ethan had no idea his “perfect business trip” might mark the beginning of his downfall. After he left, leaving Lauren alone, anger and disappointment flooded her.
She’d long stopped feeling genuine affection for him, and his trip with his mistress to the Bahamas was the final straw. Her revenge, carefully planned and calculated, was no spur-of-the-moment decision. It was a detailed strategy she was ready to execute.
A key part of her plan was Daniel, Ethan’s old friend, who’d recently grown resentful of him. Daniel and Ethan had grown up together, their friendship once unbreakable. But as Ethan became a wealthy businessman, their bond soured.
Daniel, a lawyer, was struggling. After losing several cases, he faced financial hardship. When he urgently needed money for office rent, he turned to Ethan for help. But Ethan dismissed him with blatant cynicism, saying all his money was tied up in the business and he couldn’t waste it on “petty nonsense.”
The words were laced with such arrogance that Daniel barely restrained himself from punching his former friend. Instead, he walked away without even a handshake. The grudge against Ethan lingered, deeply rooted.
Lauren had long been close with Daniel, and their communication had grown especially tight in recent months. She knew about the rift between him and Ethan, a critical factor in her revenge plan. Daniel knew Ethan’s weaknesses, both personal and professional.