Chapter 4: “The First Strike
“Calm down, my little firefly,” Domenico said, his voice calm and collected while I was a nervous wreck, sweating bullets.
Today we begin. I could feel the excitement and nervousness swirling in my stomach. Was this really the right thing to do?
But then I remembered the pain, how they had trampled on me, treating me like a doormat. And
my resolve to make them pay strengthened again.
“How are you so calm, Domenico?” I asked, and he looked up from his phone and moved towards me.
“This is not new to me, my little firefly. But I need you to take a deep breath. We start with Roman.”
He placed his hand on my cheek, his intense gaze locking with mine, making my cheeks heat up. I quickly looked away.
“So how do we take him down?”
Domenico took his phone from his pocket and handed it to me. “Check the email. The first move is already in motion.”
I took the phone, my fingers trembling as I opened the inbox. The first message was from an anonymous account, titled Roman’s Fall Begins.
I clicked it open, and satisfaction flooded me as I read the contents. It was a leaked document, detailing illegal financial transactions, embezzlement, fraud, and money. laundering, all orchestrated by Roman himself. The document had been sent to every major news outlet, completely anonymous.
I inhaled sharply, bracing myself. I had never imagined it would feel this real. In a few hours, Roman’s carefully constructed world would start to crumble. He had no idea what was coming for him. I would make him crawl, beg me to come back, and then kick him to the curb, just like he had done to me.
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. This was it. The first move.
“You’ve done it,” I murmured, barely able to believe it. “It’s happening.”
“Not yet,” Domenico said, rolling up his sleeves to reveal thick, veiny forearms. There was a glint in his eyes.
“Roman might not leave his job today, but these documents will ensure he’s under a microscope for the next few weeks. The board won’t be able to ignore this. They’ll be forced to investigate. The cracks are going to show. He’ll soon be walking a tightrope.”
A thought struck me, and I couldn’t stop myself from asking.
“Did Roman actually do all of this? I know it’s stupid to ask, but I was with him for fifteen years, and I never saw him as a conman.”
Domenico moved away from his desk, anger flashing in his gaze, surprising me. “You don’t think he’s a conman? He conned you for fifteen years, my little firefly.”
After my huchand married his mistress
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“Don’t worry, they’ll feel it soon enough. First, Roman… and Evelyn, and finally the CEO.” His voice darkened with promise as he wiped my tears. “All in due time.”
I looked down at the phone in my hand, my heart hammering. Let the con begin.
****
“I still can’t believe you’re married to one of the richest men in all of New York, number two on Forbes‘ hottest list!” Linda gushed, stuffing her face with the sandwich I’d made.
I turned away from the stove and smiled at her, but guilt nagged at me. I hadn’t told Linda why I married Domenico. I knew she had her suspicions but never asked.
“Yeah, I can’t believe it either. Life,” I muttered as I placed the lasagna in the oven. I was preparing it for Dom. He gets home late, but I wanted to thank him. He was helping me make Roman pay, and I wasn’t sure how to repay him. Yes, I had married him as a form of payment, but I wasn’t exactly being the kind of wife he deserved. We had never even kissed. He was a handsome man, but we hadn’t gone there.
But then the thought struck me: Would I allow him to touch me, if he asked? And the answer was clear without hesitation.
“So, have you done it?”
“Done what?” I asked, setting the brownies on the table.
“You know what,” she said with a grin. “Do I need to be vulgar?”
My mouth formed an ‘o‘ as realization hit.
“Well… yes,” I lied. She didn’t know the truth, and there was no reason to tell her otherwise. “Damn, my girl’s getting some. I bet he’s good in bed; that man is one fine specimen,” she teased, and I smiled. She wasn’t wrong.
“But I still can’t believe you married Domenico only a month after leaving that shit Roman,” Linda said, reaching for some brownies. I smacked her hand.
“What are you doing? Don’t touch that, it’s for Dom,” I pushed the brownies out of her reach. She pouted but smiled.
“I’m so happy for you. You’re clearly happy with Dom. You’re glowing.”
I thought about her words and couldn’t deny it. I was happy. Dom treated me well.
“Yeah, I am. Dom’s good to me. He married a used trash like me,”
Linda slammed her hand on the table,
reaching for some brownies. I smacked her hand.
“What are you doing? Don’t touch that, it’s for Dom,” I pushed the brownies out of her reach. She pouted but smiled.
“I’m so happy for you. You’re clearly happy with Dom. You’re glowing.”
I thought about her words and couldn’t deny it. I was happy. Dom treated me well.
“Yeah, I am. Dom’s good to me. He married a used trash like me,”
Linda slammed her hand on the table, startling me. “You’re not used trash. Roman’s used trash, not you.”
10:57 Sun, 13 Apr
