Chapter 1
My husband's secretary used my membership card to throw her weight around at The Crest Club, even insulting me in front of a whole table of guests.
"She's just a pampered trophy wife Andrew keeps around. Other than having a pretty face, what can she actually do?" she said.
I didn't say a word. I simply froze her membership privileges.
She couldn't pay the bill, and ended up humiliated in front of a room full of business associates.
When my husband found out, he slipped an arm around my shoulders and chuckled. "You're so petty. Why bother stooping to her level?"
He didn't punish me for it. In fact, on our wedding anniversary, he went out of his way to book the top-floor private dining room at The Crest Club, saying he had a surprise for me.
I went there with my heart full of anticipation.
But when the restaurant was almost closing, he finally showed up, hand in hand with his secretary.
He looked at me and smiled. "Charlotte, aren't you the one who loves making people unable to pay their bills? Tonight, it's your turn."
*****
My husband's secretary, Grace White, was using my Crest Club membership card to treat a table of Andrew's clients to dinner in the VIP lounge.
Not only did she rack up a 24 thousand dollars tab on drinks, but she also pointed at my photo in front of everyone and said, "Charlotte's just a pretty face. What else is she good for?"
When I heard about it, I was at home making Andrew's favorite pecan pie.
I put down the pot lid and called The Crest Club's front desk.
"Freeze all the secondary privileges on Charlotte Summers's membership card, right now," I instructed.
When Grace tried to pay after the dinner, the card was frozen and nothing went through.
The seven or eight clients at the table all stared at her, while the manager stood by with a polite but frosty tone, asking if she had any other way to pay.
She had nothing.
She was stuck with the bill all day, until Andrew ended up sending someone to pay it off for her.
When Andrew got home, he sat down on the couch and shot me a glance.
"Seriously, you're a grown woman. Why let some girl get under your skin?" Andrew said.
He reached over and ruffled my hair playfully.
"She was just helping me out. She runs her mouth without thinking, so don't let it bother you," Andrew added.
I didn't say anything.
He took my hand and kissed it.
He said, "Alright, don't be mad. Next week is our third anniversary, and I've already booked the Starlight Lounge on the top floor of The Crest Club.
"Some of my business partners will be there too, so I can introduce you to them."
His gentle tone almost made me forget all the mean things Grace had said.
I nodded.
Three years into our marriage, Andrew had always treated me well. At least in front of others, we were known as the picture-perfect couple in Harbor City.
He was the one who chased after me back then.
At our wedding, he swore in front of five hundred guests that he would love only me for the rest of his life.
I believed him.
On the anniversary night, I slipped into the dress he'd given me last month, put on some light makeup, and arrived at The Crest Club half an hour early.
The Starlight Lounge was bathed in soft light, and the long table was loaded with exquisite dishes and bottles of red wine.
Andrew pulled me to the head of the table and leaned in to whisper in my ear.
He said, "Honey, I need to step out and take a call. I'll be back in five minutes."
He picked up my handbag as he stepped out.
"It's our anniversary, so I'll take care of the bill tonight. You don't have to worry about a thing," he said.
I watched him leave with a smile, thinking that sometimes, he could be really attentive.
But after an hour, he still hadn't come back.
Two hours later, his phone was still unreachable.
Three hours later, I was the only guest left in the restaurant.
The manager came over, wearing a standard professional smile."Mrs. Landon, closing time is almost here. About the bill for this table—"
"Put it on my husband's card," I said.
Before I could finish, the manager's face suddenly shifted.
"Mrs. Landon, Mr. Landon's card was frozen half an hour ago," he said.
"Frozen?" I echoed.
"Yes, the system shows Mr. Landon himself froze the card."
My fingers slowly tightened.
Before Andrew left, he walked out with my handbag. My wallet and phone were both inside.
He had said, "I'll handle the bill."
Back then, I actually felt moved by that.
The manager looked at me, his tone still polite but now with a hint of urgency. "Mrs. Landon, maybe you should try calling Mr. Landon? The bill is pretty steep"
I glanced down at the bill.
140 thousand dollars.
He'd ordered the priciest set menu and the most expensive wine, saying his friends would be joining us later.
No one showed up, and he never came back either. But everything had already been uncorked and served.
The manager glanced at me, then looked toward the door.
"If there's really no other way, we'll have to follow club policy," he said.
A month ago, Grace got stuck here all day because her card was declined and the manager wouldn't let her leave.
That was my doing.
So now, the manager looked at me with a meaningful expression.
A sudden thought crept up on me, sending a chill down my spine.
Was Andrew really setting me up to get revenge for what I did to Grace?
Suddenly, the sound of leather shoes on marble echoed from outside in slow, unhurried steps.
I whipped my head around.
Andrew was standing in the doorway.
His arm was wrapped around Grace's waist.
Grace was wearing a red dress, her makeup flawless, and a smug smile playing at her lips.
Behind them were a dozen or so people, all Andrew's business partners and a few familiar faces from our social circle.
Everyone was looking at me, but there was no sympathy or surprise in their eyes.
They were here for the show.
Andrew pulled out a chair for Grace, let her sit down, then finally looked up at me.
Andrew smirked, "Charlotte."
He had that smug grin on his face as he said my name.
Andrew said, "Isn't it your thing to leave people stuck with the bill?
"Well, tonight, you get to see how it feels."
*****
As soon as Andrew finished speaking, everyone behind him took their seats, like they'd practiced this scene a hundred times before.
Grace flipped her hair, lifted a glass of red wine from the table, and took a slow, deliberate sip.
The crowd that came with him started murmuring to each other in low voices.
"So that's Charlotte? I heard she's from some nowhere town, just lucked out and married into the Landon family."
"Luck only gets you so far. If she can't hold onto her man, she'll get swapped out sooner or later."
"Look at Grace. She really knows how to work it. Young, pretty, and sharp. No wonder Mr. Landon is into her."
My nails dug into my palms as I stood in front of that 140-thousand-dollars feast, with a whole table full of people waiting to watch me crash and burn.
"Andrew, you took my bag," I said.
I kept my tone steady. "My phone and wallet are in there."
Andrew pulled my phone out of his pocket, set it on the table, and slid it over to me.
"Here's your phone. Battery's already dead," he smiled. "And here's your wallet."
He casually tossed my wallet onto the floor, cards spilling out.
"But I already checked for you. Turns out you don't even have one thousand dollars total on all your cards," he said.
The whole room burst out laughing.
"One thousand dollars? That's not even enough for a single bottle of wine here."
"So how's she supposed to pay?"
"Pay? She can't pay, obviously. What a joke."
Grace set down her wine glass, propped her chin on her hand, and looked at me with a smug smile.
"Charlotte, last month you embarrassed me in front of all those clients and left me stranded here the whole day," she said. "Now it's your turn.
"So, how does it feel?"
I ignored her and looked straight at Andrew.
"So this is your idea of an anniversary gift for me?" I said.
Andrew picked up a fork and tapped it slowly on the table.
He said, "Who do you think is at fault here? If you hadn't frozen Grace's card, I wouldn't have had to freeze yours.
"If you can't even get along with the people around your husband, how am I supposed to show you off to anyone?"
Grace seized the moment, slipping her arm through Andrew's and leaning in close.
"Andrew, don't waste your energy on her. She's really not worth it," Grace cooed.
Andrew looked down at her, reaching out to gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
I watched them.
Three years.
We had been married for three years.
At our wedding, he swore he'd love me for a lifetime.
I gave up everything in Southshore, moved to Harbor City, and became his wife.
Over these three years, Landon Group rose to become one of the top three companies in Harbor City. And Andrew knew better than anyone how much I'd done behind the scenes to make it happen.
But now, with another woman in his arms, he was publicly humiliating me, and making sure I couldn't pay the bill while everyone watched.
Andrew let go of Grace, stood up, and swept his gaze across the room.
"Let me make this clear tonight," Andrew said, "Anyone who dares to help Charlotte pay this bill is making an enemy of the Landon family."
The whole room went dead silent.
In the corner, two partners I'd helped the Landon family land deals with before had lifted their glasses, about to stand up.
But as soon as they moved, Andrew shot them a look.
They instantly dropped back into their seats, ducking their heads.
"See that?" Grace asked.
She swirled her wine glass, a smug look on her face.
"Who in Harbor City would dare cross the Landon family? You really think anyone's going to come save you?" Grace sneered.
She picked up her glass of red wine, stood up, and slowly walked over to me. Then, without a word, she poured the wine over my head.
Red wine ran down my hair, soaking the dress Andrew bought me last month.
Someone in the crowd whistled.
"This is better than any movie."
"Seriously, the real wife getting drenched by the side chick. Tsk."
Andrew sat there, watching it all unfold, not lifting a finger to stop it.
With a calm hand, I brushed the wine from my face.
"Andrew, are you really sure about this?" I asked.
He picked up the napkin in front of him and wiped a bit of wine off his fingertips.
"If you've got the cash, you can settle the bill and walk out right now," Andrew said. "If you're broke—"
He looked up at me, and the same lips that once whispered "I love you" now said, "No money? Then we'll stick to club rules. Whatever Grace went through last month, tonight it's your turn."