Chapter 5
She said, "What did I do to end up with such a snake-hearted daughter-in-law?
"Derick fights tooth and nail out there, while she's living the good life at home. And now she's stabbing him in the back.
"Is there any justice left? Guys, tell me how is this fair?"
I put on my headphones, turned up the music, and tuned her out.
It wasn't until the security guard came up and escorted her downstairs that the noise finally stopped.
The world went quiet again.
I thought that was the end of it.
But then, that night, I got a call from my mom.
She sounded exhausted.
"Gillian, Derick's mom came to our house," she said.
My heart sank.
"What did she say to you?" I asked.
My mom said, "She got down on the ground and begged me to talk you into forgiving Derick.
"She said Derick admits he messed up and swears he'll never do it again.
"She said she'd do anything, just please don't divorce him."
I scoffed.
"Mom, do you actually buy that?" I asked.
My mom went quiet on the other end.
Obviously, she didn't believe it.
She knew better than anyone how Derick's mom had treated me for the past ten years.
Derick's mom always looked down on me for not being able to give her a son, for not knowing how to dress up and making her lose face, and for not being any help to Derick's career.
She never even spared me a real glance.
But now that Derick was in trouble, suddenly she remembered my existence.
My mom said, her voice wavering, "Gillian, I know you've been through a lot.
"But your mother-in-law said if you really go through with the divorce and kick Derick out with nothing, she'll cause trouble at your office, protest outside the courthouse, and make sure everyone thinks you're some evil witch.
"She also threatened to air out all your old secrets."
My hand clenched around the phone.
My past felt like a lifetime ago.
Back then, before I met Derick, I wasn't Gillian.
I went by another name.
That past was the deepest wound I carried. I thought it would never see the light of day again.
Derick knew it.
I laid it all out for him when we got married.
I thought I was being honest and showing him I trusted him.
Now I realize it was a weapon I handed him, ready for him to use against me whenever he felt like it.
I said, taking a deep breath to keep my voice steady, "Mom, don't worry about it.
"If she wants to cause trouble, let her.
"I really don't care."
After hanging up, I just stared out the window at the darkness for a long time, not moving.
Derick knew me so well.
He knew exactly where to hit me so it would hurt the most.
But he got one thing wrong.
I was not that weak, helpless girl I was ten years ago.
That weapon he wanted to threaten me with had no power over me anymore.
He thought he could ruin me.
I would like to see who would get destroyed in the end.
Derick's mom was quick to act.
By the third day, she dominated the entertainment headlines.
A magazine read: [Derick's mom breaks down in tears and accuses Gillian of being a heartless snake!]
Another read: [Shocking twist. Gillian is exposed as the top escort girl at the infamous Heaven Club!]
Someone wrote: [Movie actor's marriage meltdown. Gillian's secret past before marrying into money!]
In the news, Derick's mom was crying her heart out on live TV, acting like her world had ended.
Tears and snot were streaming down her face for the cameras.
She said, "My son was totally duped by her. Our whole family was played for fools.
"She's not some top student from a prestigious university. She didn't even graduate high school.
"She used to be a nightclub escort girl. Her name is Rose. not Gillian Shorts.
"She'd do anything for money. This whole mess was her trap. She wants to destroy my son and grab our family's fortune for herself!"
Below the article, there were some grainy old pics.
In those photos, a girl caked in makeup and barely dressed was flashing a charming smile at the customers, hanging out in a flashy VIP room with neon lights everywhere.
The features were still kinda recognizable as mine.
Social media blew up again.
A person wrote: [Damn! Is this for real? Gillian used to be an escort girl?]
Another asked: [Rose? That name rings a bell. Wasn't she the hottest girl in Valevent's club scene back then?]
Someone wrote: [No wonder she's got so many tricks up her sleeve. She's a total pro!]
Someone else wrote: [The more you think about it, the scarier it gets. From a club escort girl to the wife of a movie star. How deep does her scheming go?]
A person wrote: [Man, Derick really got the short end of the stick. He married someone like her, and now she's stabbing him in the back.]
Another person wrote: [So who actually transmitted the STD to the other person? Guess we'll never know.]
The tide started to turn again.
The internet had been overwhelmingly on my side, but now people were starting to waver.
Some still pitied me, but way more started looking at me with suspicion and contempt.
They started labeling me as a gold-digger who was willing to do whatever it would take to move up in the world.
My lawyer, Hugh, called me immediately, sounding seriously worried.
He said, "Gillian, it's not looking good.
"Derick's team is using your past as ammunition. They've hired paid trolls to push the narrative online. The backlash is getting worse, and public opinion is turning against you fast."