Chapter 3
With that, I hung up.
That night, I slept better than ever.
The next morning, I was woken up by William's knock on the door.
He brought over some steaming hot pancakes and milk, then sat on the couch, watching me with a smile.
"Ruth, Tristan went to the office early this morning. Looks like he's acting like he owns that VP title, even though he hasn't landed it yet," William said.
I bit into the pancake, grease dripping from my lips.
"Let him brag all he wants. The higher he climbs, the harder he'll fall," I said.
William pushed up his glasses, a playful glint in his eyes. "I've had someone go and take back Tristan's BMW. That car is reserved for senior management.
"Since he hasn't officially been promoted yet, his unauthorized use violates company policy. The company has every right to take it back."
I almost burst out laughing at that.
Tristan loved that BMW 5 Series like it was his baby, always taking care of it as if nothing else mattered.
If the company took it back, he'd probably have to take a cab home tonight.
"William, how do you think Tristan would react if he found out that his VP title is a snap of my fingers away?" I asked.
William smiled and reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"You'll get to see that look for yourself soon enough," he said.
After breakfast, I slipped into a sleek business suit and put on some flawless makeup.
If I were going to slap him in the face, I was going to make sure I did it with flair.
As I was about to head out, my phone buzzed with a text.
It was from Tristan, but he used an unknown number.
Tristan: [Ruth, this is your last chance. Meet me at Blue Tone at six tonight. If you apologize to Olivia and unfreeze my credit cards, I might think about not divorcing you.]
I laughed in disbelief, so angry that it was almost funny.
I wondered where he got the confidence to think I was begging him not to divorce me.
I replied with two words: [Fuck off.]
After sending the message, I headed straight to Spencer Real Estate's headquarters.
This was my turf.
As soon as I walked into the lobby, I saw Tristan over by reception, showing off to a bunch of coworkers.
"Vice president is not just a title, really. It comes with a ton of responsibility and stress," he said.
Tristan was wearing the tailored suit I'd bought him, playing the part of a big shot.
Olivia was glued to his side, decked out in a designer dress and grinning as if she'd won the lottery.
A few coworkers were hyping him up.
"Tristan, once you're VP, don't forget to hook your boys up," one of them joked.
Tristan waved it off, acting all humble.
"No problem. Dinner's on me at Blue Tone tonight, and Olivia will be there, too," he said.
I strolled past him, my Hermès bag swinging at my side and my heels clicking on the floor.
Tristan spotted me right away, and his face fell.
He hadn't expected to see me there.
"Ruth? What are you doing here? Didn't I say we'd meet tonight?" Tristan muttered, his voice tinged with disgust.
I stopped, sizing him up from head to toe, my gaze landing on his suit.
"Tristan, that suit looks good on you," I said.
Tristan straightened up, looking proud of himself.
"Yeah, whatever. Ruth, don't make a scene here. This is Spencer Real Estate, not your playground," Tristan said, warning me.
I gave him a slow, knowing smile. "Relax, I'm not here to stir things up. I'm here to reclaim what's mine."
Right then, an announcement from the admin department echoed through the lobby speakers.
It said, "Tristan from Sales Team One, please report to the CEO's office right now."
Tristan paused for a moment, then his face broke out into a huge grin, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Did you hear that? Ms. Spencer wants to see me. Bet it's about my promotion," he bragged, almost strutting.
He shot me a cocky look and gave Olivia's hand a quick squeeze.
"Hang tight, Olivia. I'll be back in a bit, and then we'll grab that bag you've been eyeing," he said.
Olivia gave a coy nod, her eyes sparkling with bashful admiration. "Tristan, you're incredible."
Tristan marched into the elevator, chest out, like a victorious general returning from war.
I watched his swaggering back, then sauntered after him and slipped into the CEO's private elevator right next to his.
The real show was about to start.
I sat in the oversized leather chair, facing away from the office door.
William stood next to me and handed over a file. "Ruth, these are Tristan's financial statements from the last three years, plus evidence he used company money to buy designer stuff for Eva."
I flipped through the papers and snorted in disdain.
Tristan had balls of steel.
Spending my money on his family wasn't enough for him, and he even helped himself to the company's funds.
The knock on the door came fast and urgent, with a hint of barely contained excitement.
"Come in," I said, keeping my tone cold and controlled.
Tristan walked in with a bounce in his step, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Ms. Spencer, Tristan from Sales Team One, here to report," he announced, his voice full of pride.