Chapter 7

James had no clue what I'd done, and, surprisingly, he seemed concerned about dragging me down with him. That same night, he was hauled into the police station, where he signed the divorce papers. Not only did he agree to all the terms, but he also handed over everything, leaving the house to me.

He sent me a message afterward, telling me not to worry about him and promising he'd take care of everything. I read it, felt nothing, and then deleted his contact and blocked his number. I couldn't believe I'd been taken in by this idiot for eight years.

Did James seriously think Lindsay had uncovered all of his company's shady dealings on her own? No. It was me. I'd anonymously sent her the evidence, handing her the perfect opportunity for payback. After everything he'd done to me, I knew Lindsay wouldn't let him get away with it, and she didn't disappoint.

She went even further than I'd imagined.

Before Lindsay could even leave the hospital and recover, the lawsuit I'd filed against her had already gone to court. Thanks to the evidence James had handed me, every dollar he'd transferred to her was now mine to reclaim. Even though she'd sold the shares, I was entitled to half the money she'd received.

Lindsay tried to argue that the money James gave her was part of her salary and bonuses, but when the judge asked for proof, she couldn't show a single employment contract.

When the verdict was handed down, her face went white with rage.

"Shannon, don't think you've won. James's company is finished. You won't get a dime!" she hissed.

I glanced at her, slightly amused by her bitter words. "We're divorced, Lindsay. And I never needed a man to make my money. Didn't I tell you that from the start? I'm an executive. What's James to me?"

For eight years, I'd given him everything. When I loved him, he was my world. Now, he was just a stepping stone.

I walked out of the courtroom, unfazed by her glare, and got back to my normal life. My vacation was over, and the next day, I was at work like nothing had changed. Meanwhile, Lindsay was still struggling with the fraud charges James had filed against her. She hadn't even had time to recover in the hospital.

On the day of her trial, an investigation team wrapped up their review of James's company and uncovered damning evidence of wrongdoing. The company was declared bankrupt and shut down. James also lost the fraud case against Lindsay when the chat logs proved the money transfers were voluntary.

Lindsay sold the villa, took whatever cash she had left, and disappeared without a trace. James, on the other hand, was left with billions in debt and massive penalties for breach of contract. With the public scandal of his affair, his reputation was in ruins. There was no coming back from this.

A week later, I got a call from an unknown number, coming from out of town. James's voice was cold and controlled on the other end. He told me he'd found Lindsay and was going to "avenge" me. The call cut off abruptly. I tried calling back, but there was no signal.

That same night, a video went viral showing a couple jumping onto the train tracks. The deceased were identified as James and Lindsay. I turned off my phone, rubbed my temples, and got back to work. They were finally gone from my life, for good.

And with that, I was finally the main character in my own story.