Celebrity CEO Scandal

Public joke

Cassidy POV

This must be a dream. No, it's just a prank. They must be joking right now. Is Richmond out of his mind? And Claire... Claire deceived me!

I fling the remnants of the broken bottle onto the floor and it crashes, dragging the attention of everyone in the room. I try to soothe my growing rage. No need to jump to conclusions yet. Maybe it's not what I think. Maybe another coworker must have engaged Claire. Calm down, Cassidy, calm down, I continue to tell myself because if I don't I will rip someone's hair out.

"Richmond? Dear? What's going on here?" I ask, walking towards him. Some guests have already brought out their phones and are recording the scene.

Richmond turns sharply when he hears my voice. His eyebrows crease into a frown and he walks in my direction furiously. "The evening had been going well until you arrived. Why do you just spoil everything?" He lashes out angrily.

My hand trembles beside me, matching my racing heart. I stop in front of Richmond. Claire is just some steps behind.

"What's going on here?" I ask. My voice comes out shaky, betraying my tough look.

"I'm now engaged to Claire and I'm getting married to her next week. She's carrying my child, something you could never do in our four years of marriage."

Tears roll down my eyes. Claire and Richmond have been having an affair behind my back. "You promised me you'd wait. And you couldn't choose any other day to do this than on our fourth anniversary?"

"Our marriage is not worth celebrating. I always regret the choice of making you my wife. Now, I have done something that will bring me and my family out of the gloom my marriage with you put us in."

"Don't worry, Cassidy, with me here, you won't have to worry about Richmond anymore." I shift my gaze to Claire, who just spoke. I never saw this coming. I never expected Claire to steal Richmond away from me. I just confided in her this morning not knowing she was spilling my guts to my husband's baby mama.

"How could you do this to me? I trusted you, Claire. You know I don't have a child for him and you went ahead to get pregnant for him."

"Is it my fault you cannot conceive a child?" Claire says, lacking any sense of empathy.

I flare up at Claire's insensitive words. "You witch!" I scream and charge at Claire. Grabbing her by the neck, I was ready to suffocate her. Richmond steps in between us and pushes me away, causing me to stumble and fall to the floor.

A gasp rises from among the crowd.

"Don't ever lay your hands again on the mother of my child," he scolds.

"You can't do this to me, Richmond. Just give me three months. Let's try again. If it's a child you want I'll give you one! Please!"

"Have you no shame, Cassidy? You should even be happy that we haven't kicked you out yet," Mrs. Philomena Calloway adds.

My father-in-law, Mr. Mondrich joins us, his voice rising above the commotion. "Stop causing trouble, Cassidy. You lost your chance. Now you will just live as Richmond's second wife and perform your marital duties while Claire fills up for your lack of children."

He turns to Claire and speaks to her in a soft tone. "We do not want to stress the mother of the heir."

Claire smiles and rubs her tummy.

Mr. Mondrich returns his attention to me, his expression becoming stone serious. "If you want to stay here and cause more trouble, I suggest you leave now."

I struggle to my feet, fed up with the humiliation. All eyes are on me as the sound of my sniffing echoes in the room. I clean the tears flowing down my cheeks. My best friend, husband and in-laws have conspired against me. After being loyal to them for years. After tending to their troubles and making sacrifices for them countless times. This is what I get?

I leave the party in shame, shoulders slumped, make-up smeared and my vision blurred by my tears. I am too shocked to speak as I walk away quietly trying to hold myself from breaking into sobs. I feel like an outcast among them, rejected, betrayed and neglected. They continue the party behind me like I am not wanted.

On the drive home, my phone beeps as the news comes on. The headline reads,

"RICHMOND CALLOWAY FORCED TO TAKE ANOTHER WIFE AS HIS FIRST WIFE, CASSIDY CALLOWAY, HAS REFUSED TO BEAR HIM ANY CHILDREN."

A wave of embarrassment washes over me. How could they make fun of my infertility on social media in front of millions of people? They have turned me into a public joke. Of course, that's the story Calloway group has brought up to save face. As a good husband, Richmond was considerate not to force his wife into having children, but his wife wasn't considerate enough to give him one.

Pathetic.

"Stop me," I say to the driver.

"Ma'am? I was asked to take you home."

"I said stop me here!" I shout at the driver.

He matches down on the brakes and parks by the side of the road. I step out and slam the door behind me.

"Ma'am? Where are you going?" He asks. I don't answer him.

I can no longer hold the tears in. My voice fails me when I try to speak. It's just too much, the pain, the humiliation; is it not enough? I tried the best I could, yet they just discarded it like it was nothing, shoving me aside and replacing me in the blink of an eye.

I move into the nearest hotel and locate the bar. The driver has stopped calling out to me and is now watching me from a safe distance. I bring out my phone and text him to go home. He leaves. My phone blows up with messages and notifications as another headline has dropped concerning me and Richmond. I open it and read.

"CASSIDY CALLOWAY THE INCOMPETENT HOUSEWIFE"

At this point, I break down into full sobs. My reputation, life, and history are destroyed in a day. Everything I have worked for is tarnished all because of one man. I take multiple drinks to drown my sorrows in, hoping the alcohol can submerge the anguish in my heart. About thirty minutes later, the intoxicating effect of the drink takes over my senses.

I stand up from my chair, desperate to find something to distract me from the pain of my reality. Maybe creating a new reality for myself will ease it up. I walk beside the pool, my legs weak underneath me.

I trip and almost fall into the pool when someone catches me. My heart skips and my eyes lighten up, startled. I turn around and face the stranger still trapped in his embrace. His green eyes are locked into mine. He has a gap in his eyebrows and his masculine scent makes me close my eyes for a second, sniffing him in. This right here, is the answer to my question.

"Marry me," I say to him.

His eyes widen in shock.

"Look, young lady, I think you've had enough of wine. Lets get you to a safe spot." His deep baritone romances my mind.

I hold tightly unto him. "No, I want you to marry me. We can sign a contract. I will take care of the expenses. There's a big compensation for you if you say yes. Just say yes! Please! Say yes!" I lean closer to him as our body presses together.

"Okay, okay, I'll marry you."

My eyes sparkle in delight as I stare at him. "You won't regret this. Just one year of being married to me and we can go our separate ways. I'll take care of all the expenses and pay you hugely. Let me call my lawyer right away!"

I am trying my absolute best to be happy. My marriage with Richmond has turned into a sham. Right now, I must try to save my reputation as fast as possible before he drags me down with him in his shameless display.

I open my phone to call Barrister Otto when I see another headline.

"CASSIDY CALLOWAY ABSCONDS WITH COMPANY FUNDS: THE SECRET OF HER SOURCE OF WEALTH REVEALED."

What? That's not true! I'm a hardworking man, I earned my money through my sweat. I shake my head walking backwards. "No, I never did this. That's a lie!" I scream.

My next step lands me in the water, and my phone flies out of my hand. I struggle desperately as I sink. The water threatens to swallow me when I scream at the top of my lungs.

"Help! Can't swim!"