James slumped into the passenger seat of Victor's car, the weight of the day's events pressing heavily on his shoulders. The sleek interior of the car felt like a stark contrast to the chaotic emotions swirling within him.
"Are you seriously going to let them treat you like this, James?" Victor asked, his voice a mix of concern and frustration. "You've been through hell for years, and now this?" James stared out the window, the passing scenery blurring into a haze. "I don't know what to do, Vic. I love Emma, but it's clear she doesn't feel the same way anymore. And her family... they've always seen me as beneath them." Victor tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "You deserve better than this, James. You always have." James remained silent, the words sticking in his throat. He knew Victor was right. To think he had scarified his lfe of luxury to be with Emma began to look all stupid to him. ------------------------------------------------------- The door to the dining room opened, and Mark Nelson walked in, exuding an air of confidence and charisma. He was impeccably dressed, his tailored suit fitting him perfectly. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room, landing on Emma and Jenna. "Ladies," he greeted them with a charming smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting." Emma stood up, her heart racing with excitement. "Not at all, Mark. We were just talking about you. How did you know where I lived?" Emma paused staring at his face Mark's smile widened as he approached Emma, taking her hand and kissing it gently. "I always have my ways around things. I get what I always want." He replied Jenna watched the interaction with a mix of awe and envy. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Nelson. Emma's told me so much about you." Mark nodded politely, his attention focused on Emma. "I hope I can live up to her praises." Jenna felt a pang of envy as she saw Mark and Emma chat and each time Emma giggled she felt irritated. " I think I need to leave now." She stood up looking at Emma who didn't even notice until she left. Richard walked in and saw Mark. " Good day Mr Smith." Mark said politely shaking hands with Robert " wow! When Emma told me about you, I had thought it was just another prank but here you are in flesh and blood." Robert remarked and sat down Emma immediately got up to get her visitor some refreshments while Robert and Mark discussed business. " Did you get the contract u submit to your father's table?" Robert laughed stylish sucking up to Mark for his favour. " You don't need to say Mr Richard. I will make sure the contract is awarded to you." he said with a smile. " And what about Emma? Are you being serious about marrying her?" Robert asked looking a it serious " I know what I want, Mr Richard and I can say I am in love with your daughter but what are we to do about her husband. I heard he is some lowlife. Should I be bothered?" " Bothered? Of course not. Just let me know when you are ready."Robert replied Margaret joined in discussion and a day was immediately fixed for the wedding ------------------------------------------------------- Victor watched James as he arranged some books on the shelves. " Have you thought about going back home? I am sure your father would welcome you with both hands. " " I left home in the first place because I wanted to marry,Emma. I believed she is the woman for me and now this. I can't even believe she asked for a divorce this morning. Not after everything I had been through." James paused and looked at Victor. " Do you believe she was flirting with Mark Nelson at the gala event?" " I saw and I tried to make your status known but you blew me off." Victor replied turning his gaze away from James " I know that hurt and I am sorry. I shouldn't have behaved the way I did." James apologied. " So what are you going to do? I am sure Emma is going to fulfil her wish. You served your purpose already." Victor sighed " And what purpose is that?" James sat down beside him Victor shifted his gaze from James and stared at the television right in front of them. He looked at at James and back at the television. Suddenly, James phone rang, he looked at the television screen and back at his phone. He saw it was Emma. James picked up his call and Emma's voice was loud enough for him to understand what she wanted. " Let's break up." She finally said ending the call James looked at Victor and back at his cell phone. " Is everything alright?" he asked seeing the look on his face " I have to go." James replied hurriedly packing his few things and walked out of the gigantic library. James got back home and met Emma and Mark sitted on the couch smiling. " Guess who finally decide to show up." Emma said with a disgusted voice " What do you mean you want to break up with me? I thought we talked about this before, Emma. can you give me a chance? We can start all of this all over again." James said sadly walking towards her. " Can you stop? Stop it!" Emma screamed. " See this?" Emma thrust her fingers out shoving the diamond ring at his face. " This worth more than you could ever give me in your lifetime." " I will work hard, I promise." James replied gently getting on his kneels even making Mark Nelson smirk and laughed. " Know your place pauper. She said she doesn't want you anymore. Don't you understand?" " I think this has gone far enough." Emma stood up and threw her wedding ring at James. " Here, I don't want this anymore. I have a better one. And here, sign this." She brought a paper from a file that was on the table. James grabbed the paper and looked at her face. " What" he shouted with anger staring at the Smith's family.James looked around and could see the cold gaze on each faces. He simply picked up the pen and said nothing. James sighed the divorce papers and went into his room to grab his things. At first he wanted to call Victor to come and get him but he knew he would be attracting more attention to himself. He dragged his breifacse as Magarate hissed. " Bye bye to good ridances." She said with a smirk and looked at Emma. " It is a good thing we have James out of your life. Now you can focus more on yourself and Mark. Has he called you today?" She asked playing with Emma's hair " No, he hasn't." Emma looked at her phone and Mark's call came in. " Speaking of the devil." She showed her phone to her mother. Emma had the phone out on speaker and laughed as she and Mark talked at length. " Can I talk to your father?" Mark said finally about to end the call " Hello sir." He said with a broad smile. Mark was visible seen seated in a grand office with a transparent glass to view the opulent s
" Hello son," Richard said with an husk voice. " How are father?." James replied with his heart beating fast against his chest. He hope his mother had not said anything to his father. " How is your wife doing?" Richard asked James knew he couldn't tell his father he had been kicked out of the house. " She is fine." He replied with a sweaty palms. He knew his father had a knack for knowing when things was wrong. " Can I talk to her?" Richard asked, he could always sense when James was telling a lie. Richard and James had been best friends. The relationship between the father and son was more like a friend rather than parent and child. Things started to change when James started growing up. " I am sorry,Dad. I know you are right and I am wrong. The Smith had me thrown out of the house." He said with his head bowed gently. " They did what!" Richard shouted getting up to his feet. " I want to see you at home the following day." He commaded and hung up the call. James sigh, He
The Nelson's family and the Smith family sat down round a very big table. The servants were seen serving both families. Thomas Nelson was also a popular man in the city of New York. He had many business in the city and out of the city. " It is a pleasure to be in your humble abode." Robert said with a smile looking around the house. " The pleasure is mine and besides, I heard Mark here is in love with your daughter " Thomas replied looking at Emma. " I have also been hearing some strange rumours about her marriage to some pauper. Is that true?" Magaret coughed alittle and quickly interfere. " That was no marriage, we simply helped the boy but he mistook it because we were being generous to him. He is thrown out of the house and he is not living with us anymore." She ended her speech "Uhmm....that was not what I have been hearing though but if yiu are telling me now that your daughter is not seeing anymore then I don't see any reason why we need to delay any longer. Please, enj
Jenna draw Emma into the room and locked the door. " Don't tell me you left James Bennett for Mark Nelson. Are you nut!" Jenna shouted at Emma who was still not getting what was going on. " I knew something was different about him. I told you I saw how I met a man bowing to him just outside your home." She said again trying to remember what she had seen. " It can't be? Did James play a trick on me?" Emma looked at Jenna " Played a trick on you? You are kidding right? You had the Bennet inside your home all this while and you don't know who he is? I have always thought you were smart but this.." Jenna shook her head. " Don't disrespect me because it was obvious you don't like James too. I saw the way you treated him at the party the last time." Emma shot Jenna a hot look " Well, I a not the one getting married to the second richest man in the country. But come to think of it, you would have become the most prominent woman in the city. No one would ever dare cross path with you"
Chapter one James Bennett stood at the threshold of the grand ballroom, his heart pounding against his chest feeling nervous. Tonight marked a significant milestone in his life—a charity gala hosted by his in-laws, the illustrious Smith family. As he adjusted his tie nervously, he glanced at Emma, his wife, who stood beside him radiating confidence and grace in her designer gown. The Smith mansion gleamed with opulence, a stark contrast to the humble apartment James shared with Emma before their marriage. For James, stepping into this world felt like entering a dream, one where he hoped to prove himself worthy not just to Emma but to her entire family. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the evening ahead. He was about to walk in when he heard a voice behind him. James stood still and timidy looked back to where the voice came from. " And where the hell did you think you are going?" A woman in her mid forties shouted at James. " I..I...thought." James stammered and was c
Many of them looked at the man on the floor and back at the man standing in front of James. " I think you have the wrong person." James stammered and walked away from the scene. For a second, the atmosphere was tensed. Everyone know the Bennett family were the richest family in the city of New York. They were not only rich but they were having a vast lands with wealth and influence, they had carved out a storied legacy in New York City. Known for their vast real estate holdings spanning from Manhattan's skyscrapers to expansive estates in the Hamptons, the Bennetts were a name whispered with awe and envy in high society circles. Founded by Richard Bennett, a shrewd entrepreneur who had amassed a fortune through strategic investments in the early 20th century, the family's wealth had grown exponentially through successive generations. Richard Bennett Jr., the current patriarch, was renowned not only for his business acumen but also for his philanthropic endeavors, funding numero
James sat at the dining table, stunned into silence by Emma's announcement. His mind raced as he tried to process the implications of her words. "Let's break up." The phrase echoed in his mind, tinged with a mix of disbelief and resignation. He glanced around the table, meeting the eyes of each member of the Smith family—Margaret, Robert, and Emma herself, who now seemed strangely composed after her abrupt declaration. Robert Smith, the patriarch of the Smith family, cleared his throat, breaking the uneasy silence that had settled over the room. His voice, though measured, carried an underlying tone of authority that James had always found intimidating."Emma, my dear," Robert began, his gaze unwavering as he addressed his daughter, "this is a serious matter. Are you sure about this decision?"Emma hesitated for a moment, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of her napkin. When she finally spoke, her voice was surprisingly steady. "Yes, father. I've thought long and hard about