"I just need some place to clear my head" she responded gently."
"I am Daniel Wang" The handsome man responded. He motioned her to hop in. "I know some place you might like".
His interiors were giving luxury. Brielle couldn't help but access him with her eyes, weighing the worth of everything he had on.
She had gotten a big fish, all she needed was to cut him open to get the coins.
Daniel has tried to not notice her staring at him. He did not want to make her uncomfortable. " You haven't told me your name princess" He said gently, keeping his eyes on the road.
"I'm Brielle, Brielle Cole." She answered.
"Of 'The Cole Empire?' " He asked.
" Well, that's my Dad , but I don't like to say so too often" Brielle answered, her plans already brewing in every sentence she made. "People often assume I have it easy, and my Dad gives me everything... It makes it difficult to have real friends"
His face was immediately covered with sympathy and care. "I can relate to that. He responded gently. "It has been difficult to find true friends. People want to be around me because of what I can offer. Getting true love even has been a challenge for me". Daniel was soft, quick to trust and vulnerable.
He had just become a pawn in her games.
"So, what do you do?" Brielle asked, slightly interested in actually knowing him.
"Well, I own Wang Dynasty in China and Japan." Daniel answered.
"Well, you would have to enlighten me because I don't know what the Wang Dynasty is. Do you like, just own stuff? What's the thing you own all about?" Daniel let out a gentle laugh, he had never met anyone so blunt and sweet at the same time.
Brielle could see that she was walking her way into his heart. The way he smiled at her, looked at her. He was losing it.
"Wang Dynasty is a Real estate company, and an Automobile company."
"Oh that's nice" Brielle smiled gently.
"We are planning on expanding into the clothing line soon." Be completed.
"And we're here... Colly's diner,"
Brielle had never been to this part of the city. It was the Elite of the Elites.
Their house was located just at the boundary of the town and the high brow area. Aiden knew it would give room for questions if he had them live in the town.
"Um, why is everyone dressed that way" Brielle asked, feeling a little bit under dressed.
"Are you uncomfortable?" Daniel asked politely. "Would you like us to get some new clothes first?"
Brielle nodded gently, walking back into the car.
"Have you not been here before?" It was almost a shock to Daniel's ears.
"Well, I don't go out much". Brielle's friends stayed in the town, so she did not get a lot of Elite class life.
"You don't strike me as a really reserved person Bree"
Brielle chuckled gently realizing he had just called her Bree.
"Well, I am outgoing, but there are places I've not gone out to."
"I see what you did there" Daniel laughed, pointing his finger.
Daniel spared no expense in getting her all the clothes she liked. Brielle changed her whole wardrobe from clothes to shoes to jewelery.
It was already late, so Daniel offered to drop her off at her house. He asked when next he can pick her up and told her "I enjoyed every moment spent with you."
Daniel spared no expense, indulging Brielle's every desire as she picked out clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Her wardrobe transformed overnight, each piece reflecting a new side of her.
As the evening grew late, Daniel insisted on driving her home. He leaned in with a warm smile as they reached her door. "When can I see you again?" he asked, his voice soft and earnest. "I enjoyed every moment spent with you."
"Same time tomorrow" she answered.
This was the universe agreeing to her plans. She had met a man who was willing to give her the world, and that was all she needed.
...
"Heyyyyy, where'd all this stuff come from?"
Brielle had expected everyone to be asleep by the time she got back, but her many bags would not stop scratching against each other.
"Um, I went out with a friend" she answered.
Ayla's eyes scowled over her waiting for more "mm-hnn?..."
"Okay okay, he's new. I just met him." Brielle dropped her bags, her arms ached from carrying them.
"Wait wait wait" Ayla could not believe her ears, "you mean you met a guy this afternoon and he got you all these?"
"He into me, I guess..." She said, falling on the couch in their shared room. "I got you some too"
"Did you sleep with him?"
"What?... No. I'm back home, am I not?" Brielle answered sharply.
"It takes five minutes to have sex though" Ayla answered back.
"Take a chill pill Ayla... I've not done it yet."
"Aunty Sarah came around today. I couldn't bear to see mum in such pains".
Brielle had almost forgotten her mum's plight. The wounds were opened afresh as Ayla spoke about it.
"No matter what it takes, I'll ensure I make him pay."
...
Days went by so quick, it was almost difficult to tell that Aiden had left the house.
Sienna had been in doors for days. Sarah had come visiting severally trying to cheer her up.
Sienna had gotten so many calls from friends who were not actually her friends trying to check up on her. News spread fast amongst the rich.
She had decided to move on, move to another city, start a new life and stand on her feet.
Two weeks after Aiden broke the news to her, he sent a lawyer to her house asking her to sign the divorce papers.
Sienna could not understand why he still desperately needed her to sign it. She had already moved on, he had already left her. The lawyer kept coming, yet, she had bluntly refused to sign the papers.
Aiden had not called to check on her. She was left with less than one thousand dollars in her account because Aiden only gave her money when she needed it for something. She barely had money to spare.
Soon, she was going to run out of cash, be unable to fuel the cars, or afford bills.
She needed to do something and fast.
She decided to get a degree, maybe part time, in business, at least be employable. She couldn't tell employers how she spent 17 years of her life raising kids and being her husband's doormat.
She searched Google to find skills a woman in her late thirties can learn. She was not impressed.
- Communication
- Cooking
- Flower arranging
- Negotiating
- Photography
- Traveling
- Write poems
She had literally spent her adult life cooking, arranging flowers, at least trying to communicate with her husband, her ex, and it do any good.
Sienna had reached out to Aiden earlier, to ask him for Alimony. Her requests had fallen on deaf ears as Aiden was bent on getting her to sign the papers.
She needed the money, she needed to look impressive. She decided to sell every designer bag Aiden had ever given her. Sadly, she could count it on ten fingers. In seventeen years.
It was not enough, but it was a good start. She was set, ready to take back her life.
She scouted the internet for business schools in Dallas, and started applying. She would leave the city.
That's what it had to be.
Later that night, Sienna called her daughters to inform them of her plans. Ayla was excited. She was happy that their mum was moving on, taking it well, and forging a new path for her life.
"That's it? He goes scot free?" Brielle questioned. She could not seem to grasp how her mom would let everything go. "Start a new life? Hell no! I'm not leaving this town for anywhere else!"
"Bree darling, there's more to life than getting back at people." Sienna counselled, with a knowing somewhere in her heart that it was falling on deaf ears. "We could be happy. Dallas is a nice place. I've looked it up..."
"Mum, you and Ayla can go, but me? I'm staying right here." Ironically, she walked out of the sitting room.
Ayla did not try to convince her sister. She knew Brielle was not going to listen to anyone, not even their mum.
"So... When do we leave? Is it settled? Gotten an apartment yet?" Ayla was thrilled to be getting away. She liked the idea of starting somewhere new, starting afresh. It was all she had ever wanted, and she was willing to leave everything behind. And that includes Brielle.