Chapter 1: The Money at My Feet
"Pick it up, Marcus. At least you can afford lunch now.""
My ex-wife's voice carried across the downtown Atlanta sidewalk as several strangers turned to look.
A hundred-dollar bill landed near my shoe.
Then another.
Then three more.
Vanessa Reed stood in front of me wearing a designer coat, oversized sunglasses, and a smile that hadn't changed since the day she walked out of our marriage.
Four years.
Four years since she'd told me I was a man without a future.
And apparently, four years hadn't been enough to teach her humility.
I glanced at the money scattered across the pavement.
Then I looked at her.
"Good morning, Vanessa.""
She laughed.
"That's all you've got to say?""
"What would you like me to say?""
"Maybe congratulations? Maybe an apology for being such a failure that I had to leave you?""
She adjusted her handbag and looked at my faded jacket.
"You still dress like you're working construction sites?""
I smiled faintly.
"Some habits are hard to break.""
She shook her head.
"Unbelievable. I heard you were still struggling, but I didn't realize things had gotten this bad.""
Four years earlier, I'd been struggling.
There was no point pretending otherwise.
My construction company, Reed Meridian Development, had been drowning in debt. Projects were delayed, investors were nervous, and I was working sixteen-hour days just to keep thirty employees from losing their jobs.
Vanessa had hated every minute of it.
She wanted expensive restaurants, international vacations, and a house in Buckhead.
I wanted to save the company my father had helped me build.
One evening, she'd placed divorce papers on our kitchen counter.
"Marcus, I'm thirty-two years old," she'd said.
"I refuse to waste my best years waiting for you to become somebody.""
I remembered standing beside the refrigerator, still wearing my work boots.
"Give me another year, Vanessa.""
She'd laughed.
"Another year of excuses? No.""
She took half our savings and left.
I didn't chase her.
I couldn't afford to.
I had a company to save.
And somehow, I did.
One contract became three. Three became ten. Investors returned. Our developments expanded across Georgia and eventually into neighboring states.
By the time I turned forty, Reed Meridian was worth more than a billion dollars.
But Vanessa didn't know that.
I had deliberately kept my private life away from public attention. My executives handled interviews, corporate events, and press appearances.
I preferred construction sites to television cameras.
Now Vanessa was standing in front of me, convinced that the last four years had been a personal disaster.
"My husband is a senior executive at one of Georgia's largest development companies," she announced.
"Congratulations.""
"Daniel Whitmore. You might have heard of him.""
I nodded.
"I know the name.""
She raised her eyebrows.
"Of course you do. He's important.""
Daniel was my regional vice president.
I'd personally promoted him eight months earlier after he delivered exceptional results on a major Atlanta development.
At least, that's what I'd believed.
Vanessa continued.
"He makes over four hundred thousand dollars a year. We live in Buckhead. We have two luxury cars. Last summer, we spent three weeks in Europe.""
"Sounds comfortable.""
She frowned.
"Why are you acting like none of this matters?""
"Because it doesn't change anything about my morning.""
Her expression hardened.
She opened her handbag and pulled out several crisp hundred-dollar bills.
"Here.""
I looked at her hand.
"What's that?""
"Money. Something you obviously need.""
Before I could respond, she threw it.
The bills fluttered onto the sidewalk.
One landed in a puddle.
Another slid beneath a parked car.
"Go ahead," she said.
"Pick it up. Nobody here is going to judge you.""
A woman walking past stopped.
An older man shook his head.
Vanessa didn't care.
She was enjoying the audience.
"Keep your money," I said.
She crossed her arms.
"Still pretending you have pride?""
I checked my watch.
8:42 a.m.
My executive meeting was scheduled for nine.
"Actually, I have somewhere to be.""
She laughed.
"Another job interview?""
I started walking.
Behind me, she called out.
"Marcus! Don't forget to tell them you're good at digging holes!""
I stopped for half a second.
Then I continued.
My phone vibrated.
Emily Carter, my executive assistant, had sent a message.
Mr. Reed, the boardroom is ready. Mr. Whitmore has arrived.
I typed back.
I'll be there in ten minutes.
Then I heard Vanessa's phone ring.
She looked at the screen and immediately brightened.
"It's Daniel!""
She answered and switched to speaker.
"Baby, you'll never guess who I just ran into.""
"Vanessa, I can't talk right now," Daniel replied.
"I'm heading into an emergency meeting.""
She giggled.
"With that mysterious billionaire boss of yours?""
"Yes. And I need to concentrate. Something serious has happened.""
Vanessa glanced at me.
"Well, maybe your boss can help my pathetic ex-husband find a decent job.""
I slowly turned around.
Daniel went silent.
Then I spoke.
"Good morning, Daniel.""
There was a pause.
A long one.
Then his voice came through the speaker.
"Mr. Reed?""
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
I looked directly at her.
"See you at nine.""
May you like
Daniel's next words made her drop her sunglasses.
"Vanessa... WHO ARE YOU STANDING WITH?""
