The phone screen lit up with my ex-husband’s name, and I almost let it go to voicemail. I should have. “Joanna, if you don’t come home, I’m throwing out all of your things. ”
“Go ahead.
I don’t want anything that’s been touched by another woman or you. ”
There was a pause. Then his voice turned sharp. “What was that?
Joanna, who is there with you? Joanna? ”
I looked at the man across the room and pressed my lips together. “You have an ex-husband.
Can you focus on me? ”
Alex tilted his head. “It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s just us.
”
That night, I left Trevor for good. I was done with his cheating, done with his lies. But my father had made it clear: the Ford Group inheritance depended on me having an heir. And without Trevor, I had no one.
“No, don’t make any hasty decisions,” Trevor said when I told him it was over. “Your father said your inheritance depends on you having an heir. How are you going to have a child without me? You need me.
”
“No, I don’t. We’re finished. ”
“YOU’RE GOING TO REGRET THIS. You’re going to come crawling back to me, and I’m going to be waiting.
”
The next morning, I called Callan, my assistant. “Find me a male escort. ”
Callan nearly dropped the phone. “Wait, a male escort?
Boss, are you serious? You could have anyone. Why do you need to hire an escort? ”
“I want a child that is completely mine.
”
So Callan set up the arrangement. There was one catch: both parties had to wear masks. I agreed. The first night, Alex walked in with confidence.
Tall, composed, polite. He seemed uncomplicated, exactly what I needed. “What do you do? ” I asked him later.
“My family lost everything. I need the money. ”
“You’re very good at what you do. He needs money.
I need a baby. It’s a win-win. ”
“Deal,” he said. “I want to get one thing clear with you.
While you’re seeing me, I don’t want you seeing anyone else. ”
“Absolutely. Just you. No one else.
”
Somewhere in the middle of all this, my assistant mentioned that Trevor was trying to outbid me on the Southern Suburb land, an auction I needed for a new mall project. “Trevor Dixon is interested in that land,” someone said. “If he wants it, let’s level the playing field. Our land is very important for the Ford Group.
We must secure it. ”
I went to the auction, and there he was, with that woman. The one he’d been sleeping with all along. “Ms.
Ford, you look absolutely gorgeous today,” she said. “Why aren’t you with Mr. Dixon? Oh, wait.
I just remembered. Mr. Dixon brought me along today. But you don’t mind that, do you, Ms.
Ford? ”
“Whatever. It’s just a guy. ”
But Trevor wouldn’t leave me alone.
He cornered me. “It’s me, Joanna. We should talk. ”
“You’ve forgotten we’re divorced.
Do I really need to get my lawyer to remind you? ”
“Aren’t you just jealous? I can easily cut her loose. ”
Then he started bidding on everything.
When I bought a one-of-a-kind watch for $300,000, he assumed it was for him. “Joanna, you really do love me. Spending $300,000 on a watch just for me. ”
I laughed.
“Don’t kid yourself. It’s not for you. ”
“Well, then who else could it be for? Joanna, is there someone else?
”
“None of your business. ”
The real prize was the Southern Suburb land, and Trevor was determined to take it from me. He announced to the room that no matter what I bid, he would match it. “Take it, Joanna.
You can’t win against me. Just come back. Come back to me, and I’ll give you a kid so you can take over the Ford Group. ”
The bidding soared past $100 million, then $200 million.
But before I could match him, a voice cut through the room. “200 million. ” It was Vincent Riley, the president of the Riley Group. Trevor went pale.
“So, that’s Vincent Riley. I didn’t hear anything about the Riley Group being interested in the Southern Suburb development. ”
The land went to Riley. But then he did something else surprising.
“Ms. Ford, I’ve heard a lot about your accomplishments. On behalf of the Riley Group, I would like to collaborate with you in co-developing this land. Please consider my offer.
”
Trevor practically lunged forward. “Mr. Riley, the Ford Group is not qualified to partner with the Riley Group. They do not have the resources or the portfolio.
Now, the Dixon Group would be a much better fit. If you decide to team up with us, we can give you a 50% profit share. ”
Riley didn’t even look at him. “Ms.
Ford, we will not be collaborating with anyone else. ”
Later that night, my assistant Callan got a strange call from the Riley Group’s office. Someone had dropped off a package from me, thanking Vincent Riley for a service rendered. “Mr.
Riley, if I may say, there’s something I don’t quite understand,” the assistant said. “Why mask your identity and approach Ms. Ford as an escort? I mean, look at you for who you are.
Any woman would want you. ”
Vincent only said, “I can’t let her go again. ”
I didn’t know any of that. I only knew the man I was seeing as Alex was everything I wanted in a partner, so long as I never looked underneath the mask.
But Trevor refused to disappear. He showed up at the Ford Group offices, waiting for Vincent Riley just to ruin things. “I have been thinking about that land since last night,” Trevor said. “If a 50% profit share is not enough for you, I can boost to 60%.
”
Riley answered calmly. “Profits aside, what I’m interested in is forming authentic business connections. Building relationships. Mr.
Dixon, we will not be working with you. The Dixon Group is blacklisted. ”
Trevor lost his temper. “Joanna!
Have you forgotten what happened a year ago? A year back, when you said I do, you promised to love me forever. Have you forgotten that? ”
When I stayed silent, he played his last card.
“Joanna, if I hadn’t saved you, those thugs would have taken you. ”
That was true. A year ago, someone had saved me from an attack. I had assumed it was Trevor, and that night had set everything in motion, ending in our marriage.
“You saved me and I loved you. Now, I’m over it. ”
Security escorted him out. But later, alone, his words gnawed at me.
When I got into Vincent Riley’s car, something caught my attention. A smell. A familiar cologne. “What perfume are you wearing?
” I asked him. “I caught the same scent earlier today. ”
He shrugged. “It’s just something I picked up randomly.
”
I dismissed it. But when I saw Alex next, I couldn’t help myself. “You just really remind me of someone,” I said. “And who would that be?
”
“Vincent Riley. ”
“And if I were? ”
I laughed. “Please.
You would definitely not be him. If you were, I’d cancel our agreement right now. ”
“Don’t worry,” he said quietly. “Remember you are an escort I’m keeping.
Be careful with your client’s privacy. Play nice, and I’ll keep taking care of you. But don’t fall in love with me. ”
I didn’t know then how close I was to the truth.
Weeks passed. I still wasn’t pregnant. I called Callan, frustrated. “Tell Alex that I want to end our contract.
Still not pregnant. Tell him that I will cover any additional costs. ”
What I didn’t know was that the news reached Vincent Riley in the middle of a company meeting. He cancelled everything and drove straight to me.
I was at a bar with two male escorts Callan had arranged, trying to move on. Trevor walked in and saw them. “You hang around with escorts now just to spite me, are you? ”
“Money goes, man comes.
Trevor, can you look at my phone? So, this pretty boy is the reason that you won’t take me back? Unbelievable. ”
Then Vincent Riley walked in.
He looked at the scene, at the escorts, at Trevor. He bought the entire bar on the spot, just to have me banned from it. “From now on, Joanna’s barred. ”
But I had already seen him.
And something clicked. “Alex? Is that you? Alex, is that you?
”
“Miss Ford. What did you just call me? ”
“Sorry. I must have mistaken you for someone else.
”
I left. But Trevor was right behind me, and Alex came after me, demanding answers. “Joanna, I don’t accept you ending things with me. Just tell me why.
Am I not good enough? Tell me. I’ll do anything to make you happy. ”
“No, it’s just—”
“Promise me you won’t see anyone else.
”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. And then one night, I took off his mask. It was him.
Vincent Riley. “Joanna, I didn’t mean to trick you. ”
“You’re a liar. I can never trust you again.
”
He caught my arm. “Joanna, wait. Please. Let me explain.
”
“Not interested. I know you don’t want commitment. Just stick to our deal. You need a baby for your inheritance, don’t you?
I’m your best shot. ”
“The last time,” I said. “This is the last time. ”
I didn’t walk away.
I couldn’t. I needed a child. And whether I liked it or not, the only man I trusted to give me one was the man who had been lying to me. But Trevor had other plans.
He stormed into the Ford Group offices with an offer. “My company is ready to invest in the Ford Group. This project means an investment of over a billion dollars. It’s no less than Vincent’s.
And now, I will be coming on board as an investor, and I will be getting involved in how things are run. Oh, and Dad is already on board. ”
“What are you scheming? ”
“I want to win you back.
”
“Trevor, you’re already divorced. ”
“And that is why I’m here to fix things. Today, we are getting back together. You are not going to leave me again.
”
“Remember, you are not my only option,” I told him. “And I hope you have a life filled with women living it up. ”
“If I walk out right now, we really are done. ”
“Thank god for that.
”
“I’m going to be waiting for you. You’re going to come crying after me. ”
Then the rumors started. Photographs of me with a masked escort surfaced online.
The CEO of the Ford Group keeping a secret male escort. The stock plummeted. My father called me in a fury. “Joanna, you’ve done some serious damage to the Ford Group’s reputation.
There’s only one way to turn public opinion around. You have to remarry Trevor and get him to tell the press that you are still in love and devoted to each other and that these rumors are just rumors. ”
“There is no chance that I’m getting back together with Trevor. ”
And then Vincent Riley walked into my father’s house.
“Sorry, mate. I’m Vincent Riley. Joanna’s boyfriend. ”
My father stared.
“Wait, you’re Vincent Riley, the CEO of the Riley Group? ”
“Yes, I am. Mr. Ford, the rumors online are completely unfounded.
I have been dating your daughter. ”
“Joanna, why didn’t you tell me you were dating Mr. Riley? I could not be more relieved with Joanna.
”
When we were alone, I asked him, “Why did you even try and help me? ”
“Joanna, it’s because I love you, and I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about you. ”
Before I could process any of it, Trevor showed up at the anniversary party, drunk and desperate, followed by reporters. He dragged me aside and hissed, “If I can’t have you, I’ll make sure you’re ruined.
”
But his own sister, Claire, had been conspiring against him all along. “What are you talking about? ” Trevor demanded. “Last year at the ball, when Joanna was drugged by a thug, you weren’t the one who saved her.
”
“How did you know that? ”
“I was the one who hired those goons. Do you want to know why I kept quiet? Because I’ve never seen my sister love someone so pathetically.
Watching her fall for someone like you, and being stuck in such a miserable marriage, it just brought me so much joy. ”
“The one who saved Joanna that time was Vincent. ”
Trevor’s face went white. “You are making this up!
”
But it was true. The man who had saved me that night, a year before I ever met him as Alex, was Vincent Riley. And it had taken me all this time to realize it. Vincent found me at the ball and held me close.
“You were the one that saved me last year. ”
He nodded. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep it from you.
”
“Vincent, you were the one that saved me, and all this time I thought it was someone else. Why didn’t you come looking for me after? ”
“Because when I found you, I thought you were with Trevor. I didn’t want to interfere with your life.
And then you kissed me. ”
“I’m not going to let you go this time. ”
Not long after, he got down on one knee. “Joanna, will you marry me?
”
“Things have happened so fast. I’m still figuring it out. ”
“It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.
I can wait. ”
“I could say yes. But what’s holding you back? ”
“It depends on your performance.
If you do a good job, I might just say yes. ”
“When exactly do I get my performance review? ”
“The kind that happens in the bedroom. ”
Months later, I felt lightheaded during a meeting.
Vincent caught me. “Joanna. Joanna, what’s wrong? Are you all right?
”
I looked at him, breathless. “You’re going to be a dad. ”
And for the first time in a very long time, I let myself be happy.
