Billionaire, Let's Divorce! by BELLA

DENNIS

I slammed my fist on Cole's desk, causing everything on top to rattle.

"What the hell do you mean you can't find him?"

"Did I hear you well or have I suddenly developed an ear problem?"

Cole shrank back. His eyes were wide with fear and remorse.

"I'm sorry man, I've tried everything. James just...disappeared without a trace after taking all our investments."

Rage boiled inside me. I grabbed Cole by the lapels and shoved him against the wall.

"You're supposed to be the expert! You vouched for this guy!"

"I know, I know," Cole sputtered, hands up defensively.

"Believe me, I'm just as gutted as you are. I lost every penny too!"

I sneered.

"Yeah? Well it's a lot easier for you to be casual about losing pocket change. I put in $100,000 man! Do you have any idea how much I sacrificed for that?"

The memories flooded back, of all the rights I had to part with to raise that money. I thought that if the investment paid off, I could buy a whole new collection and more. Now all I had to show for it was NOTHING. Letting go of Cole, I ran shaky hands through my hair. I started pacing, mind racing over how I could possibly make this right. The bars were doing well, but not well enough to absorb that steep a loss quickly. "I'm ruined..." I muttered, then whirled on Cole again.

"This is on you! You talked me into this scheme with your big dreams about life-changing profits!"

Cole flinched at my booming voice.

"I didn't know he was going to run a damn Ponzi scheme! The backgrounds, documentation, it all checked out!"

it clearly didn't!" I grabbed a glass paperweight from the desk and hurled it across

secretary stuck her head in, alarmed.

roared, causing the woman to shrink

I fought for control. I lifted

me there's still a way to track this bastard down and get our

shake

man. He covered his tracks too

of my restraint. I flipped the desk with an animalistic bellow, raining papers and office

a crystal decanter from the liquor cart and heaved it against the wall, shattering it into a

stormed out and slammed

hard the frame nearly splintered. I ripped my suit jacket off as

the parking lot

my face. When

gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. I exploded with a strangled cry of anguish, pummeling

"Stupid...fucking...idiot!"

another bone-jarring strike against the

had to be some terrible

through my hands chased away any hope of waking up. It was all

slumped forward to rest

forehead on

crashed down around me. I sold

I owned and liquidated nearly every asset to raise that $100,000 investment-all

spat at my own

to chance it all for more. For what? To get played like a

in an instant because of my greed and one man's deception. I squeezed my eyes

gambled

enough to drive home. I fumbled the key into the ignition,

key didn't turn. It was stuck fast, defying my increasingly frantic

no, no!" I growled as I wrenched