My Ex-Wife is a Multi-Billionaire!

NINA I grew up with my head in the clouds. Watching a lot of Disney cartoons had made me believe that love was sweet and beautiful and everyone had someone that belonged exclusively to them. I used to think that love was universal. Free for all. Little did I know that love always came with a price tag. And I had just been taxed a s**t load of money just because I liked a man. My jaw dropped open as I stared at the notification on my cell phone. This was ridiculous. My ex had, apparently, moved almost all the money in one of my accounts. And it was just minutes after he sent me a very bullshit text about wanting more out of life and not willing to drag me along with him. I had thought getting dumped over text was bad. But getting dumped and duped at the same time, by the same person? The award of the person with the most unlucky love life belonged to me. And to think that I actually liked the guy. He had seemed to like me too, but like my previous partners had done to me, it became kind of obvious that each and every one of them only wanted me for my money. I felt like a prize, like a woman in display. Like I was nothing but a bank account and never eligible to be a real life partner, and the thought made my heart pang. This wasn't fair. I hadn't chosen to be one of the wealthiest woman in the entire country. Hell, I had not chosen this life for myself. And while it certainly had its perks, I was quickly getting tired of going through the same circle over and over again. Standing before my mirror, I stared at myself for a long, long time. If I was going to find love, I needed to find a way to do it without risking my potential partners pretending to love me just for for the money. How was I supposed to do that then? Drug their drink with a few drops of the truth serum and ask them if their love was for me or for the big, fat, wads of money sitting prettily in my account? Take them to a fortune seller to ask what their intentions were? Swear a blood oath? None of these solutions sounded sensible, and a small part of me was beginning to worry that I was losing my mind by even considering these ridiculous options. I needed to do something though. Age wasn't really on my side again, and soft girl that I was, I really, really wanted to be in love. I wanted to have someone to care about me. To make me feel mushy and absolutely adored. Someone who would treat me like the princess that I was, and love me wholeheartedly. But most importantly, someone who would love me the way I was, and not because of my money. As I stared at the breakup message, a plan began to form in my head. What was that one thing I could do that would earn me the love of a man? There was something nibbling at the back of my mind, but it wasn't a solid idea yet. My phone buzzed with an incoming text message, but I ignored it. Then, all of a sudden, without prior warning, it hit me. I had the perfect solution to my problem. The one way to fall in love and find the man made for me was to go incognito. Shed away the skin of my former life. Start afresh. My lips stretched into a wide smile. This seemed like a good enough place to start. A solution firmly in mind, I grabbed my cleanser and started the first step of my skincare routine. Layla was going to lose her s**t once she heard about this plan of mine, but it was the only option I had. Operation Fall in love without getting duped was on. Resolution firmly in mind, I picked up my phone and dialed my two best friends on facetime. Iris picked up first. Her exuberant face filled the screen, and a smile tugged on my lips. “Hey girl,” she greeted warmly, and I was about to respond when another face joined the facetime. Layla looked like she had just woken up, and I could see Iris trying not to laugh at our sleepy faced, cute best friend. “Hi, Nina. If Iris doesn't stop making that face I am going to find her and take her credit card.” That stopped Iris immediately. “So…I called you guys because I wanted to say something,” I started. “And here I thought it was because you missed us,” Iris rolled her eyes dramatically. “Of course I missed you. Why would you think…you know what? Forget it. You're just trying to mess with me,” I mock glared at her. Layla sighed at the bickering. “Just tell us the news already, Nina. I want to go back to sleep.” I nodded, steeling myself for their reactions. “I got dumped. Again. And this one took a couple million dollars.” There was a very teeny, tiny moment of silence, and then Iris lost her s**t. “What the hell, man? He did what? I am so going to kill him,” she snapped, her hands flying over the screen of her phone and I immediately knew she was trying to look for my ex boyfriend's social media page. “Iris. Please, stop. I am not done speaking,” I said quickly in an attempt to stop her from doing something ridiculous. Layla rolled her eyes at Iris before turning to face me. “I am so sorry about that, Nina. Really.” My best friend's soft voice suddenly made me feel a little bit mushy. “Do you need me to come over? I can bring tons of ice cream if you want,” Iris offered. I shook my head. “That's a very nice thought, babe. But I have something else to say. I have decided, in the quest of finding true love, to go incognito. Erase my identity and create a new one. Find a man who will love me without the shackles of my money.” Another tense silence descended. Layla looked like she just saw a ghost, and Iris seemed frozen in place. Layla recovered first. You sure you can pull that off?” Layla asked, her heart shaped lips curled into what seemed to be a pout. I opened my lips to respond, but Iris beat me to it. “Of course she can. She's Nina freaking Russel. f**k each and every one of the guys that were involved was with her at one point or the other. My girl deserves better, and she's going to get it without having the weight of her identity hanging over her.” I grinned, my lips splitting into a wide smile at my best friend's words. Iris and Layla were my favourite people, the two women that meant the most to me in the entire world. But if I were to choose between them, I would most definitely go for Iris — that was a lie. I loved Layla as much as I loved Iris. Life of the party, spontaneous, impulsive and gorgeous as f**k, Iris was the perfect example of ‘do it now, and think about the consequences later.’ On the other hand, my perfectly reasonable, cool headed best friend, Layla, rolled her eyes. “Come on, Iris. I know we are all bothered and worried about Nina, but don't you think this is a little bit too… over the top? I mean, she's going to make herself invisible. And all for what?” Iris rolled her eyes and I kept my expression blank, trying not to laugh at the expression Iris was making. Layla went on. “I believe a man that is meant for her, who will love her with and without the money tied to her identity, will find her. She doesn't need to go through this.” “Actually, Lay. I think I am willing to really give this plan, crazy as it might seem, a trial. I am genuinely tired of this back and forth. I am not a coupon, or an ATM machine. This is the fourth guy, Lay. Try to see this from my own perspective.” “Okay. Fine. I guess you have a point. You do know that to achieve this, you're going have to leave everything behind, right? Your job. Your house. Your privileges. Every single thing.” I nodded. “I know. Getting a new job is going to be very easy though, and I can just buy a new house. Relocate.” Iris tensed at my last words. “Hold up. Relocate? You're leaving us?” I smiled at how worried she instantly sounded. “No, my darling. I won't leave you, don't worry. I'll just move to a quieter neighborhood,” I stated. “Better,” she muttered, rolling her eyes at me all the way from the comfort of her home. I clapped my hands together. “Now that the most important decision has been taken care off, I think we should head out. Blow off some steam. Celebrate.” Layla groaned and palmed her head at my words, but Iris whopped, a mischievous gleam on her face. “My son will be home soon. You guys go on without me,” Layla said somberly, but both Iris and I recognised that the excuse was a smooth, almost perfect lie. I raised my eyebrows. “Your son won't be back till eight pm, and he's with his Father. What are you on about, woman?” “Ugh, I don't want to go,” she whined. “Please, Lay. Just this once. Before the start of my new life,” I said with a pout. My best friend sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. I'll go with you on one condition. I get to chose the venue, not Iris.” Iris immediately launched into a very detailed — and better unsaid — dramatic expletives. I smiled, Layla stuck her tongue out, and Iris groaned with defeat. We all decided to meet at the location, and on my way to the destination, I knew my mind was made up. Any man I met now would have to go up against the new me. And if he passed my test, he would win himself a very beautiful, filthy rich wife.