Part 2Reborn, I Destroyed My Vile Wife and Took Back Everything

"Then it's a date!" Serena's eyes lit up. She quickly added, "You should take the Aston Martin. It's been sitting in the garage forever. It needs a good run."

"Whatever you say."

She nodded in satisfaction and turned back into the closet to change her outfit.

Serena, were you really that impatient?

I pulled out my phone and shot a text to Marcus, my head of security. "Are we ready?"

Marcus replied instantly. "Everything is in position."

I deleted the text thread and slid the phone back into my pocket.

Before I left the house, Serena thoughtfully adjusted my tie and pressed the keys to the Aston Martin directly into my palm. "Drive safe, honey. I'll be waiting for you right here."

I leaned down and placed a flawless, deceptive kiss on her forehead. "Okay. Wait for me."

Wait for the spectacular gift I had prepared for you.

The sports car roared out of the gated community, speeding toward the western outskirts. I didn't drive fast. I intentionally idled at several traffic lights, giving Serena more than enough time to confirm I was on the road.

Checking the rearview mirror, I spotted a black sedan tailing me from a distance. It was Derek's men.

I let out a cold laugh and slammed my foot on the gas.

Half an hour later, I pulled into an abandoned gas station near the canyon, the prearranged swap point. A black SUV was already idling in the shadows.

Sitting in the driver's seat was my most trusted operative, Jax, a former professional stunt driver.

"Bail out at the second hairpin turn. Are you sure you can pull this off? They are tailing me tight. We can't afford a single mistake."

Jax took the keys to the Aston Martin and flashed a confident grin. "Mr. Wright, I could do this blindfolded."

I patted his shoulder, got into the SUV, and drove off in the opposite direction.

...

At ten o'clock sharp, breaking news alerts flooded every screen in the city.

BREAKING: Gideon Wright, Chairman of Pinnacle Group, missing after fatal car crash off Westridge Canyon cliff. Presumed dead.

I was sitting in my heavily fortified safehouse. A massive wall of monitors illuminated the dark room, broadcasting live feeds from my corporate headquarters and my private estate. Everything was right under my nose.

On one of the screens, I watched the living room of my own house. Serena was collapsed on the sofa, clutching her phone, crying hysterically. "Husband... how could you leave me all alone... I don't want to live without you..."

I watched her performance with ice in my veins.

The doorbell rang. Serena instantly wiped away her fake tears and practically sprinted to the door.

Derek stood on the porch, holding a bottle of vintage champagne. "Get in here!"

She yanked him inside, slammed the door, and ripped the curtains shut. She began jumping up and down like a lunatic. "It worked. It really worked!"

Derek wrapped his arms around her waist, a massive, arrogant grin on his face.

Suddenly, Serena pushed him away. She marched to the center of the living room, ripped our massive wedding portrait off the wall, and smashed it onto the floor. She stomped on the glass twice. "Just looking at him makes me sick."

She bent down, ripped my face out of the canvas, tore it in half, and tossed it into the trash can. "I'm hiring a crew tomorrow to gut this place. We're hanging our wedding photos up instead."

Derek frowned slightly. "Gideon is only listed as missing. He hasn't been legally declared dead yet. We have to wait out the legal probation period."

Serena's eyes darted around, calculating. "I'll file a petition for an expedited death certificate. I'll tell the courts he suffered from severe clinical depression and had suicidal tendencies." "I've already bribed the medical examiner. We'll have the court order in three days." "Once I inherit his company, it won't matter even if he magically survives."

Derek gave her a thumbs-up. "I always knew I picked a brilliant woman."

Serena smiled smugly, wrapping her arms around Derek's neck. "So... does that mean we can finally celebrate?"

Derek scooped her into his arms and carried her toward my bedroom.

Sitting in the glow of the monitors, I casually picked up my teacup and took a slow sip.

Serena. Derek. Enjoy the high while it lasts. Because the higher you climb, the harder you will shatter when you fall. Especially that brilliant idea to expedite the death certificate. You just saved me a lot of bureaucratic red tape.

I picked up my phone and texted Marcus. "Execute the next phase. Cooperate with her legal filings. Let her officially take over the company. Hand the empty shell right into her greedy hands."