YT YouTube2Text

YouTube2Text → Transcripts → He Paraded His New Wife At The Gala—Not Knowing His Ex Just Became The Secret Billionaire Boss

He Paraded His New Wife At The Gala—Not Knowing His Ex Just Became The Secret Billionaire Boss — Transcript

by When Riches Betray · 7,913 words · 1,396 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

Open in transcriber Summarize with AI Download SRT/VTT

Full transcript

0:00Divorce papers usually signal an end,
0:03but for Greg Mitchell, they were a
0:05victory lap.
0:06He didn't just leave his wife, he
0:09scorched the earth, parading his
0:1124-year-old upgrade around Chicago while
0:14Sarah scraped together change for
0:16coffee.
0:18Greg thought he had finally won the
0:20lottery of life, shedding the dead
0:22weight of his past.
0:24He had no idea that while he was busy
0:27bragging about a leased Audi and a
0:29trophy wife, Sarah was exactly 48 hours
0:32away from a phone call that would turn
0:34her into his boss and the sole owner of
0:36the billion-dollar empire he was
0:38desperate to join. Betrayal has a price,
0:41and Sarah was about to collect it.
0:44The sound of a ceramic plate hitting the
0:46floor didn't shatter the silence. It
0:48just punctuated it.
0:51Sarah stood in the middle of the kitchen
0:53looking at the broken pieces of her
0:55favorite pasta bowl.
0:57Across the granite island, granite she
0:59had spent 3 years saving to install,
1:02Greg didn't even flinch. He just checked
1:05his watch, a heavy brushed steel Tag
1:08Heuer that cost more than Sarah's first
1:11car.
1:13"You're being dramatic, Sarah." Greg
1:15said, his voice smooth, practiced.
1:19It was his sales voice, the one he used
1:22to close deals on mid-range software
1:24packages. "I'm not doing this to hurt
1:26you. I'm doing this because I've
1:29evolved. We're
1:31mismatched."
1:33Sarah looked up, her eyes burning but
1:35dry.
1:36"Mismatched? Greg, I worked two jobs so
1:39you could get your MBA. I paid the rent
1:41on this apartment for 4 years while you
1:42networked at golf courses."
1:44Greg sighed, running a hand through his
1:46perfectly gelled hair.
1:48He walked over to the fridge, grabbing a
1:49sparkling water. "And I appreciate that,
1:51really.
1:52But let's be honest.
1:54Look at you." He gestured vaguely at her
1:56outfit.
1:57"Oversized sweatpants and a stained
2:00university hoodie. I'm moving into a
2:02different tax bracket, Sarah. I need a
2:05partner who looks the part. Someone who
2:08understands the aesthetics of success.
2:11The aesthetics of success, Sarah
2:14repeated, the words tasting like ash.
2:17Is that what you call Tiffany?
2:20Greg's jaw tightened.
2:22Leave Tiffany out of this. She supports
2:24my vision.
2:26She's young, she's vibrant, and frankly,
2:29she doesn't smell like bleach and
2:31desperation.
2:33That was the dagger.
2:35Sarah worked as an assistant manager at
2:38a high-volume catering company.
2:40She spent her days scrubbing equipment
2:42and managing chaotic schedules so Greg
2:44could buy tailored suits. I want you out
2:47by Friday, Greg said, setting the water
2:49down. I've already spoken to the
2:51landlord. Since my name is the primary
2:54on the lease, and you've missed the last
2:56two utility payments, Because I paid
2:58your credit card bill, Sarah screamed,
3:01her composure cracking. Details, Greg
3:04waved a hand dismissively. The point is
3:07Tiffany is moving in on Saturday. We're
3:09redecorating. I'd [clears throat]
3:11appreciate it if you didn't leave a
3:12mess.
3:13He walked to the door, grabbing his
3:15coat. Oh, and Sarah, don't try to fight
3:18the pre-nup. I know we didn't have money
3:20when we signed it, but my lawyer says it
3:23holds up. You leave with what you
3:25brought in,
3:26which if I recall,
3:28is nothing.
3:30The door clicked shut.
3:33Sarah didn't cry.
3:35She couldn't.
3:36The shock was too absolute. She looked
3:38around the apartment in Chicago's
3:40Lincoln Park, a place she had made a
3:42home, and realized she was being evicted
3:46from her own life.
3:47She packed her life into four cardboard
3:49boxes.
3:51She moved into a studio apartment in a
3:52crumbling building near the airport, a
3:54place where the radiators clanked all
3:56night and the sirens never stopped. For
3:593 weeks, she lived on instant noodles.
4:01She blocked Greg on social media, but
4:03she couldn't block the mutual friends.
4:06The texts trickled in. Screenshots she
4:08didn't want to see.
4:10Greg and Tiffany in Cabo. Greg buying a
4:13new Audi.
4:14Greg posting a photo of a diamond ring
4:16with the caption, "Finally found a
4:18diamond that shines as bright as my
4:21future."
4:22He was bragging. He was loudly, publicly
4:25celebrating her erasure. He wasn't just
4:27happy. He was euphoric that he had shed
4:30her.
4:31Sarah sat on her futon, staring at her
4:34bank account. Balance: $412.50.
4:39She had to go to work tomorrow. She had
4:41to smile at clients. She had to pretend
4:44her heart wasn't a jagged ruin in her
4:46chest.
4:48Two months later, the unavoidable
4:50happened.
4:51It was the annual Chicago Young
4:54Professionals Gala.
4:55Sarah wouldn't have gone, but her boss,
4:57a stern woman named Linda, insisted.
5:00"We're catering the event, Sarah. I need
5:02you on the floor making sure the servers
5:03don't drop the shrimp."
5:05So, Sarah was there. Not as a guest, but
5:07as staff.
5:08She wore the company uniform. Black
5:10slacks, a white button-down, and a black
5:12apron. She was invisible. A ghost moving
5:15between the high-top tables, refilling
5:18wine glasses.
5:19And then,
5:20she heard him.
5:22"It's all about leverage, boys. You have
5:24to know when to cut your losses."
5:27Greg was standing near the ice
5:28sculpture, holding court. He was
5:31surrounded by four other men, all in
5:33expensive tuxedos. Clinging to his arm
5:37was Tiffany.
5:38Tiffany was stunning, objectively.
5:41Blonde, statuesque, wearing a red silk
5:45gown that likely cost more than Sarah's
5:47annual rent.
5:49She was laughing at everything Greg
5:51said, her hand stroking his bicep.
5:54Sarah tried to turn away, to duck into
5:57the kitchen,
5:58but the crowd was too dense. "Greg!"
6:01someone shouted. "Is that your ex?"
6:04The air left the room.
6:06Greg turned, his eyes scanning the crowd
6:09until they landed on Sarah.
6:11For a second, he looked panicked. Then a
6:13smirk curled his lips. He whispered
6:15something to Tiffany, who giggled, and
6:16they walked over. "Sarah," Greg said,
6:19his voice loud enough to attract
6:20onlookers. "I didn't know you
6:22attended these things."
6:24He looked her up and down, noting the
6:26apron.
6:27"Ah, working.
6:29Good for you.
6:30It's honest work." Tiffany chimed in,
6:33her voice high and breathy.
6:35"Oh, is this the Sarah you told me
6:37about? The one who loved coupons?"
6:41The men behind Greg chuckled. Sarah
6:43gripped the tray of empty glasses so
6:45hard her knuckles turned white. "Hello,
6:47Greg. Tiffany. Enjoying the event?"
6:51"We are." Greg beamed, puffed up with
6:54arrogance. "Actually, we're celebrating.
6:57I just landed a massive account.
7:00Halloway Logistics. You know them?
7:03Global shipping.
7:04I'm going to be the lead director of
7:06North American sales. Big bonus coming
7:09in."
7:10Sarah froze. Halloway Logistics. The
7:13name sounded vaguely familiar, but she
7:15couldn't place it.
7:16"That's nice, Greg." She said quietly.
7:18"It's more than nice, sweetie." Greg
7:20stepped closer, lowering his voice so
7:22only she could hear.
7:24"It's vindication. I told you I was
7:25destined for big things. You were just
7:27holding me back. Look at you, serving
7:29drinks while I'm about to buy a vacation
7:32home in Aspen."
7:33He reached out and patted her shoulder,
7:36a condescending, pitying tap. "If you
7:39need a tip, let me know.
7:41I'm feeling generous."
7:43He pulled a hundred-dollar bill from his
7:45pocket and tucked it into her apron
7:47pocket. The room seemed to tilt.
7:50The humiliation was physical, a hot wave
7:52of nausea.
7:54People were watching.
7:56Some looked pitying, others amused.
7:59Sarah stared at the bill sticking out of
8:01her pocket.
8:03She wanted to scream.
8:05She wanted to throw the drink in his
8:06face.
8:08Instead, she took a breath.
8:10She pulled the bill out, placed it on
8:12his passing tray,
8:14and looked him in the eye.
8:16Keep it, Greg. You're going to need it
8:18more than I do.
8:20She turned and walked into the kitchen,
8:22her head held high, shaking with rage.
8:24She didn't know how prophetic her words
8:26were.
8:28The letter arrived on a Tuesday, buried
8:30under a stack of final notice bills for
8:32medical expenses Sarah had incurred for
8:34her late mother years ago. Another debt
8:37Greg had promised to help with, then
8:39abandoned.
8:41The envelope was thick, cream-colored,
8:43and heavy. The return address was
8:45embossed in gold leaf.
8:47Pendleton, O'Malley, and Associates,
8:50attorneys at law.
8:52Sarah opened it with a trembling hand,
8:54expecting a lawsuit. Maybe Greg was
8:57suing her for the coffee maker she took.
9:00Dear Ms. Sarah Mitchell,
9:02it is with solemn duty that we inform
9:04you of the passing of Mr. Frederick
9:06Arthur Holloway.
9:09Sarah frowned.
9:11Uncle Fred?
9:13She remembered him only as a grumpy,
9:15reclusive old man she had visited a few
9:18times as a child with her grandmother.
9:21He had been the black sheep of the
9:22family, a man who refused to attend
9:25holidays and lived in a dusty old estate
9:27outside of Seattle.
9:28Her grandmother had always said, "Fred
9:30just likes his books more than people."
9:33She hadn't seen him in 20 years. She had
9:35sent him a Christmas card every year,
9:37mostly out of habit, and usually
9:39included a short letter updating him on
9:41her life.
9:42He never replied. As per the last will
9:45and testament of Mr. Holloway, you have
9:47been named the sole beneficiary of his
9:49estate.
9:51Sarah blinked.
9:52Sole beneficiary?
9:54She assumed that meant the dusty house
9:57and maybe a collection of old books.
10:00It might be enough to pay off her debts,
10:02maybe $50,000 if she was lucky.
10:05Please contact our offices immediately
10:07to arrange for the reading of the will
10:09and the transfer of assets.
10:12She called the number. A secretary put
10:14her through immediately to a man named
10:16Arthur Pendleton.
10:18Miss Mitchell, the voice was grave but
10:20kind. We've been trying to find you.
10:23Your address seems to have changed
10:25recently.
10:26Yes, Sarah said, sitting on the floor of
10:28her studio. I went through a divorce.
10:31I see. Can you come to our Chicago
10:33branch tomorrow? We need to go over the
10:35portfolio.
10:36Portfolio? Sarah asked. Mr. Pendleton,
10:39is there enough to cover the travel? I'm
10:40a bit tight
10:43right now.
10:44There was a long pause on the other end.
10:45Miss Mitchell, Pendleton said, his voice
10:48dropping an octave.
10:50Mr. Holloway was a very private man. He
10:52didn't like publicity.
10:54But he was the silent founder and
10:56majority shareholder of Holloway Global
10:59Logistics.
11:01The phone slipped from Sarah's ear.
11:03Holloway Logistics, the company Greg had
11:05just been hired by, the company Greg was
11:08bragging about.
11:09I don't understand, Sarah whispered.
11:12Frederick Holloway owned 51% of the
11:15company along with substantial real
11:18estate holdings in Seattle, New York,
11:20and Zurich, Pendleton continued. He
11:23followed your life closely, Miss
11:25Mitchell. He received every letter you
11:27sent. He knew about your struggles.
11:30He knew you were the only one who didn't
11:32ask him for money.
11:34Sarah felt light-headed. How much are we
11:36talking about?
11:37After taxes and charitable deductions,
11:40Pendleton said, the liquid assets are
11:41valued at approximately 1.2 billion
11:44dollars. The stock valuation puts your
11:46controlling interest at another 4
11:48billion. You are, effectively, the owner
11:51of the company.
11:53Sarah sat in silence. The radiator
11:56clanked.
11:57A siren wailed outside. Miss Mitchell,
12:00are you there? I'm here, she squeaked.
12:04There is one condition, Pendleton said.
12:07Your uncle was very specific. He knew
12:10you were going through a divorce. He had
12:12private investigators watching your
12:15situation.
12:16He didn't like how you were treated.
12:19Sarah's skin prickled.
12:21He watched me?
12:23He protected you. The condition is this,
12:26you must take an active role on the
12:28board. You are not to sell the shares
12:31for at least 1 year.
12:33You have to learn the business.
12:35He wanted you to find your backbone, if
12:38I may be so bold.
12:40Sarah looked at the instant noodles on
12:42her counter. Then she thought about
12:44Greg. She thought about the $100 bill he
12:46had tucked into her apron.
12:48She thought about Tiffany laughing at
12:49her. "Mr. Pendleton," Sarah said, her
12:52voice steadying, "what time should I be
12:54there?"
12:55Here are part four and part five of the
12:57story.
12:58The transition from Sarah the catering
13:00manager to Sarah Holloway, majority
13:03shareholder, did not happen with a magic
13:05wand. It happened in a windowless
13:07boardroom on the 45th floor of the
13:10Pendleton and O'Malley building.
13:12And it was grueling.
13:14For the first week, Sarah felt like an
13:16impostor. She sat at a mahogany table
13:19that was longer than her entire studio
13:21apartment, listening to Arthur Pendleton
13:24and a team of financial advisers speak a
13:26language she didn't understand.
13:29EBITDA
13:30Q3 projections, liquidity ratios,
13:34hostile takeover defense.
13:37"I think we should hire a proxy to vote
13:39your shares, Miss Mitchell," suggested
13:42Charles Verify, a senior accountant who
13:44looked at Sarah with thinly veiled
13:46disdain.
13:47He saw her cheap shoes. He saw the way
13:49she hesitated before speaking.
13:51"You can take the dividends, buy a nice
13:53house on the coast, and let the
13:55professionals handle the logistics
13:56empire. It's a beast of a company. It
13:59eats the weak."
14:01Sarah looked at him.
14:02Three days ago, she would have agreed.
14:05She would have taken the check and run.
14:07But the image of Greg's smirk at the
14:09gala was burned into her retinas.
14:12"If you You a tip, let me know."
14:15She wasn't doing this for the money
14:17anymore. She was doing it for the woman
14:19who had scrubbed pasta sauce off
14:21industrial stoves for 4 years while her
14:24husband played pretend executive.
14:28"No proxy." Sarah said. Her voice was
14:30quiet, but it didn't shake.
14:32"My uncle didn't leave this company to a
14:34proxy.
14:36He left it to me.
14:37If I'm too weak, I'll learn to be
14:39strong.
14:41If I'm uneducated, teach me."
14:43Arthur Pendleton smiled, a genuine sharp
14:46smile. "Excellent answer. Gentlemen,
14:48clear your schedules. We're going to
14:50school."
14:51The next 3 months were a blur of
14:53transformation. Sarah quit the catering
14:55job citing family issues.
14:57She moved out of the studio and into a
14:58secure high-end condominium in the Gold
15:01Coast district under the name of a shell
15:03LLC to keep her identity private. She
15:06hired a team,
15:08not stylists at first, but tutors.
15:11She spent 12 hours a day learning
15:13corporate structure, global shipping
15:16logistics, and the specific inner
15:18workings of Holloway Global.
15:20She memorized the names of the board
15:22members. She studied the flow of goods
15:24from Shanghai to Rotterdam.
15:27Then came the physical transformation.
15:30It wasn't vanity.
15:31It was [snorts] armor.
15:34She hired a consultant named Beatrice, a
15:37terrifying woman who had styled first
15:39ladies.
15:40Beatrice threw out every piece of
15:42clothing Sarah owned.
15:44"You dress like you're apologizing for
15:46your existence." Beatrice said holding
15:49up a beige cardigan with two fingers.
15:51"Burn it. When you walk into a room, you
15:54are the gravity. You don't ask for
15:55attention. You command it."
15:58They cut her hair.
15:59Gone was the limp shoulder-length
16:00ponytail. In its place was a sharp
16:03asymmetrical bob dyed a rich dark
16:05chestnut that made her green eyes look
16:07dangerous.
16:08She learned to walk in Italian heels,
16:11not the clunky ones she used to wear to
16:13weddings, but sleek lethal stilettos.
16:16She learned to apply makeup that
16:18highlighted her cheekbones, making her
16:20look angular and severe.
16:23When she looked in the mirror 3 months
16:24later,
16:25she didn't recognize herself. The tired,
16:28fearful woman was gone.
16:31In her place was a stranger who looked
16:33like she could buy the building she was
16:35standing in, which, technically, she
16:37could.
16:38But, the most important part of her
16:40transformation wasn't the clothes. It
16:43was the information.
16:45She had requested the personnel files of
16:47the North American sales division.
16:50Specifically, she wanted the file of the
16:53newly appointed director, Gregory
16:55Mitchell.
16:56Sarah sat in her home office, a glass of
16:58expensive red wine in hand, and opened
17:00the digital file.
17:02Greg had lied. He had told her and
17:04everyone at that gala that he was a
17:06superstar.
17:08The file told a different story. His
17:10sales numbers were slightly above
17:11average, but his client retention rate
17:13was abysmal. There were notes from HR
17:16about inappropriate delegation of tasks
17:19and taking credit for team efforts.
17:22He hadn't landed the Holloway job
17:24because of his brilliance. He had landed
17:26it because the previous director, a man
17:29named David Ross, was an old fraternity
17:32brother of Greg's.
17:33It was cronyism, pure and simple.
17:36And then, she saw the expenses.
17:39Greg had a corporate credit card. In the
17:42last 2 months, he had charged $15,000
17:45in client entertainment.
17:49Sarah cross-referenced the dates.
17:51May 12th, dinner at Le Bernardin, NYC,
17:54$800. Client listed, TechCorp. May 12th,
17:58Greg's Instagram post showing him and
18:00Tiffany at a Broadway show in NYC with a
18:02caption, "Spoiling my girl."
18:05June 4th, office supplies, $2,400.
18:08June 4th, a receipt from an electronic
18:10store for a 75-in OLED TV. He wasn't
18:13just arrogant.
18:15He was stealing. He was embezzling from
18:17the company and now owned.
18:20She picked up her phone and dialed
18:21Pendleton.
18:23"Arthur," she said, her voice cool and
18:25crisp. "I'm ready for the board meeting.
18:28But before we announce the ownership
18:30change publicly, I want to pay a visit
18:32to the Chicago branch incognito."
18:36"Incognito, Ms. Mitchell?"
18:39"Yes. Introduce me as a consultant sent
18:41by the trust to audit efficiency.
18:44I want to see Mr. Mitchell in his
18:45natural habitat before I tear it down."
18:50Greg Mitchell was feeling untouchable.
18:53He sat in his corner office.
18:55Well,
18:56it wasn't a corner office,
18:58but it had a window, spinning a stress
19:01ball and looking at his reflection in
19:03the computer monitor.
19:05Life was good.
19:06Tiffany had just moved in, and while she
19:09was high-maintenance, she was currently
19:11demanding they upgrade to a penthouse.
19:13She looked incredible on his arm. He had
19:15maxed out two personal credit cards to
19:17pay for the lease on the Audi and the
19:19deposit on the new apartment, but it
19:21didn't matter. The quarterly bonus was
19:22coming. David Ross, his his buddy and
19:25boss, had promised him a fat check.
19:28"Greg."
19:29He spun around.
19:31It was Toby, the junior analyst.
19:34Toby was 22, brilliant,
19:37and terrified of Greg.
19:39"What is it, Toby? I'm busy
19:41strategizing," Greg snapped, minimizing
19:44the window where he was browsing luxury
19:46watches. "I finished the proposal for
19:48the logistics merger in Detroit," Toby
19:51said, handing over a thick binder. "I
19:53stayed up all night. The projections are
19:56solid. I think this could save the
19:58company 3 million a year."
20:01Greg took the binder and flipped through
20:03it.
20:04It was good.
20:05It was very good.
20:06It was the kind of work that got people
20:08promoted.
20:10"Leave it with me," Greg said
20:11dismissively. "I'll clean it up. It's a
20:13bit rough around the edges. Oh, okay. Do
20:16you think I can present it at the
20:17regional meeting on Friday?"
20:19Greg laughed. "Toby, Toby, Toby, you're
20:21not ready for the sharks. I'll present
20:23it. I'll make sure your name is
20:25mentioned.
20:27Toby's shoulders slumped, but he nodded
20:29and left.
20:30As soon as the door closed, Greg opened
20:32the file, deleted the title page that
20:34said, "Prepared by Toby Evans", and
20:37typed in, "Prepared by Gregory Mitchell,
20:41Director of Sales."
20:43He hit print.
20:45Later that afternoon,
20:46David Ross poked his head in.
20:49David was a large man with a red face
20:51and a loud laugh. "Heads up, G-man."
20:54David said. "We've got a visitor. Some
20:57auditor sent by the Holloway estate.
20:59Apparently, since the old man died, the
21:02lawyers are sniffing around."
21:04Greg rolled his eyes. "Great. Some bean
21:07counter.
21:09Do I need to hide the good scotch?"
21:12"Just look busy." David winked. "She's
21:14supposed to be a real hard ass.
21:17Name is Miss Miles or something. She's
21:20touring the floor in 10 minutes."
21:22"I can handle a woman with a
21:23calculator." Greg said, straightening
21:26his tie. "I'll dazzle her."
21:2810 minutes later, the floor went quiet.
21:31Greg stood up and walked to the door of
21:32his office, leaning against the frame to
21:34get a good look. He wanted to see what
21:36kind of dowdy librarian they had sent.
21:39Then he saw her.
21:40Walking next to David Ross was a woman
21:42who looked like she had just stepped off
21:45a runway in Milan.
21:47She wore a charcoal gray pencil skirt
21:50that fit perfectly, a cream silk blouse,
21:53and a blazer that screamed expensive.
21:56Her heels clicked on the linoleum with a
21:58rhythm that sounded like a ticking
22:00clock. She had oversized sunglasses on,
22:03pushing them up into a dark, angular
22:05hair as she scanned the room.
22:08She held a tablet in one hand, tapping
22:10on it with a manicured nail.
22:13Greg felt a stir of interest.
22:16"Hello, nurse." he thought.
22:18This wasn't a librarian.
22:20This was a player.
22:22He watched as she stopped at Toby's
22:24desk. She leaned down, said something to
22:26the kid, and Toby lit up, pointing at
22:28his screen. She smiled, a rare, brief
22:31smile, and nodded.
22:33Then she turned towards the offices.
22:35"And this," David Ross said, his voice
22:37booming, "is our director of sales, Greg
22:39Mitchell. Top talent." Greg flashed his
22:41thousand-watt smile. He stepped forward,
22:44extending a hand. "Pleasure to meet you.
22:47I'm Greg, and you are?"
22:50The woman stopped 5 ft away. She didn't
22:53take his hand.
22:54She just looked at him.
22:56>> [clears throat]
22:56>> Her eyes were green,
22:58piercingly familiar green.
23:01For a second, Greg's brain
23:03short-circuited. The eyes looked like
23:05Sarah's.
23:07But the rest of her?
23:09The glowing skin, the sharp jawline, the
23:12aura of absolute power?
23:16It couldn't be.
23:18Sarah was a mouse.
23:19This woman was a lioness.
23:22"I'm Ms. Miles," Sarah said.
23:25Her voice was deeper, controlled,
23:27stripped of the apologetic tone she used
23:29to have. She didn't blink. "I'm
23:32reviewing the department's efficiency."
23:34"Well, Ms. Miles." Greg lowered his
23:36voice to a smooth purr. "If you need a
23:38tour, I'd be happy to show you the
23:40ropes. We run a tight ship here."
23:42"Do you?" She looked past him into his
23:44office. "Is that a 75-in television on
23:47your wall, Mr. Mitchell?"
23:49Greg's smile faltered. "Ah, yes, for
23:51video conferencing. Client
23:53presentations." "I see."
23:56She tapped something on her tablet.
23:58"And the merger proposal on your desk?
24:00The Detroit project?" "Yes." Greg
24:03beamed, happy to shift the subject.
24:06"Just finished it. It's a game-changer.
24:09My baby."
24:10"Your baby?" She repeated. Her
24:13expression was unreadable. "Impressive
24:16work." "N- n-
24:18that's why I'm the director." Greg
24:20chuckled, relaxing. He thought, she
24:22likes me. I've got this.
24:25"We'll see," she said. "I'll be
24:27observing the regional meeting on
24:29Friday.
24:30I look forward to hearing you present
24:32your work."
24:33She turned on her heel and walked away.
24:36Greg watched her go, a strange unease
24:39settling in his gut.
24:41There was something about her.
24:43The way she looked at him wasn't with
24:45admiration. It was with the cold,
24:47clinical detachment of a butcher
24:49examining a cut of meat.
24:51He went back to his desk and texted
24:52Tiffany. "Auditor is a babe, but
24:55intense. Think I charmed her, though.
24:57Bonus is in the bag. Let's book the trip
24:59to Fiji."
25:00He didn't know that three offices down,
25:02Sarah was sitting in a temporary
25:04workspace watching the security feed
25:06from his office on her tablet.
25:08She watched him text.
25:10She watched him put his feet up on the
25:12desk.
25:13She picked up her phone and called
25:15Pendleton.
25:16"He took the bait," Sarah said. "He's
25:19going to present the stolen work on
25:21Friday. Make sure the entire board is
25:23there."
25:24"And Arthur?"
25:26"Yes, Ms. Mitchell?"
25:28"Bring the forensic audit of his credit
25:30cards. I want it projected on the main
25:32screen right after his presentation."
25:35"That's
25:36exceptionally cruel, Sarah," Pendleton
25:39said, sounding delighted. "It's not
25:42cruelty, Arthur," Sarah said, watching
25:45Greg laugh at something on his phone.
25:47"It's just business. Aesthetics of
25:49success, remember?"
25:51She hung up. The trap was set. Friday
25:54wasn't just going to be a meeting. It
25:55was going to be an execution. Friday
25:58morning arrived with a sky the color of
26:00bruised iron.
26:01Inside the Holloway Global conference
26:03room, the war room as the executives
26:05called it, the atmosphere was even
26:07heavier.
26:08Greg stood at the front of the room
26:10adjusting his cufflinks. He felt a bead
26:13of sweat trickle down his back, which
26:16was annoying.
26:17He had rehearsed this. He looked good.
26:20But he hadn't expected the audience to
26:22be this large. Usually, regional
26:25meetings consisted of David Ross and a
26:28few department heads. Today, the long
26:31oval table was full. There were 12
26:34people seated, most of whom Greg didn't
26:37recognize.
26:38Men in three-piece suits, women with icy
26:42stares.
26:43And at the far end of the table, sitting
26:45in the shadows away from the projector's
26:47glare,
26:48was Ms. Miles, the auditor.
26:51She was tapping a pen against her lips,
26:53watching him.
26:54"You may begin, Mr. Mitchell." David
26:56Ross said, though he looked
26:58uncharacteristically nervous.
27:00He kept glancing at the strangers at the
27:01table.
27:02Greg cleared his throat. "Good morning.
27:05Today, I'm proud to present the Detroit
27:07optimization strategy, a plan that I
27:09have personally developed over the last
27:11month to streamline our Great Lakes
27:13supply chain."
27:15He clicked the remote. The first slide
27:17appeared. It was flashy, filled with
27:20buzzwords. Synergy, vertical
27:23integration, cost-benefit analysis.
27:27Greg launched into his speech. He was
27:29charming. He made eye contact. He used
27:32his sales voice.
27:35He explained how cutting middle
27:37management in Detroit would save 12% in
27:40Q4.
27:41He didn't notice that the people at the
27:43table weren't taking notes. They were
27:45exchanging glances.
27:47When he finished, he flashed a winning
27:49smile.
27:50"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how
27:53we take Holloway to the next level.
27:55I'm happy to take questions."
27:58Silence.
27:59Then a voice cut through the room like a
28:01whip. "The slide regarding the fuel
28:03surcharge projections," Ms. Miles said,
28:05not standing up. "You used a variable
28:07based on the 2023 index. Why didn't you
28:10use the 2024 projections released last
28:13Tuesday?"
28:14Greg froze. He hadn't written the
28:16report. Toby had. He had no idea what
28:19index was used. "Well," Greg stammered,
28:22his smile tightening. "I felt the 2023
28:24data was more
28:26stable, historically speaking."
28:29"Incorrect," Ms. Miles said. She stood
28:32up. "The 2023 index would result in a 4%
28:37underestimation of costs. It would
28:39bankrupt the Detroit hub in 6 months.
28:42Anyone who actually wrote this proposal
28:45would know that.
28:46Greg's face flushed red. Now, look here,
28:49Ms. Miles. I've been in this industry
28:52for
28:53Toby, Ms. Miles interrupted, looking
28:55towards the door. Please come in.
28:58The heavy oak doors opened. Toby, the
29:02terrified junior analyst, walked in.
29:05He looked like he wanted to vomit.
29:07Toby, Ms. Miles asked, her voice
29:10softening.
29:12Why did you use the 2023 index in your
29:14draft?
29:15Because Because I didn't have access to
29:17the 2024 paid database, ma'am, Toby
29:20squeaked. I put a note in the margin
29:22saying it needed to be updated before
29:24presentation, but the note is gone.
29:27Ms. Miles looked at Greg. The note is
29:29gone because Mr. Mitchell deleted it
29:32when he put his name on your work.
29:34Isn't that right, Greg? Greg slammed his
29:37hand on the podium. This is outrageous.
29:40I am the director here. I supervise
29:43Toby. His work is my work. Who are you
29:46to question my leadership?
29:49He pointed a shaking finger at her. I
29:51don't know who you think you are, lady,
29:54but I'm going to have you thrown out.
29:57David, get security.
30:00David Ross didn't move. He was staring
30:02at his shoes.
30:04Ms. Miles began to walk down the length
30:06of the table toward Greg.
30:08As she walked, she reached up and
30:10removed her oversized glasses. She
30:13reached into a pocket and pulled out a
30:15tissue, wiping the severe dark lipstick
30:18from her mouth. She stopped 3 ft from
30:21him.
30:21You really don't recognize me, do you,
30:23Greg? She asked. Her voice dropped the
30:26corporate affectation. It sounded like
30:28the woman who used to ask him if you
30:30wanted coffee in the morning.
30:32Greg squinted. He looked at her eyes. He
30:34looked at the shape of her mouth. His
30:36brain refused to process it. It was
30:39impossible. Sarah was a loser.
30:42Sarah was broke.
30:43Sarah wore sweatpants. This woman was a
30:46titan.
30:47>> [clears throat]
30:47>> Sarah? He whispered, the word escaping
30:50like a gasp. Hello Greg. She said. He
30:54laughed. It was a hysterical panicked
30:57sound. Sarah, oh my god, do you you got
31:00a job here? As an auditor?
31:03He turned to the board, desperate to
31:05seize control. Everyone, listen to me.
31:08This is my ex-wife. She's mentally
31:11unstable. She's doing this to get back
31:13at me because I left her for a younger
31:16woman.
31:17This is a conflict of interest. She has
31:20to be removed immediately.
31:23He looked around the table, expecting
31:25nods of agreement. Instead, he saw
31:28stone-faced silence.
31:30It is a conflict of interest. Arthur
31:32Pendleton spoke up from the center of
31:34the table, which is why Ms. Mitchell
31:36recused herself from the vote regarding
31:38your employment. However, she did not
31:40recuse herself from the prosecution.
31:43Prosecution? Greg paled. What are you
31:45talking about? Sarah turned to the
31:47screen. She clicked a button on a remote
31:50she held in her hand.
31:51The screen changed.
31:53It wasn't a logistics map anymore.
31:56It was a spreadsheet. Gregory Mitchell,
31:58corporate card, 8,842
32:02unauthorized expenses.
32:04The Ritz-Carlton, Cabo, $4,200.
32:08Balenciaga, Chicago,
32:11$1,800.
32:13Best Buy, home theater, $2,400.
32:18Audi lease,
32:20down payment, $5,000. The list scrolled.
32:24It went on and on. You didn't just steal
32:26Toby's work, Greg. Sarah said, her voice
32:28cold and hard. You stole from the
32:30company, my company.
32:33Greg backed up until he hit the
32:34whiteboard. Your
32:36company?
32:37I am the majority shareholder of
32:38Holloway Global." Sarah said every word
32:40a hammer blow. "My uncle was Frederick
32:42Holloway. I own the building you're
32:44standing in. I own the desk you sit at
32:47and I own the lawyers who are about to
32:49destroy you."
32:51Greg looked at David Ross. "David, you
32:54knew."
32:56"I found out this morning." David
32:58muttered. "You're on your own, Greg."
33:01Greg looked back at Sarah. The arrogance
33:03was gone.
33:05He looked small.
33:07He looked like the man he really was.
33:09Insecure and hollow. "Sarah, please." He
33:13tried, his voice cracking.
33:15"We can talk about this.
33:17The pre-nup. We can tear it up. I made a
33:19mistake.
33:21Tiffany,
33:22she means nothing to me. It's always
33:24been you. You know that, right?
33:27We're a team."
33:29He took a step toward her, reaching out
33:31a hand.
33:33Sarah didn't flinch. She didn't retreat.
33:36She looked at his hand with utter
33:38disgust. "We were never a team, Greg."
33:41She said. "I was your stepping stone and
33:44you just stepped off a cliff." She
33:46turned to the security guards who had
33:48quietly entered the room. "Escort Mr.
33:50Mitchell out. He is to retrieve nothing
33:52from his office. His personal effects
33:55will be mailed to him
33:56once we deduct the cost of the stolen
33:58funds from his final paycheck, which by
34:01my calculation means he owes us about
34:04$12,000."
34:06"You can't do this." Greg screamed as
34:08the guards grabbed his arms. "I made
34:11you. You were nothing without me."
34:14"I was invisible." Sarah corrected him,
34:17her voice ringing through the room. "But
34:20now
34:21everyone sees me.
34:22Goodbye, Greg."
34:25They dragged him out, his heels skidding
34:27on the carpet, shouting obscenities
34:29until the heavy doors slammed shut.
34:32Sarah stood in the silence. Her heart
34:35was pounding but her hands were steady.
34:38She looked at the board members. She
34:40looked at Toby, who was staring at her
34:43with awe.
34:44"Toby," Sarah said, smoothing her
34:46blazer, "you're the new acting director
34:49of sales. Get that Detroit proposal
34:51fixed. I want it on my desk by Monday."
34:54Toby nodded furiously. "Yes, Ms.
34:56Holloway. Thank you."
34:58Sarah sat down at the head of the table.
35:00"Now," she said to the board, "let's get
35:02to work."
35:03The walk from the executive conference
35:05room to the elevator was only 50 ft, but
35:07for Greg Mitchell, it felt like a death
35:10march across a desert.
35:12He was flanked by two security officers,
35:14men he had never bothered to learn the
35:16names of, men he had walked past every
35:19morning without a nod. Now, one of them,
35:22a burly man with a scar on his chin,
35:25held Greg's elbow with a grip that
35:27wasn't painful, but was firm enough to
35:30say,
35:31"Don't even think about running."
35:33The office was silent.
35:35The bullpen, usually buzzing with the
35:37sound of sales calls and typing, had
35:40gone dead quiet.
35:42Heads poked up over cubicle walls. Eyes
35:46tracked him. There wasn't pity in those
35:48gazes.
35:49There was a mix of shock and
35:50schadenfreude.
35:52Greg had been a tyrant of a manager, the
35:54kind who stole commissions and publicly
35:56shamed people for being 2 minutes late.
35:58Seeing him dragged out by security
36:00wasn't a tragedy for the floor staff. It
36:02was live entertainment.
36:05"I need to get my things," Greg
36:06muttered, his voice sounding thin and
36:08reedy in the quiet air. "My contacts
36:11list. My accolades."
36:14"Your personal effects will be mailed to
36:16you, Mr. Mitchell," the guard said,
36:18pressing the down button for the
36:19elevator. "Strict instructions from Ms.
36:22Holloway. You have no access to company
36:24property or data." Ms. Holloway, the
36:27name hit Greg like a physical slap.
36:31Sarah.
36:32His Sarah.
36:34The woman who used to hunt for
36:39The woman who wore socks with holes in
36:41the toes because she wanted him to have
36:43the better winter boots.
36:46She was Miss Holloway.
36:48The elevator doors slid open.
36:51Greg was shoved gently inside.
36:54As the doors closed, he caught one last
36:56glimpse of the office.
36:58He saw Toby standing near the water
36:59cooler holding the Detroit file looking
37:02at Greg not with fear but with a strange
37:04adult pity.
37:06The doors shut sealing his fate. The
37:09unraveling of Greg's life didn't happen
37:10all at once. It happened in agonizing
37:13humiliating stages like a building being
37:15demolished brick by brick. The first
37:17blow was the legal reality.
37:19Greg hired a lawyer he found on a
37:21billboard near the highway a man named
37:24Saul who smelled faintly of cigar smoke
37:27and desperation.
37:29Greg sat in Saul's cramped office
37:31explaining the situation with frantic
37:34energy. It's a wrongful termination suit
37:37Saul Greg insisted pacing the stained
37:40carpet. She's my ex-wife. She's
37:43vindictive. She set me up. I want to sue
37:46for defamation emotional distress and
37:49loss of future earnings. I want 10
37:52million.
37:54Saul sighed rubbing his temples. He
37:57opened the digital file that Holloway
37:59Global's legal team Pendleton
38:01[clears throat] and O'Malley had sent
38:03over an hour ago. Greg Saul said his
38:06voice flat. Sit down. I don't want to
38:08sit down. I want justice. Sit down. Saul
38:11barked. Greg sat. There is no wrongful
38:14termination case Saul said turning the
38:16laptop screen around. They sent over the
38:18forensic audit. Greg you charged a
38:20$4,000 vacation to a corporate card and
38:23listed it as a client retention retreat
38:27for a company that doesn't exist. You
38:29bought a home theater system and
38:31expensed it as teleconferencing
38:34equipment. You leased a car with company
38:36funds. Everyone does it Greg protested
38:40weakly. It's the cost of doing business.
38:43No Greg everyone buys a sandwich
38:46expenses it. You embezzled $45,000
38:50in 4 months. That's not business. That's
38:53grand larceny. That's a felony.
38:56Greg felt the blood drain from his face.
38:59Felony?
39:01The district attorney is already
39:02involved, Saul continued mercilessly.
39:06Holloway Global is pressing charges.
39:08They aren't looking for a settlement.
39:10They're looking for a conviction. They
39:12want to make an example of you.
39:14My advice? We beg for a plea deal. You
39:17pay back every cent. You accept
39:19probation. And you pray they don't push
39:21for jail time.
39:23I can't pay it back, Greg whispered. I
39:25spent it.
39:27Then you better start selling things,
39:29Saul said, closing the laptop. Because
39:31if you don't come up with that
39:32restitution money, you're going to
39:34prison.
39:36The second blow was the domestic
39:38collapse.
39:39Greg arrived at his apartment, the
39:41stunning light-filled unit in the Loop
39:43that cost three times what he could
39:45afford, dreading the conversation with
39:48Tiffany.
39:49He needed her support. He needed her to
39:52tell him that he was still a king.
39:54That they would fight this together.
39:58He unlocked the door. The apartment was
40:00strangely echoed.
40:02He walked into the living room.
40:04>> [clears throat]
40:04>> The large abstract painting he had
40:06bought on credit was gone.
40:09The decorative vases were gone.
40:12He ran to the bedroom. The closet was
40:15open. Tiffany's side was bare.
40:18Her clothes, her shoes, her collection
40:20of handbags, all gone.
40:23On the bed, stripped of its silk sheets,
40:25was a single piece of paper. It wasn't a
40:27tear-stained letter. It was a printout
40:29of a screenshot. It was a text
40:31conversation between Tiffany and one of
40:32her friends. Friend, I saw the news on
40:35Twitter. Is it true Greg got fired for
40:37fraud? Tiffany, yeah, total loser
40:39energy. I'm packing now. He's broke and
40:42he's going to jail. I'm not about to be
40:45a prison wife. LOL.
40:48Greg crumpled the paper.
40:50He sat on the bare mattress and stared
40:52at the wall.
40:53He had left Sarah because he wanted
40:55someone who matched his aesthetic.
40:58He wanted a trophy. He had forgotten
41:00that trophies are inanimate objects,
41:03cold, hollow, and easily awarded to the
41:06next winner.
41:08Tiffany hadn't loved him.
41:10She had loved the lifestyle he
41:11projected.
41:13Once the projection flickered and died,
41:16she simply changed the channel.
41:19His phone buzzed.
41:21It was a notification from his bank.
41:23Alert, your credit card ending in 4492
41:27has been declined. Alert, your credit
41:30card ending in 8810 is over the limit.
41:33Alert, auto payment for Audi lease
41:36failed.
41:37The walls were closing in. The next 3
41:39months were a blur of degradation. To
41:41avoid prison, Greg had to liquidate his
41:43entire existence. The Audi was
41:44repossessed in front of his neighbors,
41:46hooked up to a tow truck while Greg
41:48stood on the curb trying to look like he
41:50didn't care.
41:52The watch, the Tag Heuer he loved more
41:54than most people, was sold to a pawn
41:57shop for a fraction of its value.
41:59He was evicted from the apartment. He
42:02moved into a basement unit in a suburb
42:04an hour away from the city,
42:06a place that smelled of damp earth and
42:08mildew.
42:10It was worse than the apartment he had
42:12kicked Sarah out of.
42:14But the hardest part wasn't the poverty.
42:17It was the silence.
42:19His phone stopped ringing.
42:21The friends he had bragged to at the
42:23gala,
42:24they blocked his number.
42:26David Ross, his old fraternity brother,
42:29David had testified against him in the
42:31deposition to save his own skin.
42:33Greg Mitchell, the man who thought he
42:35was the protagonist of the universe,
42:37realized he was actually just a minor
42:39villain in someone else's story.
42:41And his part was over. He applied for
42:44jobs. He applied for sales roles,
42:46management roles, even entry-level
42:48consultant gigs.
42:50But the background check always came
42:52back with the same red flag.
42:55Termination for cause, embezzlement.
42:58In the corporate world, he was
43:00radioactive.
43:01Meanwhile, 40 stories above the city,
43:04Sarah Holloway was exhausted. But she
43:07had never felt more alive. She sat in
43:10the founder's office.
43:11Her office now.
43:13She had redecorated.
43:16The heavy dark woods and leather of her
43:18uncle's era were gone, replaced
43:20[clears throat] by cream tones, modern
43:22art, and light.
43:24Arthur Pendleton sat across from her,
43:27reviewing the Q4 reports. "The Detroit
43:30restructuring is complete," Arthur said,
43:33looking over his spectacles. "Toby Evans
43:35has done a remarkable job leading the
43:37transition. The kid has potential."
43:40"Give him a raise," Sarah said
43:42immediately, not looking up from her
43:43tablet. "And stock options. I want him
43:46to know he has a future here."
43:48"Done." Arthur noted it down. He paused.
43:51"There is one other matter, Sarah. The
43:54restitution check from Mr. Mitchell
43:55arrived this morning. It's for $46,000.
43:59Apparently, he liquidated his 401k
44:02and sold his vehicle to cover it."
44:05Sarah stopped typing. She looked out the
44:08window at the sprawling Chicago skyline.
44:11"Did he accept the plea deal?" she
44:13asked. "He did. 5 years probation. He
44:17avoids jail, but he is barred from
44:19holding a fiduciary position in any
44:22publicly traded company for 10 years."
44:26Sarah nodded slowly.
44:29"Do you want to see the check?" Arthur
44:31asked.
44:32"Some clients find it
44:34cathartic."
44:36Sarah thought about it.
44:38She thought about the moment Greg had
44:40tucked the $100 bill into her apron.
44:43She thought about the way he had sneered
44:45at her broken pasta bowl. "No," Sarah
44:48said softly. "Deposit it into the
44:50employee benevolent fund. Use it to help
44:52the warehouse staff with child care
44:54costs. Let his selfishness finally pay
44:56for something good.
44:58Arthur smiled, a rare, warm expression.
45:01You've grown into this role, Sarah. Your
45:03uncle would have been terrified of you.
45:05And very proud. I'm not doing it for
45:07him, Arthur, she said, turning back to
45:09her work. I'm doing it for the Sarah who
45:12used to be afraid to speak up. I
45:14promised her I wouldn't let her down
45:16again.
45:18Six months later, the charity gala for
45:20the Chicago Arts Initiative was the
45:22event of the season. It was held in the
45:25grand ballroom of the Palmer House
45:27Hotel.
45:28Crystal chandeliers dripped light onto
45:30the shoulders of the city's elite.
45:33Sarah hadn't wanted to come, but
45:35Holloway Global was a platinum sponsor,
45:38so her attendance was mandatory.
45:41She wore a gown of deep emerald green
45:44velvet that hugged her frame, a subtle
45:46nod to the color of money, but executed
45:49with a taste level Greg could never have
45:51comprehended. She moved through the
45:53crowd with grace. She didn't need to
45:55shout to be heard anymore.
45:57When she spoke, people leaned in. She
45:59was a billionaire, a titan of industry,
46:02a woman who had taken a legacy company
46:04and modernized it in under a year.
46:07Sarah, a voice called out. It was Linda,
46:11her old boss from the catering company.
46:14Sarah froze for a moment, then turned.
46:17Linda looked nervous, holding a
46:19clipboard. She was working the event,
46:22managing the staff. Hello, Linda, Sarah
46:25said, smiling warmly. I I just wanted to
46:28say, Linda stammered, smoothing her
46:31apron. I saw you in the magazines. I had
46:34no idea about your family. About
46:38everything.
46:39Neither did I for a long time, Sarah
46:42said. You look happy, Linda said.
46:45Different,
46:46but happy.
46:47I am, Sarah replied.
46:50How is the team? Busy. We're
46:52short-staffed tonight, actually. Had to
46:54hire a bunch of temps from an agency
46:56just to cover the floor. You know how it
46:58is.
46:59"I do." Sarah nodded. "I remember the
47:01hustle. Make sure they get a good meal
47:03at the end of the shift, Linda."
47:05Sarah moved on, taking her seat at the
47:07head table. The first course was being
47:09served, a delicate lobster bisque. The
47:12servers moved in a synchronized line,
47:14placing bowls down with practiced
47:16efficiency.
47:18Sarah was talking to the mayor of
47:20Chicago on her left when a hand placed a
47:23bowl in front of her.
47:24The hand was shaking slightly.
47:27Sarah glanced at the hand.
47:29It was rough, the skin dry and chapped.
47:33There was a faint, pale line on the
47:35wrist, a tan line where a heavy watch
47:38used to sit.
47:40She looked up. The server was wearing a
47:42white jacket that was a size too big.
47:45His hair was thinning, combed over in a
47:48desperate attempt to hide the recession.
47:51His face was gaunt, etched with lines of
47:53stress and sleeplessness.
47:56He looked 10 years older than he had 6
47:58months ago.
47:59It was Greg.
48:00Their eyes locked. For a moment, the
48:02sounds of the gala, the string quartet,
48:04the laughter, the clinking of
48:06silverware, faded into a dull roar.
48:09Greg stared at her. He saw the emerald
48:11gown. He saw the diamond earrings
48:13catching the light. He saw the way the
48:14mayor was waiting for her to finish her
48:16sentence. He saw a woman who he thought
48:18was tall, who was light-years beyond his
48:20reach.
48:21And Sarah saw him.
48:23She saw the man who had discarded her.
48:25She saw the man who had called her dead
48:28weight.
48:29In his eyes, she saw sheer,
48:31unadulterated terror.
48:33He was waiting for her to speak. He was
48:35waiting for her to say, "Oh, look
48:37everyone, it's my ex-husband,
48:40the embezzler."
48:41He was waiting for her to snap her
48:43fingers and have him thrown out, just as
48:46he had tried to do to her.
48:48He was bracing for the blow.
48:50Sarah looked at him for 3 long seconds.
48:54She saw the sweat on his upper lip.
48:56She saw the name tag pinned crookedly to
48:58his jacket. Greg, temp staff.
49:02Slowly Sarah picked up her spoon.
49:05"Thank you." She said. Her tone was
49:07polite, dismissive, impersonal. It was
49:10the tone one uses for a vending machine
49:12or an automatic door. She turned back to
49:15the mayor. "As I was saying, Mr. Mayor,
49:17the logistics of the port authority need
49:19to be reevaluated."
49:21She didn't look back at him. Greg stood
49:23there, frozen. The dismissal was worse
49:25than a scream. If she [clears throat]
49:26had screamed, it would have meant he
49:28still mattered. It would have meant he
49:31still had the power to hurt her.
49:34But this,
49:36this polite thank you,
49:38it meant he was nothing.
49:40He was just a hand serving soup. He was
49:43part of the background scenery of her
49:46magnificent life. He turned and walked
49:48back towards the kitchen, his legs
49:50feeling like lead.
49:52He pushed through the swinging doors
49:54into the clamor of the scullery.
49:57"Move it, temp!" The kitchen manager
49:59shouted at him. "Table four needs water.
50:01Stop daydreaming."
50:03"Yes." Greg whispered. "Yes, sir."
50:06He grabbed a water pitcher.
50:08He walked back out onto the floor,
50:10keeping his head down, navigating the
50:13world of the wealthy. A world he was
50:15once a tourist in, but was now
50:17permanently exiled from.
50:19Sarah left the gala early. Her driver, a
50:21stoic man named Thomas, opened the door
50:23of the town car for her. "Home, Miss
50:25Holloway?" "Yes, Thomas. Take the
50:27Lakeshore Drive. I want to see the
50:29water."
50:30As the car glided through the dark
50:32streets, Sarah took a deep breath.
50:34She reached into her clutch and pulled
50:36out her phone.
50:37She opened her contacts list. She
50:39scrolled down to Greg Mitchell. She had
50:42kept the number blocked for months, but
50:44now she realized she didn't even need
50:48the block. She hit delete contact. A
50:50prompt popped up.
50:52"Are you sure you want to delete this
50:54contact? This action cannot be undone."
50:59Sarah smiled.
51:00"Yes." She whispered.
51:02She pressed the button.
51:04The name vanished.
51:06She looked out the window at Lake
51:07Michigan, a vast, dark expanse meeting
51:10the sky.
51:11The future was wide open.
51:13The past was a closed book, and she had
51:16just written the final word.
51:19Sarah Holloway closed her eyes, and for
51:20the first time in years, she rested. The
51:23war was over.
51:24She had won.
51:26And that, my friends, is the ultimate
51:27revenge. Not screaming, not fighting,
51:30but simply outgrowing the person who
51:31tried to keep you small.
51:33Greg ended up exactly where he belonged,
51:35serving the woman he thought wasn't good
51:37enough for him. And Sarah? She proved
51:40that the best response to disrespect
51:42isn't anger, it's success.
51:44It's a brutal reminder. Be careful who
51:47you step on while you're climbing the
51:48ladder, because you might just meet them
51:51on your way back down. I want to know,
51:54do you think Sarah went too easy on him
51:57by just ignoring him?
51:59Or was that polite thank you the most
52:02savage thing she could have done?
52:05Let me know your thoughts in the
52:06comments. If you stuck around for the
52:09whole story, type the queen reigns in
52:12the comments, so I know you're a real
52:14one.
52:15Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit
52:18that bell for more stories of karma,
52:21revenge, and justice.
52:24Until next time.

About this transcript

This page contains the full transcript of He Paraded His New Wife At The Gala—Not Knowing His Ex Just Became The Secret Billionaire Boss by When Riches Betray, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 7,913 words across 1,396 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

What you can do with it

Use the transcript to take notes, quote the speaker, build a study guide, generate a summary with ChatGPT or Claude via the YouTube Summary tool, or export it as a timed subtitle file with YouTube to SRT. You can also re-open it in the transcriber to choose a caption track available on the video.

Free YouTube transcript tool

YouTube2Text is a free YouTube transcript generator — no signup, no daily limit. Paste any YouTube link and get the full transcript instantly, with timestamps, click-to-jump, caption language selection, AI prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, and exports to TXT, SRT, VTT, or Markdown.