The Underdog Turned Kingpin

Mason Rivers wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans, his heart pounding with anticipation. The sapphire bracelet nestled in its velvet box felt like it weighed a ton in his pocket. He'd scrimped and saved for months to afford it, working overtime and weekends until his hands were calloused and his back ached. But it was worth it. For Olivia, anything was worth it.

He fumbled with his keys, juggling the bouquet of lilies-Olivia's favorite-and the bottle of wine he'd splurged on. The clock on his beat-up Honda read 6:47 PM. Perfect. He was early, and Olivia wouldn't be home from her yoga class for another hour. Just enough time to set up the surprise.

As he climbed the stairs to their third-floor walk-up, Mason allowed himself a rare moment of pride. Sure, their apartment was small, and yeah, his contractor's salary wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. But he and Olivia had built a life together. Six years of marriage, of shared dreams and whispered promises. Tonight was going to be special. He'd make sure of it.

The lock clicked open, and Mason stepped inside, already picturing Olivia's face when she saw-

The wine bottle slipped from his fingers, shattering on the worn linoleum.

Time seemed to slow, each heartbeat stretching into eternity as Mason's world imploded.

Olivia was home.

But she wasn't alone.

On their bed-the same bed where they'd spent countless nights tangled in each other's arms-Olivia writhed atop a man. Not just any man - Ethan Langford, the millionaire entrepreneur whose face was plastered across half the billboards in Chicago.

"O-Olivia?" Mason's voice cracked.

Olivia's head snapped up, her eyes widening in shock before narrowing with... disgust. "Mason? What the hell are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be home yet."

Ethan, beneath her, far from looking embarrassed, merely smirked. He propped himself up on his elbows, completely at ease.

"Well, well. This is awkward." Ethan drawled

Mason stumbled backward, his legs threatening to give out. "I... I don't understand. It's your birthday. I wanted to surprise you."

Olivia climbed off Ethan, wrapping herself in a silk robe that probably cost more than Mason made in a week. Her laugh was cold, brittle. "Oh, Mason. You're the one who's in for a surprise."

Ethan stood, unabashedly naked, and extended his hand. He smirked at Mason, radiating smug superiority.

"I'd introduce myself, but I'm sure you know who I am. Ethan Langford. Pleasure to meet you, I'm sure."

Mason ignored the outstretched hand, bile rising in his throat. "Olivia, please. Tell me this isn't what it looks like. Tell me this is some sort of prank."

"It's exactly what it looks like," Olivia snapped, her voice dripping with disdain. "God, Mason. Did you really think I'd be satisfied with... this?" She gestured around their modest apartment. "With you?"

Each word was a dagger, twisting deeper into Mason's heart. He sank to his knees, the forgotten bouquet crushed beneath him. "But... we have a life together. I love you."

Ethan chuckled, a sound that made Mason's skin crawl. "Love? How quaint. Tell me, Mason, was it love that bought Olivia that stunning Cartier watch? Or perhaps it was love that treated her to dinner at Le Bernardin last week?"

Mason's mind reeled. He'd been working sixty-hour weeks, coming home exhausted, while Olivia had been... No. It couldn't be true.

Olivia's lip curled in a sneer. "You want to know the truth, Mason? You're worthless. Your pathetic salary can barely keep us afloat. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to be married to a man who can't even afford a decent suit?"

"I've been saving," Mason protested weakly. "For your birthday. I wanted to-"

"To what?" Olivia cut him off. "Buy me some trinket from the mall? Please." She crossed to the dresser, pulling out a glittering diamond necklace. "This is what I deserve, Mason. This is the life I should have."

Ethan sauntered over, wrapping an arm possessively around Olivia's waist. "Face it, old sport. You're out of your league here." He reached into his wallet, pulling out a wad of hundred-dollar bills. With a contemptuous flick of his wrist, he tossed them at Mason's feet. "Here. Go get yourself a life. Maybe spring for a shirt that doesn't look like it came from a clearance bin."

The cash scattered across the floor, a mockery of everything Mason had worked for. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. This had to be a nightmare.

Olivia's voice, once so full of warmth, now cut like ice. "I want a divorce, Mason. It's over. It's been over for a long time. I just didn't have the heart to tell you."

Mason staggered to his feet, the room spinning around him. "Olivia, please. We can work this out. I'll do anything. I'll-"

"You'll what?" Olivia laughed, the sound devoid of any kindness. "Get a better job? Magically become successful overnight? Face it, Mason. You're a loser. And I'm done pretending otherwise."

With trembling hands, Mason pulled the velvet box from his pocket. The sapphire bracelet inside that had cost him months' salary. "I got this for you. I've been saving for months."

Olivia's eyes flickered with interest. She plucked the box from his hand, examining the contents. For a moment, hope fluttered in Mason's chest. But then her face hardened once more. She tossed the box aside with a snort. "Cubic zirconia? Really, Mason? This is exactly what I'm talking about. You're pathetic. Did you really think this would be enough?"

Mason's vision blurred with unshed tears. "Olivia, please. It's your birthday. I... It took me a lot to prepare you today...."

Ethan moved nearer, towering over Mason. "Let me spell it out for you, buddy. I could buy and sell you a hundred times over without blinking. I can give Olivia everything you can't - security, luxury, excitement. What can you offer her?"

Mason's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He'd never felt so small, so utterly worthless.

This couldn't be happening. It had to be a nightmare.

But Olivia's next words drove home the brutal reality.

"I want you gone by morning," she said coldly. "Take your stuff and get out. My lawyer will be in touch about the divorce papers."

"Liv, please," Mason begged. "Six years of marriage. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

For a moment, Olivia's mask slipped. Regret flickered in her eyes. Then she squared her shoulders, hardening her gaze.

"It means I wasted six years of my life," she spat. "Now get out. You're embarrassing yourself."

Ethan nuzzled Olivia's neck, shooting Mason a triumphant grin. "Why don't you run along now? The adults have some unfinished business to attend to."

Mason's world crumbled. Every dream, every hope he'd ever had, lay shattered at his feet. Without a word, he turned and stumbled out of the apartment, down the stairs, and into the night, Ethan's mocking laughter ringing in his ears.

Mason lurched down the sidewalk, barely aware of where he was going. Rain began to fall, soaking through his thin t-shirt. How long he walked, he couldn't say. Minutes? Hours? Time had lost all meaning.

How had everything gone so wrong? This morning, he'd been on top of the world, eager to surprise Olivia with a romantic evening. Now...

Now he had nothing. No wife, no home, no future. Just the bitter taste of betrayal and the crushing weight of his own inadequacy.

Mason wandered aimlessly, letting the rain wash away his tears. He'd given Olivia everything - his love, his devotion, his very soul. And it still wasn't enough.

You're nothing, Olivia's voice echoed in his head. A nobody.

Maybe she was right. Maybe he really was worthless.

Just when Mason thought he couldn't take another step, a sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled up beside him. The tinted window rolled down, revealing a striking blonde woman in dark sunglasses.

"Boss," she said, crisply. "It's time to go home."