It had been a hectic year, thought Diane. First Oscar decided to divorce her then he stole her business so he could sell it. The only good thing that happened was her love affair with his son Ryan. Again she gathered and re-read the papers that said she was no longer married. Only now could she begin payback.
Until she met Ryan Diane viewed her beauty more as a curse than a benefit. Good looks made attracting men and occasionally the odd woman easy. However, she felt they were blinded by outward appearances not her total being. Oscar was different. He did not try to hide the fact that the only thing he wanted was a beautiful plaything.
She met Oscar when her best option seemed suicide. Years of trying to find a companion had taken its toll but his idea of putting her in a 'gilded cage' appealed to her. Then, it would not be her problem dealing with unwanted attention or dressing down in order to fade into the crowd. While she pondered whether to take up the suggestion to live in his 'gilded cage' he surprised her with a marriage proposal. She was astonished. The first problem was that she was in her early twenties that should have put her out of the running. Oscar only married women in their late teens (twice). A second problem occurred after thinking about her future life, she wondered if a no-brain lifestyle would suit her. Nevertheless, after planning an extreme course of action before he proposed, she thought marriage might enable her to find a better solution.
Living with Oscar was like receiving an advanced degree in finance at an exclusive University. He was a venture capitalist whose speciality was reviving failed firms and selling them for a profit. Despite his put-downs Diane learned how to 'wheel-and deal' at a high level. Even so Oscar treated her as a bright school child. He could not believe she was capable of understanding or applying her new knowledge in other settings without his guidance.
She relished at his shock when she helped obtain financing for a new venture. It was one of the few times he was unable to turn a firm around. To his credit, he realized his errors and what was needed to sell the firm at a profit.
Her sense of loyalty caused her to develop a plan to save his company. A few of the money men who had profited from ventures with Oscar were invited to a soiree. She hired the best caterer who would supply a feast appealing to all their tastes. Dinnerware not only looked expensive but was luxurious. As well, she was able to purchase rare wines. The presentation gave the appearance that Oscar was on to something big but because he dealt with them previously, he would as a favour, allow them to invest in his latest money making project.
Just as the boredom was settling in Diane re-entered the room. Their guests stopped looking at their watches and thinking of excuses to leave. She was wearing a gown made from material from Oscar's new firm. The gown was tight so that its properties would activate sooner. Heat from her body made the material translucent. To further enhance the effect, she had used a dark compound to call attention to her breasts, hips and vagina. The men crowded around her and began to stroke the material. Suddenly they gasped. Now they understood the genius of the material then they started to reach for their check books to invest in this new product. Oscar had not thought to warn her that she would feel as aroused as the men. He dismissed her. She found a vibrator to obtain release.
Helping Oscar gave her a sense of confidence. She searched and eventually found a failing production company. After buying the company, she found that the sellers had cooked the books. Oscar offered a loan for a 60% stake in the company with the promise she could run the company as she saw fit. She paid the creditors. Her lawsuit failed because the previous owners had to pay loan sharks who did not care if they were paid with stolen money.
There was a bright spot in the sale. She found a few incomplete commercials for Adult Entertainment companies. It was simple to clean them up and persuade her clients to put this type of merchandising on network TV. The success of this venture created a reliable profit stream for her. Then, Oscar persuaded her to invest in new equipment and staff rather than try to buy his stake in the business. She had to admit he was right because she made more profit. He was her husband and should have her well being in mind, she thought.
The next few years were the most exhilarating and saddest time of her life. Taking a failing business and making it a success was rewarding. However, no matter how much she helped Oscar or how successful she became he still belittled her accomplishments.
Just at the time when she was ready to give up Oscar invited his son Ryan to live with them while he was becoming used to his new job. Ryan was a godsend. He elicited recommendations how he could make his new venture successful. Diane appreciated his gratitude and the fact that he considered her very intelligent. As well, she did not have to fight unwanted attentions. He realized she was married to Oscar and never crossed the line until the divorce was begun.
The beginnings of the divorce sparked an unspoken agreement between Diane and Ryan. They would become lovers.
Oscar divorcing her was not a surprise. After a few years she learnt that he did not want to be associated in a relationship with anyone over thirty. It was his reaction to her relationship with Ryan that shocked her. He went ballistic. First he tried to have Ryan fired but Ryan was too valuable to the company. They had more resources than Oscar and consequently were able to ignore him. Oscar did not give up but tried to obtain her share of the profit from the sale of her company. He lost and ended paying her costs fighting the legal battles. He won when he decided to evict them. With heavy hearts they left the community. Once he won one battle he forgot about them, especially his son Ryan. Perhaps he saw Ryan only as an acquisition that did not work out. During this period she offered to end their relationship. The only thing that resulted from this offer was a judicious spanking. She had never been treated so well by any man but when Ryan became angry, he had no qualms about disciplining her. She smiled and wondered if this was his way of demonstrating love.
Moving to the part of the city known as 'Myerstown' was a good idea because it took them away their previous associations making them invisible to Oscar. 'Myerstown' was in the throes of another revival. This area of the city had descended from being the playground of the city's elite to a catchall for the city's poor. This revival was different. The resurgence was attracting adventurers who had the means to draw specialized retailers to the area. However, none of the newcomers wanted to change the grit to vanilla. Diane and Ryan copied their neighbours by cleaning the outside and renovating the inside to a modern look.
Her vibrating alarm caused Diane to return to the present and abandon past memories. Ryan was due home shortly.
Papers were placed on the table to inform him that the marriage was over. She glanced at her watch again then to the large mirror in the hallway.
Her intellect kept her in the company of 'movers and shakers' but she realized her appearance attracted them to her. For this reason, although she was not narcissistic she took care to ensure her exterior invited rather than repelled buyers of her services by examining closely the reflected image.
