Cameron Sullivan watched as the woman he loved, his wife of ten years, the most important thing in his life, a bag over her shoulder and one small suitcase walk out the door of their modest suburban home. She said it was forever.
Her answer that their love had died, while clear to her left Cameron's mind in a whirl with no real idea of what was happening. When had it died. How did he miss it?
While part of him understood that that she was leaving, the part he didn't understand was why.
They led a normal life. Lived in a nice house, each were employed and brought home good money. They had a good savings account and retirement fund. They had no children due to Stella's health problems caused by endometriosis. That was never a problem as neither of them wanted children.
Cameron guessed he must have been asleep at the wheel not to notice any changes in their relationship. Their must have been something he missed. He was sure as hell going to find out what was going on if for nothing but his own piece of mind.
He quickly made several phone calls.
The one to the bank was very interesting. His wife had withdrawn all the money in their joint accounts and maxed out their joint credit cards with cash advances yesterday. But that really wasn't all that much. They each had their own checking, saving and retirement accounts that the other couldn't touch except in case of death of the spouse and only had two joint credit cards with a five thousand dollar limit. So the majority of his money was safe.
Cameron had the bank freeze all of his accounts and remove her as his beneficiary. He also transferred the money from his accounts to pay off the joint credit cards and closed all the joint accounts.
His next was to his best friend Joel Windsor who was also his attorney. He explained to Joel what had happened and asked for advice.
Joel filed papers for divorce that day. He told Cameron to change all the locks on the doors and the alarm codes.
Cameron wasn't sure if he wanted a divorce. Joel said he could always change his mind later, but something stunk with this deal and it was better to get the first blow in.
He also gave Cameron the name of a private investigator, who he used all the time, Avery Solomon.
Cameron called him right away.
The non descript man came to his house within 30 minutes of Cameron calling. He owed Joel Windsor big time. So anything he could do for a friend of his was his pleasure.
After signing a ream of forms allowing Avery access to all sorts of information, he left Cameron alone to think of anything odd or different in his relationship with Stella, while he started work.
Cameron spent the rest of the week at home. He tried to work but was unable to concentrate. He took a weeks vacation and stayed home, alone thinking.
Avery Solomon called on the fourth day and asked to see him at home. After getting the okay from Cameron, he was their in thirty minutes.
"This without a doubt the damnest thing I've ever come across in a divorce case in my twenty three years as an investigator." Said the little man.
"Let me start at the beginning." Holding up a picture of a large house on what looked like several acres of land, he said "This is your wife's new address."
"Whose house is this?" Cameron asked, sure that it belonged to her lover.
"Her's. Almost paid for. She bought it almost two years ago in her name."
"How in the hell is she paying for it on what she makes from her job. She does alright, but with what she paid into the household bills it doesn't leave that much money." Cameron stated
"When's the last time you saw her tax return? The ones that went to the IRS?" the investigator asked.
Cameron looked puzzled. "We file separately. I have a copy in the file for every year. I gave them to you."
Avery sighed, as he handed him a stack of forms. "Here are copies of the tax forms she filed with the IRS. They are quite different from the ones that she gave you.".
The only thing the same on these forms were Stella's name and social security number. Her address was different. Her title was listed as President and CEO of Eureka Services, Inc. of Atlanta. Her income was well over six figures and included a company car and bonuses.
Her deductions were also quite interesting showing large amounts spent for entertaining and a home office located at the address on the form.
It also showed taxes paid on a wide variety of investments totaling several million dollars.
Cameron truly was shocked. He looked at Avery with questions burning in his eyes.
"Your wife is the CEO of what on the surface appears to be a temporary staffing agency. They provide temps to out of town businessmen or women and selected locals. The also cater parties. But that is basically a front for a high dollar call girl/boy service. That's where most of the money comes from."
"How long has this been going on?" asked the shocked husband?
"I'm not sure but for at least eight years. That's when the company was formed." He said as he handed Cameron a copy of the incorporation papers.
"Damn. I really was asleep at the wheel. How could I have missed all this?" asked Cameron. "And what the hell do I do now?"
"There is only one person who can answer the questions you have, your wife. Maybe she'll answer, maybe not. But you have the goods on her in any case." Avery answered.
Before Cameron could answer, the doorbell rang. The door opened and shut and they heard Joel's voice.
"We're back in the den Joel." answered Cameron.
"Have you seen what Avery came up with?" Joel asked
"Yeah. We were discussing what to do about it. Whether to confront her or maybe surprise her in court? Hell if I know!" Cameron said running his fingers through his hair.
Joel looked at his friend since childhood. "Cam, it's all up to you. If you just want this to go away, we can do that. Pretend that you never talked to Avery. But I think you need to find out the answers for yourself. I know you still love her. Maybe this will give you closure so you can go on with your life."
Cameron shook his head. "No. All I want is out. But I do want her to know that I'm not the cuckold idiot she thinks. I'll hit her where it hurts, in the pocketbook. I want as much money out of her as I can get. She needs to pay."
Joel looked concerned. "Are you sure? That leaves no room for reconciliation."
Cameron with a bitter laugh said, "There is no possibility of reconciliation. I'm done with that whoring pussy selling slut."
"All the nights she wouldn't have sex because she was too tired. Fucked out is probably the correct answer. All the times I wanted to buy things I wanted but didn't because we were saving it for our future, I didn't. All the time that cunt was worth millions. I want my share now." He shook his head. "And to think that bitch cleaned out the joint accounts and maxed out the credit cards. What a cunt!"
"Okay Cam. If that's what you want. I'll have Avery dig deeper and try to catch her committing adultery. That will add some pressure and allow it to be settled out of court."
"I don't care who knows about that cunt. I hope she and her whole bunch of sluts get busted!" cried Cameron
Joel shook his head. "No you don't buddy. If that happens the authorities will seize all her assets and you won't get shit. They might even try to attach yours. No we want this low key as possible."
"Okay you're the expert. Let's get it done as soon as possible." Cameron flatly stated.
After several weeks of searching and several subpoenas and hours of work by forensic accountants, Stella's net worth was determined to be 16.7 million dollars. Without any negotiation, Cameron settled for a little over eight million dollars in cash plus all the joint martial assets.
The only time he saw Stella was when the final papers were signed. She was dressed in an Armani suit with a short skirt and four inch heals. She sat across the table never uttering a word. Not until they gave Cameron his check.
"I never thought you were a money grubbing SOB." She snapped at him.
"I never thought you were a whoring slut either." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm what you made me. This is the only way to get back at you for what hurt the most, making me a cuckold."
He turned and walked out of the room.
Though he never saw it, Stella burst into tears.
They went for over five years without seeing each other.
Cameron left the Atlanta area and settled down on the Gulf Coast. This was several months after the hurricanes had demolished most of the area.
He became the money man behind several casinos that had been devastated by the storm. Along with his construction and environmental knowledge and lots of hard work, he got them up and running in no time without getting ripped off.
He quickly became one of the largest Casino owners in the Gulf. He built several new ones in areas in need of new employment after their old companies didn't reopen. He made use of all the State, Local and Federal programs available. His company offered the best pay and benefit packages in the area.
He was a very wealthy man. And he made his friends Joel and Avery rich also. They all were part of his empire.
Cameron should be satisfied with his life. But in all honesty, He wasn't. Not with his personal life anyway.
He had lots of lovers and lots of lady friends. But he could never seem to move beyond friendship or sex. There always seemed something missing.
While being surrounded by people, friends, coworkers and lovers he was lonely.
Though he would never admit it, He missed Stella.
