Part 3: The Divorce Warfare Begins
The next three weeks in Chicago were a masterclass in corporate and legal warfare. The headlines were brutal. The media, tipped off by anonymous sources close to the Rivers family, ran stories with titles like: “Rivers Industries Scandal: The Billionaire and the Betrayed Wife.”
Cameron didn't hold back. At the emergency board meeting, he presented the forensic audit findings. Derek had been sloppy. Believing he was untouchable, he had used a corporate credit card to lease a luxury apartment in Gold Coast for Tiffany, and had even listed her as a "Logistics Consultant" on several European trips. The board voted unanimously to terminate Derek Rivers immediately, effective without severance.
Derek was broke. His personal bank accounts, which were heavily tied to his corporate performance bonuses and stock options, were frozen pending the outcome of the divorce and the company's internal investigation.
In a desperate bid to fight back, Derek moved into Tiffany’s apartment, the only luxury he had left that wasn't directly under Cameron's thumb. But the atmosphere inside that apartment was far from romantic.
"What do you mean your cards are declined?" Tiffany screamed, tossing a pair of designer shoes onto the floor. She glared at Derek, who was sitting at the kitchen island with a bottle of cheap scotch. "I tried to buy a bag at Chanel today, Derek! Chanel! And the clerk told me my card was flagged for fraudulent activity!"
"Cameron froze everything, Tiffany!" Derek yelled back, slamming his glass down. "Do you think I want this? I’ve been fired! I have no income! My brother is trying to ruin me, and your little stunt on the plane gave Gabrielle Thompson all the ammunition she needed!"
"My stunt?" Tiffany hissed, marching over to him, her face distorted with rage. "You told me you loved me! You told me your wife was a nobody from the South Side who didn't matter! You said you were going to leave her anyway! Now I have a restraining order, my father is threatening to cut off my allowance because of the bad press, and you’re sitting here drinking garbage whiskey!"
"If you hadn't touched her hair—"
"She was in my way!" Tiffany roared. "She’s always been in my way! And you're a coward, Derek. You didn't even have the balls to stand up to your brother."
While they tore each other apart, Simone was healing. Cameron had moved her into a secure, private estate owned by Rivers Industries in Lake Forest—a beautiful, sprawling property surrounded by ancient oaks and absolute peace.
Gabrielle spent every afternoon there, sitting on the sun porch with Simone, going over court documents.
"We have him cornered, Simmy," Gabrielle said, taking a sip of herbal tea. "He tried to file a counter-suit claiming parental alienation, but the judge laughed it off after seeing the medical reports from your OB-GYN regarding the stress elevated by the incident. The court has granted us temporary sole custody, and Derek’s visitation rights will be strictly supervised, if he gets them at all."
Simone smiled softly, looking out at the manicured lawns. She felt healthier. The color had returned to her cheeks, and her belly was round and perfect. "I don't even care about the money, Gabby. I just want it to be over. I want her to be safe."
"The money matters, Simone," a deep voice said.
Cameron walked onto the porch, carrying a basket of fresh fruit and organic groceries. He had been visiting almost daily, checking on Simone’s health, ensuring the security detail was alert, and providing a quiet, steady presence that Simone hadn't realized she needed.
"Cameron," Simone said, her eyes brightening. "You didn't have to bring all this."
"I wanted to," Cameron said, setting the basket down. He sat across from her, his expressions softer than they ever were in the boardroom. "Derek’s legal team tried to stall the asset division this morning. They’re claiming the Gold Coast apartment belongs to Tiffany’s LLC. I bought the building through a subsidiary ten years ago. I’m evicting her tomorrow."
Gabrielle let out a sharp, victorious laugh. "Oh, I would pay a million dollars to see her face when the sheriff arrives."
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Simone looked at Cameron, her eyes filled with a deep, profound gratitude. "Thank you, Cameron. For everything. You didn't have to take my side against your own brother."
"I didn't take a side based on family, Simone," Cameron said, looking directly into her eyes. "I took the side of what is right. Derek stopped being my brother the moment he forgot how to be a man."
