I was there with my husband when we started from scratch, moving from a rundown shack to a massive mansion.
On the day the company went public, he showed up at the celebration with a young woman on his arm.
He introduced her to the crowd, "This is my love, Ms. Barrett."
Someone asked, "What about your wife?"
He just smiled. "That old ball and chain at home? She doesn't belong at an event like this."
I stood quietly at the back of the crowd, holding a glass of champagne.
Then the screen behind him lit up, starting a video about the company's history.
At the end of the video, a chart of the company's ownership structure appeared.
My name and photo were clearly under the "Largest Shareholder" section, with a 51% stake.
A clip started playing. A younger version of my husband, looking shy, said, "Everything I have, I owe to my wife. Without her, none of this would exist."
...
The smile froze on Nikolas's face.
The room went quiet for a second, then erupted into a wave of whispers.
All eyes were darting between Nikolas Davis, me, and Lydia Barrett beside him.
Everyone was watching the drama unfold.
"Did they mess up?" "I thought Ms. Barrett was Mr. Davis's love?"
"Willow Cooper... I've never heard the name, but that's definitely her in the photo."
"51%? So she's the real boss? Mr. Davis just works for her?"
Lydia's face went pale, and she let go of Nikolas's arm.
Nikolas was quick. He grabbed the mic and forced a laugh.
"Looks like our tech guys had a bit too much to drink and played the wrong video. That was just a joke from way back when we started out. Don't take it seriously."
He said it while staring straight at me, his eyes full of warning.
I set my glass down. The clink of the glass hitting the surface was sharp and clear, cutting through the noise.
I met his gaze and smiled.
His eye twitched.
He shoved the mic at the host, pushed through the crowd, and stormed over to me.
His hand closed around my wrist, his grip so tight I thought the bone would snap.
"Willow, what the hell are you trying to pull?"
He hissed through gritted teeth, every word dripping with anger.
He dragged me roughly into a backstage lounge.
The door slammed shut, blocking out all the noise from outside.
"Are you out of your mind? Embarrassing me like this in front of everyone?"
He grabbed my shoulders, his face twisted with rage.
"I'm embarrassing you?"
I looked right at him. "Nikolas, was what was on that screen a lie?"
He was speechless.
"That was then! Why are you digging up ancient history?"
He let me go, frustrated. "You need to get out there right now and tell everyone it was a joke!"
The door flew open, and Lydia ran in, crying.
"Nikolas..."
Her body trembled as she threw herself into his arms.
"Willow, I know you don't like me. But today was the most important day of Nikolas's life. Why would you try to ruin him?"
She sobbed, looking at me with tear-filled eyes.
"Do you feel like I took your place? I can go. I'll leave right now. Please, just stop making a scene, okay?"
Lydia was so fragile.
Nikolas held her tighter, his heart breaking for her. When he looked back at me, his eyes were ice cold.
"Did you hear that? Even a girl so much younger than you gets it. She's more mature than you."
"Willow, I'm giving you one last chance. Go out there and clear this up. Otherwise, don't blame me for forgetting all the years we had together."
"Years together?"
I chuckled.
"What's left of that between us, Nikolas? Nikolas, that 51% share? I bought it with the inheritance my parents left me. And what you said in that video? That was true too. Everything you have today, I gave it to you. Now, I'm taking my things back."
Nikolas's face went stiff.
Lydia, still in his arms, stared at me with wide eyes.