Page 1 of Cutthroat

PROLOGUE

Well, hello stranger. What brings you here? Wait, let me guess. The reason you’re here is because you’re curious about the things that are being discussed in the news.

Am I right?

You don’t have to answer that. I already know I’m right. Anytime something devastating happens to a family, and it’s reported on the news, everyone’s morbid curiosity takes over. Typing the victim’s name into a search engine or social media just to see what you can find. Then clicking on every family member with an open profile and messaging them questions as if they’re obligated to answer. I’m willing to bet that’s what you did too.

Ever since that article was released about me, my social media notifications have been going crazy. Strangers are so curious about matters that do not concern them. Correction, not curious, just fucking nosy. You being here proves that I’m right. Since everything came out, I gained 23.5K social media followers.

Now I’ll admit, I am a bad bitch. But I’m no model or celebrity. So, I can’t believe 23,500 newpeople have started following me. Originally, I only had 900 followers, this increase has to be a world record for a person that’s not a celebrity, influencer, or Only Fans Content Creator.

No, I’m a woman of substance. I’m an Investment Banker. My career in investment banking focuses on international banking and working with multinational clients. I bet you weren’t expecting to hear that, but it’s true. It’s crazy, I’m telling you my business, and I have yet to properly introduce myself.

My name is Eden Marie Shelton. But everyone calls me “Edy.” As I said, I’m the US Investment Banker for Rashid Zayed International Banque founded in Saudi Arabia, and, you know what, none of that is important. I’m sure you guys don’t want to hear about my career, how well traveled I am, or my hefty salary.

No, you all found me because you’re interested in the Shelton drama. So here goes. All the speculations about me in the news are correct. Yeah, I did all that shit, and I don’t feel bad about it. I have no shame in what I did. See, I was once a damn good woman. I didn’t allow my accomplishments, my degrees, or my money to turn me into a modern woman.

There were times that I worked up to eighty hours a week and I still found time to cook my man dinner, wash his clothes, and make sure he was wellsatisfied in the bedroom. On nights where I was too tired to open my legs, I stayed on my knees. I apologize if that was TMI, but I wanted to prove the point that there was nothing that I wouldn’t do for my man. His needs always came first.

I gave that man 100% of me even when I wasn’t operating to my full capacity. And how did he repay me; he played me, and I couldn’t have that. Most people would say, “just move on,”but where’s the fun in that?

That man looked me in my eyes in front of God and said that he would love honor and obey me, and that was a lie. He humiliated and embarrassed me. The only thing that would make us even was some good Old Testament retribution. My ex needed to feel my pain, and I made sure he did.

You may ask if taking revenge made me feel better. The answer is no because I wasn’t seeking revenge. Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance is an act of justice. I was seeking vengeance and that damn sure made me feel great. The Bible says, vengeance is mine, and it was.

Since you’re here, get comfortable. Let’s take a look back over my life and I’m going to tell you exactly why I turned into a cutthroat bitch.

CHAPTER 1

A bright smile spread across Eden’s face when “The Husband” flashed on her phone’s screen. She saw her husband every day, slept with him every night, yet butterflies still filled her stomach as if she had just met him. Drying her hands, she tapped the green icon and answered the call.

“Hey Babe. How’s your day?” Eden asked as she mixed the ingredients for a vegetarian lasagna.

She refused to give up meat, but her husband refused to eat it. He hadn’t eaten any form of flesh since the age of twelve. After working more than twelve-hour days, it drained her to come home and cook two different meals, but she did what she had to because her man deserved whatever he wanted.

“My day has gotten better now that I’m talking to you,” Jermaine admitted.

Eden’s smile resembled the Cheshire Cat’s. All her pearly whites and the empty spaces where her wisdom teeth once resided were on full display. After five years of marriage, Jermaine still made her feel like a kid at Christmas.

“Jermaine, stop making me smile,” she blushed as she stirred the egg and ricotta cheese mixture.

“It’s my job to keep that smile on your pretty face. Making sure my wife is happy is how I keep the other men away,”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that. Happy wife. Happy life. And I am very happy,” Eden admitted.

Jermaine couldn’t see it, but he knew she was smiling. A slight pain poked at his heart. He knew he had a good woman, but the world was filled with so many other women. Who was he to deny the other women the opportunity to experience a ride on the Jermaine Express.

“I love you, Eden,” Jermaine blurted truthfully.

Eden froze at the sound of her name coming from her husband’s mouth. He hadn’t called her by her birth name in so long that she didn’t think he remembered it. Truthfully, she didn’t even use her government name when conducting business. She knew now that something was wrong.

“Ok Jermaine, what’s wrong? You never call me Eden. It doesn’t even sound right coming out of your mouth. Whose ass do I have to beat for messing with my man?” Eden asked jokily, but seriously.

Jermaine laughed.

“Calm down killer. Nothing is wrong. Nothing that I can’t handle,” Jermaine joked. “I hear a lot of moving around in the background. What are you doing?” Jermaine asked as he read the incoming text messages on his iPhone.

“You know I’d never let the head of the household come home to an empty plate. I’m making you a vegetarian lasagna and a rainbow salad. By the time you get here, dinner will be ready,” Eden said as she removed the phone from her ear and put it on speaker, because for the life of her, she could never keep up with her AirPods.

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