Hell Hath no fury like a billionaire's Ex-Chapter 61: The Queen’s Gambit

Diane’s POV

I was just about to switch on the TV with a cup of tea in my hand when my phone vibrated on the table next to me. Elizabeth’s name flashed on the screen. I smiled, remembering our recent conversation. She had become an unexpected ally in this mess of a situation.

"Hello, Elizabeth," I answered, balancing the phone between my ear and shoulder as I continued to stir my tea.

"Oh, Diane!" Her voice came through breathless with excitement. "I just had to call you right away. You’ll never believe what happened!"

I set my spoon down, suddenly alert. "What is it? Is everything okay?"

A delighted chuckle bubbled through the phone. "More than okay, dear. That package you sent—the inflatable unicorn? It was magnificent!"

My eyebrows shot up. "Package? Elizabeth, I didn’t—"

"Oh, you don’t have to play coy with me," she interrupted with another laugh. "I know your handiwork when I see it. And let me tell you, it was the highlight of my year!"

I lowered myself onto the couch in the living room, processing her words. my shoulders shaking with laughter as I pictured Liam’s face when the inflatable unicorn unfurled before his entire staff. The mental image was worth every penny I’d spent arranging the delivery.

"And you’re absolutely certain no one traced it back to me?" I asked, wiping tears of mirth from my eyes.

"Not a chance," Elizabeth assured me, her own laughter bubbling through the phone. "Security checked the package, but they only scanned for dangerous items, not embarrassing ones." She lowered her voice conspiratorially.

She didn’t need much encouragement. For the next ten minutes, Elizabeth recounted the entire birthday celebration in vivid detail—the surprise gathering, the awkward gift-opening, and thenwp the enormous inflatable unicorn with "INFIDELITY AWARD" emblazoned across it.

"You should have seen his face!" Elizabeth’s voice dropped to a gleeful whisper. "First it went white as a sheet, then red as a tomato. I thought he might explode right there in front of everyone."

Despite myself, I felt laughter bubbling up from deep in my chest. The image was too perfect—Liam standing there, surrounded by employees, confronted by such a ridiculous and pointed reminder of his betrayal.

"And then," Elizabeth continued, "he took his tie pin and stabbed the poor unicorn! Just murdered it right there on the conference room floor. The whole room went silent—you could have heard a pin drop."

I couldn’t hold back anymore. Laughter erupted from me, genuine and unrestrained—the first real laugh I’d had in weeks. "He stabbed the unicorn?"

"With his gold tie pin!" Elizabeth confirmed, joining in my laughter. "Like he was performing some kind of corporate unicorn execution."

I wiped tears from my eyes, trying to catch my breath. "Oh my god, that’s—" I couldn’t even finish the sentence before another wave of laughter overtook me.

"But wait, there’s more," Elizabeth said, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Two days before the unicorn incident, I was cleaning near the boardroom—you know, just doing my job, being invisible as usual—and I overheard the most interesting conversation."

My laughter subsided as I leaned forward, suddenly intent. "What conversation?"

"Mr. Guerrero was speaking with the board members. They weren’t happy, Diane. Not happy at all." Her voice took on a serious tone. "They were saying that between the Boston trip, and the divorce news getting around, Liam might not be fit to lead the company anymore."

I drew in a sharp breath. "They’re considering removing him as CEO?"

"That’s exactly what they’re saying. Mr. Guerrero mentioned something about ’one more scandal’ being the final straw. Said they’d be reconsidering his position if things don’t improve immediately."

A slow smile spread across my face. Liam’s perfect world was crumbling around him, piece by piece. First the marriage, then his reputation, and now potentially his precious company—the thing he valued above all else.

"Thank you for telling me this, Elizabeth," I said, my mind already racing with possibilities.

"Anything for you, dear. That man deserves everything coming to him after what he did to you." She paused, then added softly, "Are you doing all right? Really?"

The genuine concern in her voice touched me. "I’m getting there, Elizabeth. One day at a time."

After a few more minutes of conversation, We said our goodbyes with promises to stay in touch, and I set my phone down, a strange mixture of emotions swirling within me. Satisfaction at Liam’s humiliation, yes—but also something deeper, more strategic taking root in my mind.

Liam’s position was vulnerable. The board is dissatisfied with Liam. And I... I knew Synergy Sphere better than almost anyone.

This was valuable intelligence—the kind that could potentially change the entire landscape of our divorce proceedings. If Liam lost his position as CEO, his leverage would diminish significantly.

My thoughts were interrupted by my phone ringing again. Noah’s name flashed on the screen, and a flutter of anticipation rose in my chest. I hadn’t heard from him in days.

"Noah," I answered, unable to keep the warmth from my voice.

"Diane," he replied, his deep voice immediately comforting. "I hope I’m not interrupting anything."

"Not at all. It’s good to hear from you."

"I’m sorry I haven’t reached out in a while," he said, genuine regret coloring his tone. "Things have been... complicated here. I’ve been terribly occupied with work."

I settled back against the couch. "It’s fine, Noah. I understand."

A beat of silence passed before he asked, "How are you faring? Really?"

The genuine concern in his voice mirrored Elizabeth’s, and I found myself giving him a more honest answer than I normally would. "Some days are better than others. Today is actually one of the good ones, believe it or not."

"I’m glad to hear that." He hesitated slightly. "Have you and Liam... come to any kind of understanding yet?"

I let out a short, humorless laugh. "Not even close. He’s still playing hardball."

Noah sighed heavily. "I was afraid of that. He’s not exactly in a compromising mood at the office either."

"So I’ve heard," I said carefully, testing the waters. "Word is the board isn’t too pleased with him these days."

There was a pause, and when Noah spoke again, his voice was measured. "That’s putting it mildly. There was a meeting yesterday. Guerrero made it very clear that if there are any more scandals or distractions, they’ll be reconsidering Liam’s position. They’re beginning to question whether he’s fit to be CEO."

My heart quickened at the confirmation. "Is that so?"

"You didn’t hear it from me," Noah added quickly, "but yes. The board is losing patience. His divorce becoming public was bad enough, then the Boston incident....well, confidence in his leadership is at an all-time low."

A thought began to form in my mind—a bold, potentially game-changing thought. I took a deep breath, considering my next words carefully.

"Noah," I began slowly, "would it be completely insane if I...seized this opportunity?"

"What do you mean?" His voice was cautious but curious.

I started pacing the living room, energy coursing through me as the idea took shape. "What if I positioned myself as a potential candidate for CEO?"

Silence hung between us for a moment before Noah responded. "You’re serious."

"Think about it," I pressed, warming to the concept. "Liam’s losing his grip. The board is looking for alternatives. And who better to step in than someone who already knows the company inside and out?"

"Diane, you’ve never officially worked for Synergy Sphere," Noah pointed out gently.

"No, but you know I’ve been the secret brain behind its success for years." My voice grew more passionate as I continued. "All those big breaks Liam achieved? Half of them were my ideas. The Henderson acquisition approach? mine. Liam knows I’m good at what I do—he’s been relying on my insight since day one, even if he’d never admit it publicly."

I could practically hear Noah thinking on the other end of the line. "You do hold 10% of the company shares," he said slowly.

"Exactly. And if I could get enough board members on my side, combined with those shares..." I let the implication hang in the air.

"It’s not impossible," Noah admitted. "But it would be an uphill battle. Guerrero has always been loyal to Liam."

I stopped pacing, leaning against the wall. "Then help me, Noah. Put in a good word with Guerrero. Not a direct endorsement, just... plant the seed. Get him thinking about alternatives, about what the company might look like with me at the helm."

Noah was quiet for a long moment. "You know what you’re asking, right? This isn’t just about teaching Liam a lesson anymore. This would be a major professional step for you—one with serious responsibilities."

"I know exactly what I’m asking," I said firmly. "And I’m ready for it. This isn’t just about revenge, Noah. It’s about taking back what I helped build. It’s about claiming my place at the table."

Another pause. "What would be your first move? If—and that’s a big if—this were to happen?"

I didn’t hesitate. "I’d go after the contracts Synergy Sphere is currently pursuing. Even single handedly bringing a new deal, just one big one would make a statement, show the board I can deliver where Liam is failing."

"The Elite Group," Though the owner is unknown. Noah said thoughtfully. "That could be your opening. Besides I heard they’re still weighing options, and they’ve always responded well to fresh perspectives."

Hope surged within me. "So you’ll help me?"

I could almost see him rubbing his forehead, the way he did when making difficult decisions. "I’m not promising anything, Diane. But... Yes, I’ll help where I can. God knows the company could use some steadying right now."

Relief and excitement washed over me. "Thank you, Noah. That’s all I’m asking for—a chance."

"Don’t thank me yet," he warned. "This is going to be complicated, and Liam won’t go down without a fight." He paused. "You should start putting together a strategy presentation for the Elite group. Something innovative that showcases your vision. If we’re going to do this, we need to be ready to move quickly when the opportunity presents itself."

I was already mentally sketching ideas, my mind racing with possibilities. "I’ll have something for you soonest." freewēbnoveℓ.com

"Good," Noah said, a new resolve in his voice. "In the meantime, I’ll start subtle conversations with certain board members, gauge their receptiveness."

We talked for a few more minutes, discussing potential approaches and challenges, before Noah had to go. After we hung up, I stood there in the living room, a strange sense of calm settling over me.

My thoughts already turning to the Elite Group proposal. This wouldn’t be easy, but nothing worth having ever was. Liam had underestimated me for the last time, treating me as a disposable accessory to his success rather than the partner I truly was.

No more.

Walking to Joan’s home office, I settled at my desk and opened my laptop. "Operation Synergy Takeover," I murmured to myself as I created a new document. A small, satisfied smile played at my lips as I began typing.

The twins fluttered inside me, a gentle reminder of everything I was fighting for. "Don’t worry, little ones," I whispered, resting a hand on my swollen belly. "Mommy’s got this."

As I immersed myself in work, ideas flowing freely, I felt a renewed sense of purpose washing over me. This wasn’t just about survival anymore. This was about thriving—about building something for myself and my children that no one, especially not Liam, could ever take away.

The road ahead would be challenging, filled with obstacles and confrontations. Liam wouldn’t relinquish control easily; he’d fight with everything he had. The board would need convincing. But for the first time in a long time, I’m going to accept these challenges.

Let Liam keep his inflated ego and his deflated unicorn. I had my eyes on a much bigger prize. And with Noah’s help and my own determination, I was going to claim it.

The game had changed, and Liam didn’t even know it yet. But he would. Oh, he would.