Cheers To Comeuppance
Chapter 15

Annika

While waiting for Kenzie to meet me outside, I was mindlessly humming along to the song on the radio in my car. It was a familiar song, and as my brain unintentionally recalled the lyrics, it triggered a moment of karmic introspection, which had become a rare occurrence these days. I had worked my a*s off to meticulously curate the life of my dreams, piece by f*ucking piece. But, in the blink of an eye, it had all turned to dust, and what awaited me was a crossroads. Behind me, remnants of the fool’s paradise I had created were scattered about, and I saw myself traversing through the desolation as the light around me gradually faded. As I journeyed further in the opposite direction, something caught my eye, and I realized it was the shadow of Jeffrey Hollands, only he was mutating into something entirely different. Once my knight in shining armor, Jeffrey now looked like he was evil incarnate, and he was howling as though he was suffering. I scoffed inwardly, knowing full well that my shitty ex-husband felt zero shame about his wrongdoings. How I managed to remain stuck on a feeling I caught as a teenager—to the point where I willingly stayed beside someone hellbent on destroying my life—was beyond me.

I pressed onward, finally crossing over a definitive boundary, and the scenery was nothing like I had ever seen before. It was warm and full of light, except the light was so blinding that it was hard to make out everything. But, from what I could see, it was absolutely breathtaking. The landscape in front of me was idyllic and filled with cherry blossom trees in full bloom surrounding a vast, winding river. The trees were littered with cocoons, and two butterflies emerging from their chrysalises caught my attention. Flower petals fell in what felt like slow motion as the butterflies spread their wings and took flight, dancing gracefully around the fallen flowers before disappearing into the horizon. I couldn’t help but smile because the view from here had already grown on me and felt more like home.

Kenzie entered the passenger car door and slammed it shut, breaking me from my reverie, and asked me if I was good to go. I smiled and nodded at her since I honestly couldn’t wait to get going. When Kenzie and I arrived at the mall, we decided to go all out. For once in my life, I wanted to flaunt my wealth without reservations. Still, we decided to be rational about this and agreed to shop at the mall with a decent mixture of luxury and lower-end stores to avoid running into people we might know. The last thing we needed was for the wrong people to see the staggering difference between my reputation and true identity.

“Okay, so where should we do damage first?” Kenzie asked me.

“I figured we could just start on one side of the mall and work our way down to the other side?”

“Sure!” Kenzie beamed with excitement. For her, going shopping was a no-brainer and her way of life. I was on the opposite side of the spectrum and preferred to remain low-key. I never saw a reason to go all out, but now? I say f*uck it because I was doing this for myself and no one else.

Victoria’s Secret was our first destination since Kenzie wanted to buy new lingerie for her upcoming anniversary with Hunter. The lovebirds were planning yet another getaway but decided to stay somewhat local by going to Hunter’s family’s residence in the Hamptons. I decided on some new underwear and sleepwear, since lingerie wasn’t my thing. Plus, I really didn’t have anyone to wear them for at that point.

As we casually made our way from store to store, Kenzie and I walked out with no less than a couple of items from each place. It felt incredibly invigorating because I honestly couldn’t recall the last time I really let loose and did something for myself. I’m a doctor, for crying out loud; I chose a life of service to those in need. Most of my life was spent hiding the fact that I was loaded, even though being a doctor had many perks. I was rather proud that our practice raked in significant income for the two of us, not to mention for our staff, but the money I referred to earlier was the one that I kept shrouded in secrecy—the account that no one, not even Kenzie, knows about. So, imagine her surprise when I suggested we go into one of the higher end stores we typically steer clear of.

“Seriously? You want to go into that boutique? You do realize it’s the most expensive store in this mall, right?” she repeated ad nauseam to ensure she correctly heard me.

“Yeah, because it’s like you said before. I can’t keep hiding the fact that I have money, right?” I answered and gave a nonchalant shrug.

“Okay, but only if you’re buying me something!” she agreed enthusiastically, her words devoid of shame. “It’s not every day my bestie, who happens to be filthy rich, is willing to walk into this store on her own,” she continued and locked arms with me, causing me to drop some of my bags.

“Geez, thanks!” I grumbled at her and bent down to pick them up before they became casualties of the hordes of people perusing the hallway.

“Allow me.” A familiar masculine voice called out as I saw a massive tattooed arm extending to retrieve my bags in one fell swoop. I hesitantly shifted my gaze upward and couldn’t believe who I saw in front of me.

“Mr. Von Doren?” I asked incredulously.

“Annika,” he replied, and handed the bags to me with a smug expression. I took them from him without a word and continued to stare at him in shock. What was he doing here?

“Hey, aren’t you that business guy from the clinic last week?” Kenzie butted in, startling me while she was at it. I had totally spaced on the fact that she was with me.

“Yes, I am. You must be Dr. Malloy, Annika’s colleague?” Leon greeted her and shook her hand respectfully.

“Sure am! You can call me Kenzie or Kenz. Any friend of Anni’s is a friend of mine!” she reacted happily, causing me to gawk at her in confusion. Since when did I ever say that Leon and I were friends? She looked back and immediately sent a wink my way. I wasn’t sure if Leon had caught onto our little exchange, but I couldn’t help but turn beet red. Though, I couldn’t understand why I was suddenly getting embarrassed. It’s not like I had anything to hide from Kenzie, although I knew what she was f*ucking insinuating, since we had already discussed it a while back. She wants me and Leon to hook up. Could she be any more shameless?

“I see you weren’t kidding when you said you and your friend were going to go shopping,” Leon said, a smirk etched on his face as he eyed the plethora of bags in my hands. I reflexively looked down, and only then did I realize the full extent of our shopping spree. I quietly regarded him for a moment before I shrugged with a smile and turned my heel.

“Anni! Wait for me! You promised to buy me something from that boutique!” Kenzie cried out as she chased after me.

“You’re full of sh!t! I never promised anything of the sort!”

“Please!” Kenzie whined.

“Ugh.” We walked into the store, and it was empty aside from two other guests, which was not surprising. It wasn’t like this store needed the clientele because one purchase from a single customer could easily cover the store’s rent. Though the mall itself was lower end, it did have high-end stores, this particular boutique being one of them. All of the clothes and accessories were handmade and were all one of a kind. There was literally only one of each item, and sizes varied to be inclusive, meaning a dress could be either in a size 0 or a size 20, but never both. It was strange in a way, but given that the store was still standing, it meant they were doing something right.

By the time I saw a sales associate approaching us with a huge smile on her face, I had figured we could get some help replaceing items in our sizes, and we could purchase the ones we liked. But just as I was about to ask for her assistance, she made a beeline toward the store entrance straight past us with an enormous and rather fake smile plastered on her face.

“Mr. Von Doren!” she squealed with delight. Kenzie and I turned around and gaped at the scene unfolding before us. Leon stood at the main entrance of the boutique, and every sales associate in the entire store was waiting on him hand and foot, both male and female. It was as if the rest of us didn’t even exist.

“Whoa, someone is popular,” Kenzie sneered in annoyance. “Have you hit that yet?”

“Will you shut up!?” I snarled at her, causing Kenzie to back up while rolling her eyes at me instinctively. I shook my head and was about to interrupt the Leon Von Doren worshipping ceremony when the sound of a shrill voice that we all recognized drowned out the commotion in the store.

“IS THIS HOW THE f*ucking SERVICE IS IN THIS DAMN PLACE!?” Kenzie and I exchanged sideways glances at each other because we knew damn well who that voice belonged to. We simultaneously turned back towards the store’s interior, and sure enough, there she stood in the doorway of the fitting room—the homewrecking slut that ruined my marriage.

“Seriously?!” Kenzie grumbled in a whisper. “This b!tch is here too!? She’s such a f*ucking eyesore. It’s bad enough we have to see her at the damn clinic once a month, but now at this store too?”

“I think we should just leave,” I quickly suggested.

“Why!?” Kenzie cried out in disbelief.

“We can come back another day. It’s not like the store is going any—” I was in the middle of saying my piece when the blonde banshee let out another ear-piercing shriek.

“IF I DON’T GET SOME F*UCKING HELP THIS INSTANT, I’M GOING TO RUIN YOUR F*UCKING STORE! DO YOU PEASANTS HAVE ANY IDEA WHO THE F*UCK I AM!?” Kenzie and I looked at one another again and rolled our eyes in equal disbelief at her perpetual arrogance.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Galloway,” one of the sales associates finally answered her call and bowed her head.

“I’m a f*ucking VIP! How dare you ignore me and treat me like this!?”

“Ms. Galloway, the individual that entered the store isn’t just—”

“I don’t give a flying f*uk who entered the store! I want to see your manager! You’re so f*ucking incompetent!”

“Is she serious right now?” Kenzie blurted out, abandoning all sense of volume control.

“Who said that!?” Knowing where this would lead, Kenzie gritted her teeth as I was rendered speechless, completely baffled by how we found ourselves in this situation. My eyes narrowed as I stared at Kenzie. “Don’t make me repeat myself, who the … What the f*uck? You two!?” she screeched when she finally noticed our presence.

“Great. Thanks, Kenzie,” I muttered as I wracked my brain to devise a fitting solution to our predicament.

“Ugh, why the hell are they here?!” she yelled and pointed at us while addressing the associate.

“Those customers just walked into the store, Ms. Galloway.”

“So, is this how you manage things here? You guys just let anyone walk into this store? Ugh, no wonder your business is flopping. f*uck this. I will not buy anything until you get those wretched hags out of the store. I don’t want them to ruin any of my desired items!” I thought I had already seen the worst of Sadie’s behavior during our altercation at the clinic, but I was proven wrong by her excessive belligerence on display now. Was she serious right now? Did she just call us wretched hags? The face she made as she spoke those words while eyeing me up and down led me to realize that Sadie knew who I was beyond the doctor who kicked her out of the clinic; no, she knew that I was Jeff’s wife.

“Ms. Galloway, is that any way to speak to your doctor?” Kenzie huffed with disdain.

“Doctor? The last time I checked this wasn’t the clinic. So, in that case, you’re not my doctor at the moment, which means I can speak to you the way you deserve to be spoken to.”

“Spoiled much?” I spouted under my breath.

“What is all of this ruckus!?” an unfamiliar voice shouted.

“Mrs. Henderson, thank God you’ve arrived. Our VIP customer is upset at these two women and is demanding their departure. I was about to ask them to leave when they insulted Ms. Galloway,” the associate, ran off at the mouth to the point where it was borderline unintelligible. The manager took one look at us, and it was clear she was preparing to tell us to take a hike, but she was interrupted as she strode toward us.

“What authority do you have to make such demands, Sadie?” I turned to my right, and Leon stood next to me while glaring at his ex. Seeing such malevolence radiating from him was strange, to say the least. Around myself and others, Leon was always so respectful and kind without a trace of malice. It just goes to show he must really hate her.

“UGH! What a f*ucking day! Why the f*uck are you here!?” Sadie screamed at him, raising her volume another notch, much to everyone’s displeasure.

“The last I checked I still owned this store. So, why wouldn’t I come here?” He what?

“Mr. Von Doren!?” the manager gasped and immediately approached him, disregarding Sadie and us. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” she asked with a smile that gleamed.

“I was escorting my two guests into the store when your associates bombarded me and neglected their presence entirely. Is this how business is conducted in my absence?” he asked in an equally suave and solemn voice.

“N-n-no, Mr. Von Doren,” the manager stuttered nervously before immediately launching into a tirade against her employees. “What are you lot doing!? Hurry and help Mr. Von Doren’s guests!” It took a split second before everyone sprang into action and rushed towards us.

“Actually, we were just—” I wanted nothing more than to tell them we were leaving since this impromptu circus ruined my mood to shop, but again, Leon intervened before I could finish my sentence.

“Mrs. Henderson, must I remind you who has permission to enter this store and who doesn’t? The memo should have gone out that Sadie Galloway was banned from this store!”

“My apologies, Mr. Von Doren. I wasn’t aware that she had come in today. And the associate that assisted her is new!” the manager quickly explained, attempting to defend herself.

“WHAT!? YOU BANNED ME FROM HERE!?” Sadie shouted at the top of her lungs and caused yet another commotion. It was exhausting to bear witness to it all, and I felt second-hand embarrassment for the clueless brat having her temper tantrum.

“Why wouldn’t I? Did you really believe that I would allow you to come into this boutique and harass the employees here to do your bidding even after our divorce? I let it slide before because we were married, but as it stands, we have nothing to do with each other. You’re forever banned from here, so get your sh!t and get the f*uck out.” Leon gave one stern look to the manager, who immediately ushered her people to escort Sadie out of the store sans the items she wished to purchase. “Retrieve all of the items that she touched and have them sanitized. I don’t want our clients to catch anything because she touched them.”

“Yes, sir!” As the workers ran around like chickens with their heads cut off, I looked up at Leon, waiting for him to sense my gaze before he shifted his attention towards me, and I simply quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Yes?”

“Are you always this much of an a*s?” I asked him, resulting in Kenzie bursting out with laughter.

“Only when I’m working,” he replied and raised his brows.

“Mr. Von Doren, please allow me to attend to your guests personally,” the manager announced.

“There’s no need,” I said, putting a stop to this charade.

“I’m sorry?”

“We just wanted to browse around. If I need assistance, I’ll ask one of your friendly staff members for assistance. You may continue to attend to Mr. Von Doren,” I replied with as much courtesy as I could. It was obvious she didn’t want to help us, and she was only doing so to get back into Leon’s good graces. This kind of shameless customer service is one I couldn’t stand, and neither could Kenzie.

“Hey, Mrs. Henderson, right?” Kenzie spoke to the manager, who nodded as she listened. “A word of advice, if one customer is unhappy with other guests in your store and demands to have said guests kicked out, you may want to assess the situation prior to taking their word for it. Have you ever heard of vetting your sources? I suppose not because you were literally about to ask us to leave, and had Mr. Von Doren not stepped in, you would have dismissed us without considering that we visited your store with the intent to purchase. I know it’s common practice to judge a book by its cover in these types of establishments, but you shouldn’t. Regardless of whether our appearances misled you to believe we wouldn’t be able to afford the items in this boutique, we are both highly respectable doctors with the level of income your staff would salivate over. And my friend here? Well, let’s just say she could easily buy out this entire store in a single day if she chose to.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t …”

“No, of course, you didn’t. Who gave you the impression that someone who screams and cries bloody murder while spending her Daddy’s precious money holds more value than others? Because, to me, that automatically disqualifies you from serving in the customer service field. Take it from someone who has dedicated her career to a life of service. Not everyone with money behaves like that entitled, spoiled brat who had to be escorted from the premises. In case you didn’t know, truly wealthy people prefer not to flaunt their riches. We spend our money quietly and humbly, without drawing attention to ourselves. Had you or your staff actually bothered even to ask why we came in, then you would know this. Perhaps this is a sign you should return to the basics and undergo training in Customer Service 101, so you can learn a thing or two about how to treat your customers, whoever they are.”

“Kenzie, enough,” I whispered while pulling her arm towards me, “I think she gets it.” Kenzie was a loving person when she wanted to be, but her sharp and honest tongue was ever-present and ready to be utilized at her disposal. Perhaps being married to a lawyer was one of the reasons she behaved this way at times, but then again, what’s my excuse?

“I think Dr. Malloy has a point,” Leon suddenly chimed in before the manager could walk away. “It is clear the customer service skills that you and your staff possess are not up to par. Therefore, as suggested, you and everyone else will repeat your training. Effective immediately, you will be demoted to an associate, and I will replace a replacement for the manager position. I will be placing everyone under probationary periods pending a performance evaluation. You will be terminated if your manners and skills do not improve after ninety days. Is that clear?”

“But …”

“I said, is that clear!?” With her head hung low, the manager nodded meekly. “You’re dismissed.” She turned her heel and retreated in shame.

“Mr. Von Doren, was that necessary?” I asked.

“It was. I’m a businessman, Annika. I don’t just work in commercial real estate. I own multiple companies, and if I don’t keep my people in line, how would that make me, the company’s owner and CEO, look? Customer service is the foundation of the retail industry, regardless of whether the store is high-end or low-end. The service is what sells and generates returning customers, and if my people behave like idiotic buffoons, then as the boss, it is my responsibility to discipline them. I can only imagine the ongoing s**t that has been occurring without my knowledge,” he replied as he surveyed his store with unmistakable disappointment. I only nodded my head in response.

In the end, Kenzie and I left after we couldn’t replace anything we liked enough. Truth be told, I did replace something worth buying, but I couldn’t bring myself to go through with the purchase after my shopping mojo had been extinguished, and I was left with a sour taste in my mouth after suffering through the drama of today’s events. I thought that Leon would follow us since it was clear that he knew where to replace me today, but he stayed behind to clean up house, or so he said.

“Girl, please tell me you’re going to hit that!?” Kenzie gushed as we reached the parking garage and loaded up the car.

“Kenzie, will you give it a rest already!?”

“Annika! He has the hots for you! How can you not see it!?”

“Kenz! I’m still married! Hello?”

“Again! That didn’t stop needle-d**k Jeff!”

“And again, I cannot afford to risk allowing Jeff an opportunity to turn this s**t around on me!”

“Ugh! You should really learn how to live your life to the fullest, especially after the s**t he’s put you through!” she grunted in frustration and sat down in the passenger seat. I sighed and followed suit, fastening my seatbelt before starting the ignition.

“Kenzie, I’m going to be really honest with you. You need to stop trying to persuade me to hook up with Leon. Aside from the fact that I’m married and in the middle of investigating my douche of a husband and his mistress, the fact of the matter is Leon Von Doren is my patient! I can’t sleep with him based on that alone.”

“Please, do you actually think he came to the clinic because of insomnia and his b***d pressure?” Kenzie objected.

“What?”

“Anni, that man has unlimited resources. There is no way in hell that he didn’t know who you were before he came to the clinic that day. He was well aware that you’re Jeff’s wife and that his ex is having an affair with said a*****e. He did his research on you.”

“How did you …”

“Please! It’s f*ucking obvious!” My mouth was agape as I stared at Kenzie. Did anything ever get past her? “Annika, I’ll drop this for now. But once you’ve finally gotten your revenge on that two-timing bastard and his blonde bimbo homewrecker, go to Leon.”

“What? Kenzie …”

“I’m being serious. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone look at you the way he does. I’m not an idiot, and neither are you. It may not have been long since you two met, but girl, the sparks are there, and sometimes letting them catch on fire isn’t such a bad thing.”