My Revenge System Destroys My Exes

Three months ago, the day I discovered Pierces infidelity, I quietly packed my things and moved into the guest room.

I didnt confront him. I didnt scream. I waited until the System notified me that all evidence of his betrayal had been collected. Only then did I step back into our master suite.

The door was ajar. Inside, Pierce was on speakerphone, his voice filled with a warmth he hadn't shown me in years.

On the other end, three voicesvoices I knew intimatelywere joking around. My three ex-husbands.

"So, Pierce," one of them teased with a familiar lilt, "did you give her the divorce papers yet? Lacy made it clearno tag-alongs allowed at her bachelorette party. If you want an invite, you come alone."

Pierce chuckled, a cold, sharp sound. "Don't worry. Im about to force her to sign."

He looked up then, spotting me in the doorway. His expression shifted instantly from amusement to a mask of icy indifference as he hung up.

"Since you heard everything," he said, his voice dropping an octave, "lets just end it. You were always just damaged goods, Jacqueline. A relic tossed aside by your exes. You should be grateful I let you play the part of my wife for as long as I did."

I looked at him, feeling the hollow ache in my chest settle into something hard and crystalline. In the quiet theater of my mind, I reached out and pressed the Systems 'Punishment' key.

I didn't argue. I didn't cry. I simply smiled.

...

Pierces face flushed a deep, angry crimson. He stood up, jabbed a finger toward my face, and snarled.

"Jacqueline, have you finally lost your mind? Are you going insane?"

"Those three men kicked you to the curb years ago. Do you honestly think theyd ever want you back? If I hadn't been charitable enough to marry you, youd be nothing but a used-up socialite nobody would touch with a ten-foot pole!"

I watched his desperate bravado, the way his veins thrummed with malice. In my mind, the System issued a crisp, mechanical ding.

[Punishment Protocol Initiated. Pain Sensitivity increased by 10%. Luck Depletion: 10%.]

Suddenly, Pierce went pale. He gasped, clutching his chest as he stumbled back against the vanity. His breath came in ragged hitches.

"Did you... did you poison me?" he wheezed, his eyes darting around in a panic.

I didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. I turned on my heel and went to the guest room to grab my suitcase. As I reached the foyer, the electronic lock chimed.

The door swung open, and a wave of cloying, sugary perfume flooded the hallway.

"Pierce, honey? I brought those artisanal honey-glazed chestnuts you love from the Upper East Side."

Lacy walked in, looking like a portrait of innocence in a white eyelet lace dress. She froze when she saw me with my luggage, her hand flying to her mouth in a choreographed gesture of shock.

"Jacqueline? Are you... leaving?" Her eyes pooled with sudden, practiced tears. "Is this because I called Pierce yesterday? Please, don't be mad at him. I was just so scared staying at the hotel by myself. I needed someone to talk to."

She trembled, ducking behind Pierce as if I were a physical threat. Despite the pain in his chest, Pierce pulled her into his arms, shielding her with a protective glare.

"Jacqueline, enough! Lacy is fragile. Stop trying to intimidate her."

I let out a short, sharp laugh. It felt like glass breaking.

"Fragile? It takes a lot of nerve to sleep with another womans husband. Doesn't seem very 'fragile' to me."

Lacys tears began to spill over. "Jacqueline, how can you be so cruel? Pierce and I... its pure. Were soulmates. You cant let your three failed marriages turn you into someone this bitter."

A ripple of mocking laughter came from the hallway.

"Lacys right, Jacqueline. You really need to work on that temper."

Three tall, well-dressed men filed into the penthouse: Beckett, Colton, and Jude. My past, standing in my present.

Beckett tossed his Ferrari keys onto the marble console, his eyes sweeping over my suitcase with disdain. "What, the runaway bride act again? You did this when you divorced me, too. Its getting a bit clich, don't you think?"

Colton walked over to Lacy, patting her head before turning to me with a sigh. "Jacqueline, be an adult for once. Pierce works his tail off to provide this lifestyle for you. So what if he has a muse on the side?"

Jude leaned against the doorframe, flicking a designer lighter open and shut. "You think youre still the untouchable heiress of the Mercer estate? Youre a three-time divorce. You should be thanking God anyone was willing to take the hand-me-downs."

Seeing the four of them standing together, a united front to protect their 'golden girl,' I felt a surge of pure, unadulterated nausea.

Years ago, Beckett had begged me for a tactical marriage to secure his familys inheritance.

Colton had knelt in the pouring rain, pleading for my help to dodge a disastrous merger.

Jude had been at deaths door, needing my signature and my resources to survive a medical scandal.

Every single time, I had helped them. Every single time, when the crisis passed, I had walked away with nothing, leaving them the space to thrive. And now, they stood here, using the very status I helped them build to grind me into the dirt for a girl like Lacy.

I looked at Pierce. "You called them here?"

Pierce held Lacy tighter, his chin lifted. "Lacy said today was a day for celebration, a fresh start for all of us. She wanted you to see the reality of things so youd stop using the threat of divorce as a weapon. You walk out that door today, Jacqueline, and you are dead to this circle. Don't think for a second you'll be allowed back in."

I gripped the handle of my suitcase, my spine as straight as a blade.

"Don't worry," I said, my voice steady and cold. "This place is so filthy I wouldn't stay if you paid me."

I shouldered past Jude, walking out into the hallway without a backward glance.

Behind me, I heard Lacys voice, sweet and venomous. "Oh dear, Jacqueline is so sensitive. She didn't even say goodbye to the boys."

"Let her go," Beckett scoffed. "Shell be back in three days, crawling and crying for Pierce to take her back."

"Exactly," Colton chimed in. "A woman like her can't survive five minutes without a mans bank account."

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. In the silence of the car, the Systems voice echoed in my mind.

[Host, revenge sequence initiated. Shall we proceed with full-scale Luck Depletion?]

"Full power," I whispered.

If these four wolves wanted to hunt in a pack, they could starve in one, too.

Leaving that penthouse was like finally exhaling after holding my breath for three years. I didn't go to a hotel. I drove straight to the glass-walled triplex overlooking Central Park.

It was my grandfathers private legacy, a property Pierce didn't even know existed. Hed spent our entire marriage convinced Id poured my last cent into his startup, believing I was nothing more than a dependent trophy wife.

Id just stepped out of the shower when my phone buzzed on the vanity.

A message from Colton. A photo.

In the picture, Lacy was perched on the velvet sofa in the penthouse, wearing a birthday tiara. Pierce, Beckett, Colton, and Jude were gathered around her, their faces soft with adoration. On the table sat the custom-ordered fondant cake I had designed months ago.

The caption read: [Be smart. Come back and apologize to Lacy. Its her birthdaydon't be the one to ruin it.]

I stared at the screen for a second, then blocked his number. I followed suit with the other three, purging them from my digital life with a few taps.

The next morning, I arrived at Pierces corporate headquarters with my lead attorney in tow. This company wouldn't exist if I hadn't leveraged my familys old connections to secure its first round of Series A funding.

I pushed open the door to the executive suite. Pierce was hunched over his desk, his hair a mess as he glared at a series of red spreadsheets on his monitor.

He looked up, stunned to see me, before a smirk touched his lips. "So, one night in a cheap hotel was enough to bring you to your senses?"

"I knew you couldn't stay away," he continued, leaning back. "Tell you what. Go buy Lacy that Herms bag she wanted as a peace offering, and Ill pretend yesterday never happened."

I dropped the divorce decree onto his mahogany desk with a dull thud.

"Sign it."

Pierce glanced at the header, his face darkening. "Jacqueline, drop the act. Youre not scaring me with this. I pay for your clothes, your food, your soul. Without me, youre a literal vagrant."

I sat down in the chair opposite him, tapping the desk. "Pierce, did you really forget whose money started this 'empire'? Or whose name opened the doors for those 'exclusive' contracts youre currently losing?"

His expression faltered, but he blustered through it. "So what? The company is in my name. The accounts are mine. You want a divorce? Fine. You leave with nothing. Not a single cent."

I nodded to my lawyer.

Mr. Simon stepped forward, sliding a leather-bound folder onto the desk. "Actually, Mr. Prescott, per the initial investment covenant, Mrs. Blackwoodsoon to be Ms. Mercerretains a sixty percent equity stake held in a private trust. In the event of a legal separation involving infidelity, she has the right to call in all debts and liquidate her shares immediately."

Pierce lunged for the papers, his eyes scanning the clauses. The veins in his neck bulged. "Jacqueline, you... you set me up?"

"Its called an exit strategy, Pierce," I said coldly. "You have three days to secure the buy-out funds, or Ill see you in court for a forced liquidation."

I stood up to leave, but the door swung open. Lacy walked in carrying a boutique lunch bag. Seeing me, she immediately switched into her 'victim' persona.

"Jacqueline! Are you here to see Pierce? Please, don't pressure him. Hes been so stressed about the firm lately." She touched her eyes, which were conveniently brimming with tears. "If its about money... I can give you my savings. I don't want to be the reason youre struggling."

Pierce pulled her behind him, roaring at me. "Do you see this, Jacqueline? Lacy is thinking about you while youre trying to bleed me dry! Youre nothing but a vampire!"

I couldn't help it. I laugheda genuine, amused sound.

"Lacy, keep your little 'savings.' Youll need them to buy your own coffee once Pierce is back in a cubicle."

Lacys face went white. Pierce raised his hand, his face contorted with rage, ready to strike.

His wrist was caught mid-air by a hand with long, elegant fingers.

Beckett stood in the doorway, his brow furrowed. He shoved Pierces hand down and looked at me with a mix of disappointment and irritation.

"Jacqueline, thats enough. Lacy was trying to be kind. Why must you be so incredibly toxic?"

I shook out my own wrist, though he hadn't touched me. "Mr. CEO is quite the regular here lately. Don't you have a company of your own to run, Beckett? Or are you hoping to pick up the scraps of this one when it crashes?"

Beckett stiffened. "Im here to discuss a partnership. And to check on Lacy."

I didn't bother responding. I walked past them, my lawyer following close behind. As I hit the elevator bank, the System chimed again.

[Luck Depletion Active: Pierces Midtown Development Project just hit a massive safety violation. Stop-work order issued.]

I felt a ghost of a smile pull at my lips.

Over the next seventy-two hours, Pierces world didn't just crumbleit imploded.

The Midtown project was a disaster. The bank froze his lines of credit. His partners, smelling blood in the water, began pulling out one by one.

Meanwhile, I sat in my floor-to-ceiling windowed living room, sipping a vintage Bordeaux and watching the ticker on my tablet. Prescott Holdings was bleeding out in real-time.

My phone rang. An unknown number. Id changed my SIM, but somehow Jude had found it.

"Jacqueline, what the hell are you doing?" Judes voice was thick with suppressed fury. "Are you behind the short-selling of Pierces stock? Stop this childish vendetta."

I took a slow sip of my wine. "If he can't manage his own risk, Jude, thats hardly my problem."

Jude scoffed. "Don't play coy. Nobody else would be this ruthless. Drop the lawsuits, Jacqueline. Don't force our hand. You think youre still the Mercer girl? The three of us can make sure you never work in this city again."

"And how would you do that, Jude?" I asked. "The last time I checked, you were the one begging for my signature on your medical release forms so you wouldn't die a ward of the state. Have you forgotten how to be humble?"

There was a sharp silence on the other end, followed by a snarl. "That was years ago! Don't you dare throw the past in my face! Lacy is devastated by all this stress. You will stop this, and you will publicly apologize to her for the slander."

I hung up.

The delusion was almost fascinating. Did they really think they were the protagonists of this story?

That evening, a courier delivered a heavy, gold-embossed envelope.

An invitation to an exclusive solo art exhibition for Lacy. It was being held at the Starry Night Gallerythe most prestigious venue in the city.

Inside was a handwritten note:

[Jacqueline, tomorrow is my big night. Pierce and the guys will all be there. I hope you can come so we can finally put this misunderstanding behind us. Love, Lacy.]

I looked at the note and laughed. Put the 'misunderstanding' behind us? More like 'publicly humiliate me with a show of force.'

The System spoke up. [Host, malice levels detected from the target are peaking. Suggest attending the event for a 'Face-Slap' bonus. Rewards: Double Revenge Points.]

"Oh, I wouldnt miss it for the world."

I tossed the invitation into the fireplace.

The next night, I stepped out of a black town car in front of the gallery. I was wearing a vintage black velvet gown that hugged every curve, my hair swept up to reveal a throat that felt far too bare. My makeup was lethalsharp wings and a blood-red lip.

The gallery was packed with the citys elite. Lacy, in a custom blush silk gown, stood in the center of the room like a princess, flanked by her four knights.

The room went silent as I walked in. Heads turned. Whispers rippled through the air like a cold wind.

Lacys eyes lit up. She hurried toward me, her skirt swishing. "Jacqueline! You actually came!"

She reached out to grab my hand in a display of faux-sisterhood. I pivoted slightly, letting her hand grasp empty air.

Her smile faltered, her eyes immediately welling up.

Pierce was there in a heartbeat, stepping between us. "Jacqueline, what is wrong with you? Lacy went out of her way to invite you, and you can't even be civil?"

Beckett walked over, swirling a glass of scotch, his eyes raking over my dress. "Dressed like that... are you here to sabotage her, or are you just desperate for our attention again?"

Colton chuckled darkly. "Shes run out of moves, Beckett. This is a cry for help."

A few people in the crowd tittered.

I ignored them, looking instead at the 'art' on the walls.

"This is the exhibition?" I asked, loud enough for the nearby guests to hear. "The colors are muddy, the composition is amateur, and the technique is... well, Ive seen better work in a middle school hallway. Your taste, gentlemen, has plummeted."

Lacys face turned a blotchy red. "Jacqueline! You can hate me, but don't insult my art!"

Jude slammed his drink down on a nearby pedestal. The glass shattered, sent shards flying.

"Jacqueline, youre here to cause trouble. Apologize to Lacy. Now."

The atmosphere was suffocating. Every eye in the room was on me, waiting for the fall.

Pierce stepped closer, looming over me with a dark, triumphant look. "Im giving you one last chance, Jacqueline. Get on your knees and apologize to Lacy. Right here, in front of everyone."

I looked at him, truly looked at him, and realized I felt nothing but a mild sense of pity. "Pierce, youve lost your mind. Me? Kneel for her? She couldn't handle the weight of my shadow, let alone my respect."

Lacy retreated into Coltons arms, sobbing. "Pierce, please, just let it go. Jacqueline has always looked down on me. I don't want to be the reason your marriage is ruined..."

Colton glared at me. "Look at how kind she is! And look at youyouve turned into a bitter, vengeful hag!"

Beckett stepped forward then, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. He flipped it open.

Inside was a glowing emerald necklace. My breath hitched.

It was my grandfathersthe only thing I had left of him. Id left it in the wall safe at the penthouse in my haste to leave.

Beckett saw my reaction and smirked. "Want it back? I had a locksmith open that pathetic little safe of yours."

"Give it to me, Beckett," I said, my voice trembling with suppressed rage.

"Sure," he said, holding the necklace over a trash bin. "As soon as you give Lacy the three head-bows she deserves for your bullying. Otherwise, Ill drop this into the disposal and watch it get ground into dust."

I stared at the emerald, my nails digging into my palms. "Beckett, don't you dare."

Jude sneered. "Whos going to stop us? You have nothing left. No status, no husband, no friends. Get on your knees."

The crowd began to whisper.

"Poor Jacqueline... shes really fallen."

"She probably deserved it. You don't get four men to hate you that much for no reason."

"Just apologize and get it over with, honey. Why keep up the act?"

Pierce reached out, his hand moving to shove my shoulder downward. "I said, kneel!"

His hand never reached me.

The gallery doors were kicked open with a thunderous bang that made everyone jump.

Two rows of men in black suits flooded the room, creating a human corridor. Then, a man walked intall, commanding, with a presence that seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room. He was in a charcoal-grey bespoke suit, his eyes like flint.

Callum Blackwood.

The King of the Manhattan elite. A man who didn't just own companies; he owned the people who ran them.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Callum walked straight to me. He saw Pierces hand hovering near my shoulder. Without a word, he delivered a backhand so sharp and powerful it sent Pierce sprawling across the floor.

The sound of the slap echoed like a gunshot.

Callum took a silk handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his hand with clinical precision, and dropped the cloth onto Pierces bleeding face.

He then turned, pulled me firmly into his side, and let his voice ring out through the gallery.

"Who gave you trash the right to lay a finger on my fiance?"