I Found A New Wife On The Day Of My Divorce

Chapter 4: The Chance Encounter

"I’m sorry, but the showroom is for serious buyers only. The exit is back through those glass doors."

I looked down at the salesman’s hand as he pointed toward the street. He didn't even have the decency to look me in the eye. To him, my generic hoodie and the worn-out sneakers I was still wearing—the ones Sarah mocked—were a neon sign that read “broke”. 

"My money is as green as anyone else’s," I said, my voice dropping an octave. I didn't need to shout to be heard. 

The salesman let out a short, nasal laugh. "Green? Sir, the floor model behind me costs seven hundred thousand dollars. You probably haven't seen that much money in your entire family tree. Now, stop wasting my time before I call security."

He turned his back on me to fawn over a group of teenagers taking selfies with a Lamborghini, leaving me standing in the center of the pristine tile floor. 

That was when I saw her. 

Seraphina Vance was standing by the window, her back to the room. Even from behind, she commanded the space. She was dressed in a tailored white power suit that made her look like a goddess carved from ice. But she wasn't looking at the cars. She was looking at a smaller salesman who was currently blocking her path, his face twisted in a sneer of pure arrogance.

"Listen, sweetheart," the salesman’s voice carried across the room. "I don’t care who you claim to be. This is a high-performance dealership, not a fashion show. If you aren't here to buy the Apollo Intensa, then move along. Pretty girls usually just want the interior for their social media posts, and I’ve got actual clients to handle."

Seraphina’s posture didn't change, but I saw her hand tighten around the strap of her handbag. "I am the actual client, Mr. Henderson. I called ahead about the limited-edition carbon model."

"Yeah, and I’m the King of England," Henderson snapped, waving a dismissive hand. "Go find a boyfriend who can afford a tire change, and then maybe we’ll talk."

The disrespect made my blood boil. It was the same look Sarah gave me. The same tone Bradley used. They saw the surface and assumed the soul was empty.

"I’ll take that one," I said, stepping forward and pointing at the black Apollo Intensa Seraphina had been eyeing. "And the silver one next to it."

The entire showroom went silent. My original salesman turned around, his eyes wide with mock surprise. "Oh, the delivery boy wants to play? Two cars? That’s 1.5 million dollars, kid. Do you even have a credit card that won't melt?"

I didn't look at him. I looked at Seraphina. She had turned around, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Her eyes were sharp, intelligent, and filled with a fire that Sarah never possessed. She didn't look at me with pity; she looked at me with curiosity.

"I’m not paying with a card," I said, reaching into my hoodie pocket and pulling out a black, unmarked titanium chip. "I’m paying with a direct Sovereign transfer."

The first salesman’s face went from smug to ghostly pale in three seconds. He knew that chip. Only the top ten clients of the Sovereign Group held them—the ultimate "Golden Ticket" for the global elite.

"Wait... Sir, I didn't realize..." he stammered, his hands beginning to shake.

"You’re right," I cut him off, my voice cold. "You didn't realize. And you," I pointed to Henderson, who was still standing near Seraphina. "You think a woman’s worth is measured by how much you think she can spend? You’re both fired."

"You can't fire us!" Henderson yelled, though his voice cracked. "You don't own this dealership!"

I turned to Marcus, who had just entered through the front doors, followed by four men in suits. "Marcus, buy this dealership. Now. Fire these two and make sure their names are blacklisted from every luxury brand in the city."

"Consider it done, Chairman," Marcus replied, already pulling out his phone.

The silence that followed was heavy. The two salesmen looked like they were about to collapse. I ignored them and walked over to Seraphina. 

"I believe you wanted the carbon model?" I said, nodding toward the car. "Consider it a gift. No one should be talked to like that."

Seraphina didn't blush. She didn't giggle. She simply tilted her head, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. She stepped closer, and I caught the scent of sandalwood and something expensive.

"Xavier Knight," she said, her voice like silk. "I knew the rumors of your 'departure' were exaggerated, but I didn't expect to find you buying up half the North District before noon."

"News travels fast," I said.

"In my world, information is the only currency that matters," she replied. She reached into her pocket and produced a sleek, silver business card. She didn't just hand it to me; she pressed it into my palm, her fingers lingering for a second too long.

I looked down at the card. It didn't just have a name. It had the crest of the Vance Group—the only conglomerate in the city powerful enough to challenge my own. Underneath her name, in embossed letters, it read: "CEO & Majority Shareholder.”

"My father wants to sign a merger with the Millers," Seraphina whispered, leaning in so only I could hear. "But I think they’re a sinking ship. I’d much rather help you finish what you started tonight. Xavier, I think we can help each other. Call me when you’re done playing with your new toys."

She turned and walked out, the sound of her heels clicking against the tile like a countdown. My phone buzzed in my pocket. A new message from Sarah: "Bradley just took me to the dealership. He’s buying me a used BMW because 'I need to learn to be humble.' God, I wish you were here so I could show you what a real man's car looks like.”

I looked at the 1.5 million dollar hyper-car I had just bought with a shrug, then back at Seraphina's card. Sarah was still fighting over scraps, while I had just been handed the keys to the kingdom by the most powerful woman in the city. 

"Marcus," I said, my eyes tracking Seraphina’s car as it pulled away. "Cancel the meeting with the Millers. I want them to wait. I want them to starve until they’re desperate enough to crawl."