Too Late For Regret, Mister Moss

The cold metal of the diamond ring scraped against the polished mahogany vanity.

Ada Hurst pushed the heavy piece of jewelry across the wood. It made a harsh, grating sound. Ten years of her life, reduced to a rock she no longer wanted to look at.

She opened the bottom drawer and dropped the ring into the dark corner. She did not look back at it.

Her chest felt hollow. Not painful, just completely empty. She turned to the massive walk-in closet. Row after row of haute couture dresses hung there. August Moss had his assistant buy them. They were beautiful, expensive, and felt like a prison uniform.

Ada pulled a small, battered canvas purse from the top shelf. She unzipped it and tossed in a worn notebook and a few essential documents. These are the only things she brought with her when she married the Moss family.

Ada didn't want to be a hindrance to their marriage, so she gave up all the secrets and lived as a single girl in the family of the Mosses.

Stern never looked at himself after the marriage, and his mother and sister only looked at him as a thief who was greedy for the huge wealth of the Moss family.

But she kept her illusions alive, thinking that one day Sterling would see her, and she wanted to find the right opportunity to confess her true identity, but before that, Sterling had betrayed their marriage and their vows.

The heavy bedroom door swung open and hit the wall with a loud bang.

Kia Ferguson Moss stood in the doorway. She wore a silk robe and a sneer that twisted her face.

"Are you playing the runaway wife game again?" Kia laughed. The sound was high and grating. "Do you really think my brother is going to feel sorry for you?"

Ada stopped packing. She slowly stood up straight. The air in her lungs felt cool and steady. She looked at Kia.

"I am leaving," Ada said. Her voice was flat. "And you can give the Mrs. Moss title to that woman you all love so much."

Kia's face flushed a dark, angry red. She stepped into the room, raising her hand to grab Ada's shoulder.

"You ungrateful bitch!" Kia yelled.

Ada shifted her weight. She dodged the hand easily. She raised her own hand and slapped Kia's wrist away. The smack of skin against skin echoed in the large room.

Kia stumbled back. She grabbed her red wrist and screamed. "You hit me! In my own house!"

Heavy, rapid footsteps sounded in the hallway. Doretta Irwin Moss appeared in the doorway. Her heels clicked sharply against the hardwood floor.

"What is this behavior?" Doretta demanded. Her chest heaved. "You have no class, Ada. None."

Ada ignored her. She zipped up the small purse. The zipper made a loud, tearing sound in the quiet room. She grabbed the strap and walked toward the door.

Doretta stepped in front of her, blocking the exit.

"If you walk out that door," Doretta said, her voice dropping to a vicious whisper, "I will cut off your trust fund allowance immediately. You will have nothing."

Ada raised one eyebrow. A cold smile touched the corners of her mouth. She reached into her purse and pulled out a stack of stapled papers.

She slapped the divorce agreement flat against Doretta's chest. The older woman gasped and stepped back. The papers fluttered to the floor.

Doretta looked down. The bold letters at the top of the page were clear. It was a zero-alimony divorce agreement. Ada was taking nothing.

Ada used the moment of shock. She bumped her shoulder against Doretta's and walked out the door. She carried the small purse down the grand spiral staircase.

"You will starve on the streets of New York!" Kia screamed from the top of the stairs.

Ada did not turn around. She pushed open the heavy oak front doors. The crisp morning air hit her face, clearing the stale smell of the mansion from her nose.

The massive iron gates of the estate swung open. A bright red Koenigsegg roared up the driveway. The tires screeched as it stopped right in front of Ada.

The tinted window rolled down. Sloane Astor-Vance pulled down her sunglasses.

"Get in, baby!" the Hollywood actress yelled over the engine.

Ada tossed her small purse into the front trunk. She opened the passenger door and slid into the low leather seat. She pulled the door shut.

Sloane looked at Ada's pale face. "Are you sure about this? Is it really over?"

Ada took a deep breath. She looked in the side mirror at the massive Moss estate. She nodded once.

Sloane grinned. She slapped the steering wheel and slammed her foot on the gas. The car roared like a beast and shot down the driveway, leaving the wealthy Long Island neighborhood behind.

Inside the loud cabin, Ada reached into her purse again. She pulled out a second copy of the divorce agreement and a pen. She flipped to the back page and signed her name in bold, sharp strokes.

Sloane glanced over. "There is the ruthless Ada I know."

Ada clicked the pen shut. She stared straight ahead at the Manhattan skyline growing larger in the distance.

"Take me straight to the Moss-Sterling headquarters," Ada said.

Sloane whipped the steering wheel, merging onto the highway. A storm was coming for August Moss.