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  • Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
  • Theme: Survival / Success
  • Subject: Loneliness / Solitude
  • Published: 10/12/2024

Rich Man Poor Man

By Darrell Case
Born 1945, M, from Farmersburg, United States
View Author Profile
Read More Stories by This Author
Rich Man Poor Man

Rich Man Poor Man

Alvin Stanton went to bed one of the richest men in the world and woke up one of the poorest. How could it happen? How could he lose his wealth in one night in less than 12 hours? Seeing the note on her pillow, he carefully unpinned it. He sadly smiled as he read it. He had been right. Alvin took no joy in his discovery.

Alvin
I don’t love you. I said I did just to get access to your wealth. Last night, my lawyer assured me I had lived with you long enough. I am now one of the richest women in the world. Your yacht, jet and automobiles are mine. Your mansion and home in the country are mine. Even the sheets on your bed are mine. Your staff now answer to me. How about that? Not bad for a poor girl from the poorest neighborhood in the city. I will be nice to you and give you 24 hours to move out. By the way, I think my old apartment is for rent. And there may be an opening at the restaurant where we first met. I think they are looking for a dishwasher. Have a good day. Ha ha.
You not so loving wife.
Becky

Alvin sadly smiled. His plan worked perfectly. She had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. The prenuptial agreement did the trick. He had suspected her for the last 3 months. He had checked with his lawyer last week. She had been so eager to sign it; she took his word without fully reading it. One little sentence changed the entire document. If she left him, the entire form became void. Dressing, he walked downstairs. He looked at the paper folded at his plate. His stocks were up. Becky might think she was wealthy this morning until she had her lawyer check the prenuptial agreement.
At 9AM, he phoned the jewelry store. Speaking to the manager, he asked about a resell of her rings, watches and necklaces. “Yes sir, I believe we can resell them as new. Because of your account, the watches will bring about a hundred thousand and the jewelry about two to three million.”
“Thanks Robert. I will get back to you. Please close her account.”
“Of course, sir,” Robert said.
The next call went to his bank. He spoke to the CEO. By 9:30 they had frozen all of her accounts, including the credit and debit cards.
At 9:45, his attorney called, he was laughing. “She’s freaking out. Her attorney barely entered the office this morning before she showed up, demanding to know what was going on. She went to the jewelers, they refused to sell to her. The bank froze her accounts. Everything is falling apart for her.”
He set back in his desk chair relaxing. “Great, Dave. It’s progressing just the way you said it would last week.” Alvin said.
“Brace yourself. Last thing I heard is she’s on her way to your office.” Dave said.
“Will do. Thanks Dave.” Alvin said.

At 10, his assistant called him. "She's here."
He smiled. “Send her in.”
He came around and set on the edge of his desk. The door opened. Becky came in, her head bowed, and flopped down in a guest chair. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost. He waited for her to speak. She opened her purse and took out her copy of the prenuptial agreement.
In a quiet voice, she said. “Can we change this?” She held out the form to him. He refused to take it.
“No, Becky, we can’t. You signed it. If you remember right, I asked if you had read it and you said yes.”
“But…but.” Becky said, tears coming to her eyes. She dabbed at them. They ran down her cheeks, messing up her makeup. “I... I didn’t know that sentence was in there.”
“I did.” Alvin said. Going back around, he set down in his desk chair.
“I trusted you.” She said, more tears flooding her eyes.
“I trusted you, too. But you betrayed me.” He said. “Look Becky. I loved you. I gave you every luxury money can buy. Keep the jewelry. Robert assures me it is worth a couple of million.”
“Can we start over?” Becky said. “Forget this ever happened?”
“No, I’m sorry. Becky, you burned your bridges.” He said, picking up the note she left on her pillow. “I believe you had the final say this morning.“
Quietly, she left his office. That night, he went to bed, still one of the wealthiest people in the world, and one of the loneliest.

Rich Man Poor Man(Darrell Case) Rich Man Poor Man

Alvin Stanton went to bed one of the richest men in the world and woke up one of the poorest. How could it happen? How could he lose his wealth in one night in less than 12 hours? Seeing the note on her pillow, he carefully unpinned it. He sadly smiled as he read it. He had been right. Alvin took no joy in his discovery.

Alvin
I don’t love you. I said I did just to get access to your wealth. Last night, my lawyer assured me I had lived with you long enough. I am now one of the richest women in the world. Your yacht, jet and automobiles are mine. Your mansion and home in the country are mine. Even the sheets on your bed are mine. Your staff now answer to me. How about that? Not bad for a poor girl from the poorest neighborhood in the city. I will be nice to you and give you 24 hours to move out. By the way, I think my old apartment is for rent. And there may be an opening at the restaurant where we first met. I think they are looking for a dishwasher. Have a good day. Ha ha.
You not so loving wife.
Becky

Alvin sadly smiled. His plan worked perfectly. She had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. The prenuptial agreement did the trick. He had suspected her for the last 3 months. He had checked with his lawyer last week. She had been so eager to sign it; she took his word without fully reading it. One little sentence changed the entire document. If she left him, the entire form became void. Dressing, he walked downstairs. He looked at the paper folded at his plate. His stocks were up. Becky might think she was wealthy this morning until she had her lawyer check the prenuptial agreement.
At 9AM, he phoned the jewelry store. Speaking to the manager, he asked about a resell of her rings, watches and necklaces. “Yes sir, I believe we can resell them as new. Because of your account, the watches will bring about a hundred thousand and the jewelry about two to three million.”
“Thanks Robert. I will get back to you. Please close her account.”
“Of course, sir,” Robert said.
The next call went to his bank. He spoke to the CEO. By 9:30 they had frozen all of her accounts, including the credit and debit cards.
At 9:45, his attorney called, he was laughing. “She’s freaking out. Her attorney barely entered the office this morning before she showed up, demanding to know what was going on. She went to the jewelers, they refused to sell to her. The bank froze her accounts. Everything is falling apart for her.”
He set back in his desk chair relaxing. “Great, Dave. It’s progressing just the way you said it would last week.” Alvin said.
“Brace yourself. Last thing I heard is she’s on her way to your office.” Dave said.
“Will do. Thanks Dave.” Alvin said.

At 10, his assistant called him. "She's here."
He smiled. “Send her in.”
He came around and set on the edge of his desk. The door opened. Becky came in, her head bowed, and flopped down in a guest chair. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost. He waited for her to speak. She opened her purse and took out her copy of the prenuptial agreement.
In a quiet voice, she said. “Can we change this?” She held out the form to him. He refused to take it.
“No, Becky, we can’t. You signed it. If you remember right, I asked if you had read it and you said yes.”
“But…but.” Becky said, tears coming to her eyes. She dabbed at them. They ran down her cheeks, messing up her makeup. “I... I didn’t know that sentence was in there.”
“I did.” Alvin said. Going back around, he set down in his desk chair.
“I trusted you.” She said, more tears flooding her eyes.
“I trusted you, too. But you betrayed me.” He said. “Look Becky. I loved you. I gave you every luxury money can buy. Keep the jewelry. Robert assures me it is worth a couple of million.”
“Can we start over?” Becky said. “Forget this ever happened?”
“No, I’m sorry. Becky, you burned your bridges.” He said, picking up the note she left on her pillow. “I believe you had the final say this morning.“
Quietly, she left his office. That night, he went to bed, still one of the wealthiest people in the world, and one of the loneliest.

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COMMENTS (7)

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Kenneth Bryant

04/02/2025

I really like the plot twist. I thought maybe he will be happy and fulfilled even if he's poor. Instead he turned the tables on his greedy no good wife. So cool. It was straightforward and clever storytelling.

I really like the plot twist. I thought maybe he will be happy and fulfilled even if he's poor. Instead he turned the tables on his greedy no good wife. So cool. It was straightforward and clever storytelling.

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Kenneth Bryant

04/03/2025

Thanks so much.

Thanks so much.

Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Darrell Case

04/02/2025

Kenneth
Thank you.I hope you're doing well.

Kenneth
Thank you.I hope you're doing well.

Help Us Understand What's Happening

Cheryl Ryan

03/16/2025

Acts like this make marriage one of the dangerous contracts to enter. I love that she got served her evil plans. Thank you for sharing!

Acts like this make marriage one of the dangerous contracts to enter. I love that she got served her evil plans. Thank you for sharing!

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Darrell Case

04/02/2025

Cheryl
Thank you. Sorry. I didn't see your comment until right now.

Cheryl
Thank you. Sorry. I didn't see your comment until right now.

Help Us Understand What's Happening

Kevin Hughes

03/14/2025

I am with JD, Joel, and Shirley on this one,

"Poetic Justice, indeed."

Money isn't always the answer. It does give you choices, and to a limited extent, security. But somone who truly cares about you, can't be bought. Only earned.

Loved it.
Smiles, KEvin

I am with JD, Joel, and Shirley on this one,

"Poetic Justice, indeed."

Money isn't always the answer. It does give you choices, and to a limited extent, security. But somone who truly cares about you, can't be bought. Only earned.

Loved it.
Smiles, KEvin

Reply
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Darrell Case

03/14/2025

Kevin
Thank you. You're right.

Kevin
Thank you. You're right.

Help Us Understand What's Happening

Shirley Smothers

03/14/2025

I'd say she got exactly what she deserved. I chuckled reading this. Enjoyed your story. Congratulations on Short Story Star of the Day.

I'd say she got exactly what she deserved. I chuckled reading this. Enjoyed your story. Congratulations on Short Story Star of the Day.

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Darrell Case

03/14/2025

Shirley
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Shirley
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Help Us Understand What's Happening

Joel Kiula

03/14/2025

That's the sad reality of today's world. People marry for money and fame and when it is time, they live with everything you have worked hard for. I do not wish this to happen to anyone.

That's the sad reality of today's world. People marry for money and fame and when it is time, they live with everything you have worked hard for. I do not wish this to happen to anyone.

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Darrell Case

03/14/2025

Joel
Thank you.

Joel
Thank you.

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JD

03/13/2025

That was fun in a sad but satisfying poetic justice kind of way. Good one. Happy short story star of the day, Darrell.

That was fun in a sad but satisfying poetic justice kind of way. Good one. Happy short story star of the day, Darrell.

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Darrell Case

03/14/2025

JD
Thank you. And thank you for having a site where we can showcase our work.

JD
Thank you. And thank you for having a site where we can showcase our work.

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Denise Arnault

10/13/2024

They say that you never know if it is you or the money people are interested in when you are rich. Wouldn't it be nice to find out! Alvin had the right idea. If Becky had really loved him, they would both be so happy. I'm happy that I read it!

They say that you never know if it is you or the money people are interested in when you are rich. Wouldn't it be nice to find out! Alvin had the right idea. If Becky had really loved him, they would both be so happy. I'm happy that I read it!

Reply
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Darrell Case

10/13/2024

Denise
Thank you. If your rich its not easy to tell. I hope you're having a great day.

Denise
Thank you. If your rich its not easy to tell. I hope you're having a great day.

Help Us Understand What's Happening
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