She incorporated as Carter Maritime Group and hired a small team of captains, chefs, and maintenance crew. That was when she met Derek. He was a corporate consultant attending a business conference at a hotel near the marina. Simone was there for a networking event, wearing a red dress and the confidence that came from building something real.
Dererick approached her at the bar. He was handsome, charming, and interested in everything she had to say. They talked for 3 hours. He seemed impressed by her ambition. He said he admired women who built their own success. They dated for a year before he proposed. Simone was happy. She thought she found a partner who understood her drive.
But small things started to change after the wedding. Dererick began making comments about her spending too much time at work. He suggested she hire a manager so she could relax more. He introduced her to people as his wife who helped run a boat rental company. Helped run like she was an assistant.
Simone corrected him at first, but Dererick would laugh it off, say he was just being modest on her behalf. He said people felt intimidated by successful women, so it was easier to downplay it. She started to believe him. She started to stay quiet when he misrepresented her role. And the biggest mistake, she never fully explained the scope of Carter Maritime Group.
Dererick knew she worked with boats. He knew she made good money, but he thought she was a manager for someone else. He never asked detailed questions, and Simone never pushed the topic. It was easier that way. It kept the peace. Dererick had his own career struggles. His consulting business never took off the way he hoped.
He blamed the economy, bad clients, bad timing. Simone supported him financially during rough patches. She paid for his certifications, his networking events, his new laptop. She told herself that was what marriage meant, partnership, support. But Dererick never supported her the same way. When she landed a major contract with a hotel chain for corporate yacht events, he barely acknowledged it.
When she was featured in a business magazine, he made a joke about her being a local celebrity. He never celebrated her wins. He just tolerated them. Looking back now, Simone saw all the red flags she ignored. Three months ago, Dererick started going to the gym more often. He bought new clothes.
He became obsessed with his appearance. Two months ago, he started password protecting his phone. One month ago, he booked a weekend trip and told Simone it was a consulting retreat. She found out later from a mutual friend that no retreat existed. That was when she hired Jordan Wells. Jordan was a private investigator who specialized in infidelity cases.
He was discreet, professional, and brutally thorough. Within a week, he had everything. Dererick was seeing a woman named Amber Collins. She was 28, worked in marketing, and met Derrick at a coffee shop 4 months ago. Derek told her he was a successful entrepreneur who owned a luxury yacht company. He rented an apartment in the city where they met twice a week.
He bought her jewelry, paid for weekend trips, and promised her a future, all with money from joint accounts Simone funded. Jordan’s report included photos, receipts, and even text message screenshots obtained through legal channels. Derek called Amber Baby and my queen. He made plans to take her on a special trip, something unforgettable.
