The Comeback of the Divorced Heiress

Umm. I’m not sure I like this particular Vertical Drama trope. This is the “I gave up my entire life for you so as not to overshadow you and you weren’t worth the sacrifice” trope or as I call it “Abusing a Secretly Powerful Person”. I know I hate them because of how weak the women are in their choices, but also I think I hate them because they’re not all that sexy. In the “I have amnesia but also a troubled marriage” but the couple still has sexy time in-between the wife asking for a divorce and her husband refusing to sign. Like there is still romantic, sexy love there. Memory Reset: I’m looking at you here…Felix just wanted to fuck his wife…constantly. In these “I gave up everything for him” stories, the marriage seems pretty dead already.

There just doesn’t seem to be enough there to keep her in the marriage except for, ick, love or something. Maybe we just let these marriages end, huh? Anyway, they go two ways…Trope #7 Abusing a Secretly Powerful Person who leaves him and stays gone because she gets with someone better (and finds her self worth) or Trope #8 Abusing a Secretly Powerful Person who is able to be convinced that their spouse actually loves them and they’re just misunderstood. Either way, not a lot of sexy time, and I can’t lie, I tune in for the sexy times. I mean, mixed into the story/plot of course. I’m not looking for porn, but if these people aren’t vibing, then snore.

There are usually two major clues that distinguish which one it will be. In #7 the MMC at some point slaps the FMC. Also, when she decides to leave, her family (usually her brother) sends a friend to go pick her up instead of doing it himself. In #8 (the one where she gets back with her almost husband) she is told to strip out of everything (including her clothes) before she leaves (usually the MIL and FV insist because the MMC bought the clothes for her). The MMC can’t believe she’s doing it. Also, she is wearing all kinds of jewelry/gifts from the MMC at the time and she lists them off as she removes them. The MMC will give money to the FMC which she rejects and throws in his face before she leaves and the FMC is picked up by the brother the MMC has never met (due to giving up her family). Often she will also dance (masked of course) at a gala thrown by some top tier designer that she mentored years ago. The FV will steal invites that were the FMC’s and give them to the MMC to pretend she acquired them herself to “help” the MMC. And she has a family member or close family friend that works in the FMC’s family company who usually doesn’t recognize her because she’s the just returned heiress he never met. Finally, the MMC will have some sort of connection to FV through a male relative (husband or brother). Anyway, long story longer, I don’t watch these in advance and then write them up, I do it at the same time so I don’t know if this is #7 or #8. So it will be interesting to suss out which one it is.

The high: I wasn’t expecting this ending…It was good and Hannah Macaulay plays a strong lead.

All spoilers and no filters ahead.

Scene 1, Elise (Hannah Macaulay) is at the hospital confused at seeing her husband there, but there he is with the reason he started behaving differently, Alyssa (Keara Tyler). She calls him and he sends her to voicemail, not looking good, Elise. They go to her MIL’s birthday and gossip about Elise. Her MIL proudly states that Alyssa is the one her son, Ryan (Paul Hughes), should have married. When Elise and Alyssa are alone, Alyssa tells her that the baby is Ryan’s. Elise is devastated. She finally gets a minute to talk to Ryan about where he was and and Elise calls him out oh his lie. He stares at her neck where she is wearing a ridiculous gemmed out necklace given to her by her brother, but since he knows nothing about her family, thinks her brother, Liam, is her lover. When she asks about Alyssa’s baby, she asks what about her baby, but Ryan barely hears her since Alyssa starts complaining about cramps and hurries off to her. Later, the now cramp-free Alyssa is arguing at the poolside with Elise and Alyssa pulls them into the pool and Elise can’t swim so her husband saves Alyssa. Luckily, Liam (Alasdair Bliss) is nearby and dives in to save Elise.

Elise wakes in a bed with Liam at her side. She asks about her baby, but the baby is gone. Okay, Vertical Dramas, could we stop killing babies please? Women have been swimming while pregnant for ages and kept their babies. A better story would be she didn’t know she was pregnant until she fell in and when being examined they found out the happy news! But no, we have to make sure the love dies alongside the baby. Can’t give you hope, of course. Anyway, her dad doesn’t give her any time before he’s flipping her shit too. Was it worth turning your back on your family to marry that asshole? Jeez dad, obviously not. She vows revenge and her father gives her an atta girl.

Ryan, Alyssa and MIL are attending the Roberts Group Ball with invites stolen by Alyssa from Elise. They are in awe of the opulence of the company. Flash to Ryan not being 100% a dick. He looks at his ring and flashes back to saving Alyssa where he says he has to rescue Elise next because she doesn’t know how to swim and Alyssa holding onto him and refusing to let go. At the same time, where the fuck is your wife, Ryan? Did you even look? Anyway, Elise and Liam strut down the stairs in their party clothes. Alyssa wastes no time laying into Elise for being a pathetic housewife. To no surprise of a Vertical Drama watcher, Elise continues to be fabulous and amazing the whole party.

Karen and Alyssa trash Elise in front of Ryan and Liam. Ryan finally clued in that they treated his wife like garbage. Liam is over this shit too, and demands Alyssa leaves. They pull the attitude of “who are you” and Liam chuckles. A waitstaff comes by and tells Mr. Liam they’re ready for his speech. They are shocked to learn Liam is of the Roberts Group and beg to stay. Alyssa has a plan to meet up with the Roberts daughter to try to curry favor for her and Ryan.

Alyssa finds Miss Roberts (her back at the least) and introduces herself as Alyssa and her husband Ryan and tells her about the whore Elise that is trying to cause trouble. She even brought a million dollar necklace (that was Elise’s) as a peace offering. Later, the hostess of ceremonies calls Miss Roberts to announce the partnership companies and Alyssa face falls. They are all shocked it’s Elise. You go girl!

Alyssa and MIL are vocal in denying that Elise is Miss Roberts, she must have tricked Liam. She is all naw, bro, it’s me, but they don’t believe her. Alyssa has to pull her trump card and says something is wrong with the baby. She accuses Elise of poisoning her baby, and Ryan is still not on Elise’s side. When they offer to pull video footage, Alyssa changes her story. Later, Elise announces the partnership, and Ryan’s company makes it through. Elise earlier told Liam that she didn’t want to cancel it without grounds because it would make the company look bad and also it’s better to give them hope and then snatch it away. Man, she’s a cruel bitch. I like that about her.

Upon the news MIL thinks that Alyssa broke through to Miss Roberts and Elise is just a fraud pretending power. Alyssa chases Elise down to try to tell her that Miss Roberts won’t like Liam being with a whore like her. Ryan comes over to tell Elise to stop taking it out on Alyssa her baby is innocent. Elise is like, HER baby? What about mine? Ryan is shocked to hear she’s pregnant. Ryan gets a little smile on his face to hear he’s going to be a dad. Elise tells him that baby is gone. He saved Alyssa and then killed theirs. Ryan tells her he didn’t know and begs for another chance. Elise tells him to fuck off and be with the child he actually cares about. Sign the divorce papers and get fucked. Liam punches him and tells him to sign the papers immediately or find his company blacklisted.

MIL talks shit again about Elise and Ryan finally grows a pair and tells her to shut up. Elise was pregnant and he yelled at her and killed their baby. MIL spills the beans that it’s okay, he is still having a baby with Alyssa. Ryan is WTF? That’s Henry’s baby, not mine. Is this why Elise thinks he cheated on her? Ryan screams in Alyssa face that he never wants to see her again. He’ll give her money but she needs to GTFO. Even MIL looks pissed at Alyssa.

Later they sign the divorce papers and Elise slams the wedding ring on the table but Ryan chases after her and tells her that he has nothing to do with Alyssa. Elise doesn’t give a shit. He tells her Alyssa lied to his mom and her to hurt her, he didn’t know. He should have spent more time with her and he offers her a check. She can’t believe that he’s trying to give her money. She tears up his check and he spots Liam waiting. He asks if he can be better than Liam will she come back to him? He pledges to do whatever it takes to win her back.

Ryan is drinking on the couch and having a pity party. He remembers when he and Elise were just starting out and he was ashamed of how little he had to offer her despite Elise telling him she didn’t need the things, just him. He promised that her sad ring is just a place holder and when the company takes off he’ll get her a big ol’ ring, but he never did.

At Ryan’s Alyssa and MIL are packing up Elise’s things, which girl. Why do you still have things there. You’re a bajillionaire, you could have sent a team of people to sweep your shit out. Elise comes to get her stuff and finds it all trashed. She is frantically searching for a pocket watch that was an heirloom, but Alyssa already got rid of it. Elise lays into Ryan about how important that pieces was to her but as is par for the course, Ryan lets Elise be shit on again and again. Ryan feels guilty and climbs into the dumpster to look for (and find) her pocket watch. He tires to give it back to her, but she’s off her ass drunk and Liam comes and intervenes.

Elise returns to work and Liam hands the company off to her. Ryan objects, she’s been a housewife for years, what could she possibly know. Elise wows the whole team with her work/proposal’s she presents. Ryan tries to apologize and woo her back but Elise tells him to get fucked again.

Elise is asked by her dad to attend an auction to win a piece by her mother’s favorite artist, no limit on the money she can spend. Ryan gets a call from a friend telling him about the same piece which Ryan remembers Elise sharing why it was important to her. Alyssa and MIL both attend the auction too. As soon as they arrive, they start in on Elise. They accuse her of bringing a fake item at the auction but a world renowned auction host examines her piece and declares it authentic. When bidding begins she drive up the price of an item Alyssa is bidding on. Ryan and Elise are bidding against each other for the piece Elise wants, but Elise wins. Alyssa had an employee block Elise’s purchase by declining her card. When Ryan tries to pay for her, the employee claims the card reader is broken and she’ll need to get another one. Elise tells her to not bother, she’s having cash delivered. Later in the washroom Alyssa harasses Elise and cuts herself. She screams for MIL and Ryan and when they come running she accuses Elise of hurting her. Ryan tells Elise what happened, he will believe her. A more supportive answer would have been, Elise would have never done that! Ryan’s friend has security video and it shows Alyssa doing the deed. Elise slaps Alyssa twice and once again tells Ryan to get fucked. Alyssa faints.

In the hospital, Ryan tells Alyssa off and says he’s done with her. She says it’s me or it’s no one. Ryan is at the bar and calls Elise, but get Liam instead who chews him out. Ryan’s friend comes by and pep talks him into being sincere when he chases his wife. Ryan says he is and heads out only to be in a bad car accident. Elise gets the call, they can’t get consent from his mom and they need someone to authorize his surgery. Elise gives consent and sits around waiting for the all clear. Elise sits at his bedside until he wakes. He gives her the pocket watch and asks for forgiveness. Ryan’s friend breaks the news that the accident was cause by Alyssa. When Elise is walking out to grab the car a man attempts to abduct her. Ryan is able to save her and later, Ryan’s friend has captured the man. Alyssa is behind it and the man is the father of her baby, not Henry.

At the Robert’s Group cooperation banquet Elise arrives to host the event. When MIL says someone should drag this woman out of her. Elise’s father arrive and asks what’s going on. MIL says Elise has been claiming to be the general manager, lying to everyone. Finally, Elise’s identity is revealed. Ryan asks why she kept her identity from him. She tells him she did it to avoid unnecessary trouble but also as an act of rebellion against her dad. Keeping it a secret though showed her a lot. She thought he loved her so it was worth it. Liam tells her that if it wasn’t for Elise, his company would have gone bankrupt years ago. Alyssa says she tried to get pregnant for years and Ryan left her. Ryan tells Alyssa has no room to talk. When she acts confused, Ryan has the kidnapper sent in. He tells everyone ALyssa set him and and the baby is his. Ryan tells her he was only helping because of Henry. Alyssa tells him she loves him and he says for the safe of her child he killed his own.

Elise claps and tells her she’s still acting, then she turns her laser beams onto Ryan and says he is the problem. That night Alyssa pushed her into the pool and she said “Hey Elise, if both of us fall in the pool, who do you think Ryan would save?” He went to her and Elise says you left your own child to die. He apologizes and has his own pity party about it being his fault and he’s so fucking stupid, blah blah. Okay, at this point, I still can’t tell if it’s #7 or #8…

Alyssa is arrested. They begin the event with Elise’s dad announcing Elise is taking over the Roberts group and he’s retiring. Ryan calls Elise over with a bouquet of flowers. He apologizes for being a dick for the last 3 years. He says he wants another chance. Elise says that is so easy to say, but it’s too little too late. She needs to live for herself. She walks out the door by herself. WOAH! She didn’t get back together with him but there was no other man waiting for her in the wings! Wowzer! Go Elise, but also…I want the romance. So I’m conflicted. Yay girl power but boo.