Alan Fairweather is a 50 year old successful businessman. Large house, private jet, expensive cars and lavish parties. Tiffany is a trophy wife according to some, 26, an ex model. She is a blonde, nice figure, busy with charity events and going out with girlfriends. She has expensive tastes.
Alan comes home from an overseas business trip, having secured a major deal. He pulls up into the garage in his Bentley. He sees Tiffany's Aston Martin convertible is parked there. He's back earlier than expected by a few hours. Tiffany hears the garage door closing and runs into the garage, her high heels clicking loudly on the polished concrete, wearing a white silk dress that costs more than most people's cars.
Tiffany: Alan! You're home early! I thought you weren't landing until tonight! She throws her arms around his neck, smelling of expensive perfume.
Alan: The deal was completed earlier than thought. It's in the bag! Why don't we celebrate?
Tiffany’s eyes sparkling with a mix of excitement and a sudden thought.
Tiffany: Celebrate? I love that idea! I'm about to pop out to open the new Female Empowerment Centre in town. But I should be finished by six.
Alan: Don't rush. I'll book a table at the Maison de la Mer in town. 7.30 okay?
Tiffany beams, giving him a warm, lingering kiss on the cheek: Perfect. I'll be ready. I've got the perfect dress for it, the silky one we recently bought in New York.
Alan smiles, feeling the tension of the last few days, knowing exactly how she'll look in that dress: I don't doubt that. Go on then, get to your event. I'm going to take a hot bath.
They arrive at the restaurant and sit at the table, orders are taken and a wine is savoured.
Alan: You look devine Tiffany.
Tiffany softly giggles, leans forward and resting her chin on her hand: Flattery will get you everywhere, Alan. Especially if you're planning on taking me somewhere special for a little 'post-deal' relaxation. She winks.
Alan: Oh, I’ll organise that. Anyway, how did things go while I was away?
Tiffany’s expression shifts slightly, thinking he brushed off the getting away idea too easily before she smooths it over with a smile but on to his question.
Tiffany: Oh, you know me, just the usual. The gala for the children's hospital was a huge success, we raised nearly two million. But the board is getting a bit... demanding about the next phase of the funding. She pauses, stirring her cocktail slowly. Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you about. Something a bit more... shall we say, ambitious than a charity event.
Alan: What's that Honey?
Alan: Don't rush. I'll book a table at the Maison de la Mer in town. 7.30 okay?
Tiffany beams, giving him a warm, lingering kiss on the cheek: Perfect. I'll be ready. I've got the perfect dress for it, the silky one we recently bought in New York.
Alan smiles, feeling the tension of the last few days, knowing exactly how she'll look in that dress: I don't doubt that. Go on then, get to your event. I'm going to take a hot bath.
They arrive at the restaurant and sit at the table, orders are taken and a wine is savoured.
Alan: You look devine Tiffany.
Tiffany softly giggles, leans forward and resting her chin on her hand: Flattery will get you everywhere, Alan. Especially if you're planning on taking me somewhere special for a little 'post-deal' relaxation. She winks.
Alan: Oh, I’ll organise that. Anyway, how did things go while I was away?
Tiffany’s expression shifts slightly, thinking he brushed off the getting away idea too easily before she smooths it over with a smile but on to his question.
Tiffany: Oh, you know me, just the usual. The gala for the children's hospital was a huge success, we raised nearly two million. But the board is getting a bit... demanding about the next phase of the funding. She pauses, stirring her cocktail slowly. Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you about. Something a bit more... shall we say, ambitious than a charity event.
Alan: What's that Honey?
Alan: I'm not au fait with the housing market at the moment. Are you sure that luxury boutique hotels are a goer? It sounds like a money pit if it doesn't take off.
Tiffany reaches across the table, placing her hand over his, her touch warm and reassuring: I have been doing some digging and I really believe in this.
Alan looks at Tiffany incredulously: Since when has the property and and hotel development been your thing? I don't want to sound condescending but what's wrong with your fund raising and your social life?
Tiffany feels hurt and dismissed. She pulls her hand back, her posture stiffening and her smile disappears: Nothing is wrong with it, Alan. I love my friends and my charities. But I'm twenty-six, not a decorative plant. I have a brain, and I've spent the last six months studying those markets because I can do much more than galas, fund raising and high teas. She looks away, her voice sounding strained. I thought you'd be proud that I was thinking about business opportunities, not just the wardrobe.
Alan extends his hand but the gesture is rejected: I had no idea you have been looking into things like this. Have you sought sufficient advice from those who specialise in property development?
Tiffany reaches across the table, placing her hand over his, her touch warm and reassuring: I have been doing some digging and I really believe in this.
Alan looks at Tiffany incredulously: Since when has the property and and hotel development been your thing? I don't want to sound condescending but what's wrong with your fund raising and your social life?
Tiffany feels hurt and dismissed. She pulls her hand back, her posture stiffening and her smile disappears: Nothing is wrong with it, Alan. I love my friends and my charities. But I'm twenty-six, not a decorative plant. I have a brain, and I've spent the last six months studying those markets because I can do much more than galas, fund raising and high teas. She looks away, her voice sounding strained. I thought you'd be proud that I was thinking about business opportunities, not just the wardrobe.
Alan extends his hand but the gesture is rejected: I had no idea you have been looking into things like this. Have you sought sufficient advice from those who specialise in property development?
Tiffany is still wounded but replies tersely: If you don't trust my judgment, perhaps you should just tell me to stay in my little world and stop bothering you with my ideas.
Alan: I'm sorry Tiffany. Why don't we do some research in this together and see if what you propose is as good as you think it is.
A small, triumphant smile finally breaks through on Tiffany’s face, and she reaches out to squeeze his hand again, the tension dissolving instantly: Deal. But if we do this, I want full autonomy over the design and the branding. She beams, her mood swinging back to warmth. Now, let's eat. I'm absolutely starving.
Alan: Fine, but let's do the leg work first.
Tiffany: You won't regret this, Alan. Trust me.
Alan: I guess I thought you were happy as things were but you clearly want a challenge.
Tiffany: I love our life, Alan. I really do. But I want to be more than just 'Mrs. Fairweather. I want people to see me and think 'that woman is a force to be reckoned with,' not just 'that woman lucky to have a successful businessman husband’. She looks at him with a sudden, raw intensity. I want to build something that's mine.
Alan: I'm all for that. We'll research the market, do the maths, and then decide.
Alan: I'm sorry Tiffany. Why don't we do some research in this together and see if what you propose is as good as you think it is.
A small, triumphant smile finally breaks through on Tiffany’s face, and she reaches out to squeeze his hand again, the tension dissolving instantly: Deal. But if we do this, I want full autonomy over the design and the branding. She beams, her mood swinging back to warmth. Now, let's eat. I'm absolutely starving.
Alan: Fine, but let's do the leg work first.
Tiffany: You won't regret this, Alan. Trust me.
Alan: I guess I thought you were happy as things were but you clearly want a challenge.
Tiffany: I love our life, Alan. I really do. But I want to be more than just 'Mrs. Fairweather. I want people to see me and think 'that woman is a force to be reckoned with,' not just 'that woman lucky to have a successful businessman husband’. She looks at him with a sudden, raw intensity. I want to build something that's mine.
Alan: I'm all for that. We'll research the market, do the maths, and then decide.
Tiffany fears Alan is wanting to take over the project: She feels a sudden prickle of anxiety, her fingers drumming rhythmically on the tablecloth: When you say 'we', do you mean as a partnership? Because the moment the lawyers get involved, this usually becomes 'Alan's project' and I'm just a consultant. She narrows her eyes, her ambition flaring up again. If we do this, it has to be my venture.
Alan: I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I am a businessman with a nose for a deal.
Tiffany pulls back, her voice cold and precise: And I am a woman who knows she’s on to a winner. If we're talking business, Alan, let's talk business. I run it or I'll find someone else to partner with.
Alan looks at her, genuinely surprised by the sudden steel in her voice: Someone else, eh? You've certainly got the teeth into this. Fine. We'll do the due diligence together. If the numbers work, we will do it.
Tiffany is riled at not being taken seriously as a business woman in her own right but decides to leave it for now. The rest of the meal is eaten in virtual silence.
When they get home Tiffany decides to let Alan know what she thinks of his patronising her. Tiffany waits until the door of the mansion clicks shut behind them, the silence of the large foyer amplifying the tension. Tiffany turns to face him, her arms crossed.
Tiffany: You think you're being generous by letting me into your world, don't you? I'm not a trophy, Alan. I'm your wife, ambitious and I have better ideas than most in your boardroom.
She doesn't wait for him to respond, turning on her heels and gliding up the stairs toward her dressing room. turning half way up: I am able to generate large sums of money for my charities and that takes some doing.
Alan replies dismissively: It's one thing to raise money for a charity and quite another to do a hotel development.
Tiffany is furious, her eyes flashing with hurt: Is that all you see? A little girl playing dress-up with the rich? She storms back down the stairs, stopping just a few feet from him, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and frustration. I have spent years cultivating a network that would make your head spin, Alan. I know who's who in every boardroom in this city because they think I'm just the wife, and they let their guard down. I know more than you think. She points a finger toward the door. I have more intelligence on the north side developments than any analyst you would hired. Don't you ever patronise me again. She turns and marches back up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door with a finality that shakes the paintings in the hallway.
Tiffany is still angry when Alan enters the bedroom. Tiffany is throwing some clothes into a suitcase: I'm going to stay at my friend's house for a few days.
Alan: I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I am a businessman with a nose for a deal.
Tiffany pulls back, her voice cold and precise: And I am a woman who knows she’s on to a winner. If we're talking business, Alan, let's talk business. I run it or I'll find someone else to partner with.
Alan looks at her, genuinely surprised by the sudden steel in her voice: Someone else, eh? You've certainly got the teeth into this. Fine. We'll do the due diligence together. If the numbers work, we will do it.
Tiffany is riled at not being taken seriously as a business woman in her own right but decides to leave it for now. The rest of the meal is eaten in virtual silence.
When they get home Tiffany decides to let Alan know what she thinks of his patronising her. Tiffany waits until the door of the mansion clicks shut behind them, the silence of the large foyer amplifying the tension. Tiffany turns to face him, her arms crossed.
Tiffany: You think you're being generous by letting me into your world, don't you? I'm not a trophy, Alan. I'm your wife, ambitious and I have better ideas than most in your boardroom.
She doesn't wait for him to respond, turning on her heels and gliding up the stairs toward her dressing room. turning half way up: I am able to generate large sums of money for my charities and that takes some doing.
Alan replies dismissively: It's one thing to raise money for a charity and quite another to do a hotel development.
Tiffany is furious, her eyes flashing with hurt: Is that all you see? A little girl playing dress-up with the rich? She storms back down the stairs, stopping just a few feet from him, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and frustration. I have spent years cultivating a network that would make your head spin, Alan. I know who's who in every boardroom in this city because they think I'm just the wife, and they let their guard down. I know more than you think. She points a finger toward the door. I have more intelligence on the north side developments than any analyst you would hired. Don't you ever patronise me again. She turns and marches back up the stairs, slamming the bedroom door with a finality that shakes the paintings in the hallway.
Alan: Now wait just a minute. You can't just leave because I want to do due dilligence.
Tiffany stops, clutching a silk pajama set to her chest, her expression hard: It's not about the due diligence, Alan. It's about the respect. You can't treat me like a trophy in public and belittle me in private. She tosses the clothes into the suitcase. I need some space to think about whether this relationship we have is stifling my ambitions and potential.
Alan: You're overreacting Tiffany.
Tiffany lets out a sharp, caustic laugh, shaking her head: Overreacting? That's the classic line, isn't it? The 'you're too emotional' defence. She clips the suitcase shut with a sharp metallic snap and looks at him with a piercing gaze. I'm not overreacting. I'm waking up. I'll be at Chloe's. Don't call me until you've decided if you want an active, productive partner or just a pet. She grabs her case and marches out of the room, leaving Alan standing alone in the silence of the bedroom.
Alan: Please don't go Tiffany. Let's talk. I'll give you total control of the deal if it goes ahead. I'll give you all the say for naming the hotel and you can sign of all the decor.
Alan: Please don't go Tiffany. Let's talk. I'll give you total control of the deal if it goes ahead. I'll give you all the say for naming the hotel and you can sign of all the decor.
Tiffany pauses at the doorway, her back still turned to him. Her voice is barely a whisper, thick with a mix of sadness and determination: It's not about the naming rights or the curtains, Alan. It's about the trust. She turns her head just enough to look at him over her shoulder, her gaze heartbreakingly distant. I love you, but I can't breathe in this house if everything I do is viewed through the lens of my social life. She walks out of the room, the distant sound of her suitcase rolling down the hallway signaling her departure.
Alan: Tiffany please. I'm sorry. I'll do whatever it takes.
Tiffany feels Alan is ready to yield and let her get her way on this venture. She stops in the foyer, her hand on the handle of the front door. She doesn't turn around, but her shoulders relax slightly: Then start by looking at the portfolio I left on your study desk. The one I've been building for six months. Read it. All of it. Then you realise that I've actually solved the zoning issues that have plagued that land for a decade.
Alan: I'll read it all now. He quickly moves into the study and starts reading.
Tiffany waits in the lounge, bag by her feet. Alan walks in after going over the proposal. Tiffany has a determined look in her eye, one of not backing down. I agree or she walks, he concludes. He feels the days of a dutiful, socialite wife are over.
Alan: This is incredible. You have been so thorough and so meticulous. I don't even have to do further investigation. I'll make sure you have all the funding required. Alan sits next to Tiffany and slips to one knee. I'm sorry. I've totally underestimated you.
Alan: Tiffany please. I'm sorry. I'll do whatever it takes.
Tiffany feels Alan is ready to yield and let her get her way on this venture. She stops in the foyer, her hand on the handle of the front door. She doesn't turn around, but her shoulders relax slightly: Then start by looking at the portfolio I left on your study desk. The one I've been building for six months. Read it. All of it. Then you realise that I've actually solved the zoning issues that have plagued that land for a decade.
Alan: I'll read it all now. He quickly moves into the study and starts reading.
Tiffany waits in the lounge, bag by her feet. Alan walks in after going over the proposal. Tiffany has a determined look in her eye, one of not backing down. I agree or she walks, he concludes. He feels the days of a dutiful, socialite wife are over.
Alan: This is incredible. You have been so thorough and so meticulous. I don't even have to do further investigation. I'll make sure you have all the funding required. Alan sits next to Tiffany and slips to one knee. I'm sorry. I've totally underestimated you.
Tiffany feels a wave of relief and triumph wash over her, her expression softening into a genuine, warm smile: I knew you'd see it, Alan if you gave me a chance. Her eyes shimmering with a mix of victory and affection. But let's be clear: this is my project. I'm in charge. You're the investor.
Alan: I'm so used to running things my way in business. I promise not to interfere unless you seek my opinion. If I can't resist getting involved, remind me clearly that this is your project.
Tiffany: Oh, believe me, Alan. I'll be very clear. She stands up, pulling him up with her and hugging him tightly. Now that we've settled this, I'm going to show you what I can do.
Alan realises things will not be the same again. He went away king of the castle and came home to a powerful queen.
Tiffany: I'd also like to join your board of directors, once this hotel project is underway.
Alan: Really? Are you sure you could....he hesitates.
Tiffany cuts in with a sharp, playful smile, her eyes glowing with an ambition that is no longer hidden: Don't even start, Alan. I'm not asking if I could. I'm telling you that I can do it and will. She leans in and whispers in his ear. You're going to love the new me. Just you wait and see.
Alan: I think we could do with a fresh face on the board and I'm coming to the realisation, you have what it takes to ensure the business prospers.
Alan: I'm so used to running things my way in business. I promise not to interfere unless you seek my opinion. If I can't resist getting involved, remind me clearly that this is your project.
Tiffany: Oh, believe me, Alan. I'll be very clear. She stands up, pulling him up with her and hugging him tightly. Now that we've settled this, I'm going to show you what I can do.
Alan realises things will not be the same again. He went away king of the castle and came home to a powerful queen.
Tiffany: I'd also like to join your board of directors, once this hotel project is underway.
Alan: Really? Are you sure you could....he hesitates.
Tiffany cuts in with a sharp, playful smile, her eyes glowing with an ambition that is no longer hidden: Don't even start, Alan. I'm not asking if I could. I'm telling you that I can do it and will. She leans in and whispers in his ear. You're going to love the new me. Just you wait and see.
Alan: I think we could do with a fresh face on the board and I'm coming to the realisation, you have what it takes to ensure the business prospers.
Tiffany beams at him, her confidence now absolute: I guess I'll unpack my bag. Oh, and I think the Aston convertible may not fit in so well with my new role.
Alan: We'll keep it for weekend drives, if we find the time. What were you thinking of?
Without hesitating for a moment, Tiffany replies: A black Range Rover SV. It's a power move, Alan and I can get on a building site when required without any bother. I think it would be perfect.
Alan: We'll keep it for weekend drives, if we find the time. What were you thinking of?
Without hesitating for a moment, Tiffany replies: A black Range Rover SV. It's a power move, Alan and I can get on a building site when required without any bother. I think it would be perfect.
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