The Vain Society: African American Billionaire Dark Urban Fiction Suspense Thriller

By Sheila Murdock

They're the ultimate, influential example for all of those who strive for that dream lifestyle. They hide in plain sight, yet no one knows who they are. They have the power to make problems go away, and the wealth to keep them away. They're the Vain Society, where the men's vainness is their wealth, and the women's vainness is—unsurprisingly—their beauty.

But what happens when the unexpected happens to one of their members?

Vanessa Gardner has never been so intrigued by anything more than she is by the Vain Society—VS for short—and she is determined to find out all she can about the VS and this member, so she launches an official investigation and talks all about it on her one-woman social media show, but does not realize just how much she's actually risking her own safety by doing this and gets way in too deep in a way she never expects which results in a whirlwind of issues and incidents, but she stays relentless and undeterred in her quest . . . into a society some are denying even exists.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sheila Murdock
• Release date: Jun 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798224888146

Book preview

Chapter One

The view from the top is what it’s all about. It was a sign of success. A sign of making it. It was goals. Goals. And the goals were accomplished.

What now?

The view from the top didn’t look as good as it once had . . . if it ever did to begin with. And Masi Worden knew all about the view in more ways than one, but most of all, she was the view. A head-to-toe head-turner. A total room takeover. Completely unmatched in beauty and intelligence.

She was everything.

But what happens when only one thing mattered but not the others?

What happens when vanity became and was always everything?

She knew what’d happened. She knew everything. Everything about everything. She was used, taken for granted, only good for his needs in this ridiculous society. She was used up, had no sense of what was normal anymore since everything she’d ever worked for in her life was to be in this society where only looking good on the arms of her wealthy husband was the only thing that mattered to her . . . and especially to him.

Here she stood, staring at the magnificent, breathtaking view from the penthouse she’d lived in with her husband, one of many dream luxury properties they’d owed. And he owned her. Every inch of her size 4 toned curves, her thick and gorgeous naturally curly hair that spiraled down past her waist, and her flawless very light skin and face. And he made sure no other man would even have the pleasure at getting with his treasure.

She was everything to him, he was everything to her.

But not anymore.

She picked up a triple bacon cheeseburger and took one savory bite—her secret treat—as she still took in this amazing view. How could I get so high in my life but still feel so low? she thought, and took another bite of her cheeseburger as remnants of it dripped all over her $27,288 Herve L. Leroux light nude sleeveless long ruched fishtail gown. She scooped up some of the salty fries and shoved them into her mouth and wiped off her salt-sprinkled fingers right on her dress. She took a quick sip of her large non-diet soda as she turned away from the view. The view all the way at the top. Nothing topped it.

She walked over to one of her mirrors and took a long, hard look at herself. She didn’t recognize herself anymore even though she still looked exactly the same as she did when she met her husband. It was a different recognition that had nothing to do with looks, but with her soul. And she felt she had lost her soul all the way up to the top.

She walked into one of the bathrooms and took another long, hard look at herself. Her hair perfectly set in place, but her Chanel makeup was smeared all over her beautiful, tear-stained face. A breakdown was inevitable; a long time coming. She looked in the mirror once again, and then down at a pair of scissors along with an electric razor. She took one hard look at herself once again.

Several minutes later, the private penthouse elevator made its rapid non-stop descent all the way down to the ballroom floor, where there was a party for the utmost important people currently underway. She stepped off the elevator and made her way to the ballroom amongst many horrified looks. But she kept her focus on getting to where she knew she wanted to be, where she wanted to be seen, and seen she was—but not in the way she was used to. She approached the inside of the ballroom and shut the room down—but not in the way she used to.

HEY, HUBBY! she yelled.

Her husband turned around and stood stunned at his wife standing several feet in front of him. Her completely shaved head, smeared makeup, and severely food-stained gown was the last way he thought she would show at this customary party looking like, especially a party where people secretly competed with each other over who had the best of everything.

"I’M DONE! DONE!!!" she yelled, and threw a bag at him as people shrieked in shock.

It was a bag full of her beautiful hair. All shaved off from her head.

She marched to the bathroom and straight into one of the stalls.

Minutes later, blood-curling screams echoed the halls from the women’s bathroom. Security cleared the bathroom and busted down the stall door.

And there Masi Worden laid . . . dead . . . with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

The security shook their heads in shame as they stared at her lifeless body . . . but that wasn’t all that’d laid in this stall . . .

A beautiful diamond bracelet glistened at the bottom of a very clean toilet, and they knew it didn’t get in there by accident.

The mirror! one of the female security guards yelled out, which took everyone’s attention off of the bracelet in the toilet.

Everyone in the bathroom was now standing before it.

Written all across one of the mirrors in red lipstick was a last message from the woman who was everything any man would want and need . . . .

The Vain Society Killed Me.

Chapter Two

W as this a last meal of some sort? Hardly looked like she would eat like this, one of the cops said, as he looked around the penthouse with other cops as they stared at the pictures on the walls and on tables in a secret stunned admiration of a woman who was no longer here.

Miles Worden, Masi’s 41-year-old billionaire husband, heard this. She never ate like that, he replied as his head hung low. You could see that with how she looked in the pictures all around here.

So someone was up here with her? Detective Reiner Horn asked.

No. No one was up here, he replied.

So the food is yours? Horn asked.

Yeah, he lied.

Was she down at the party initially before you and the others saw her in the condition she was in? Horn asked.

No, she wasn’t. She just told me she wasn’t feeling well and that she would be down a little later. She knew how much going down to that party together meant to me, but we’d been fighting a lot lately over stupid shit.

Like what?

Miles shrugged. Over nothing in particular, that’s what I mean by how it was just stupid shit.

Horn nodded, even though he really wasn’t buying what he’d said. He shook his head. She was a beautiful woman, Miles. Looks like you lost one hell of a woman. A woman who has it all like that wouldn’t have shaved her head and showed up with a bag of her shaven hair inside of it to throw at you, along with smeared makeup all over her face and a food-stained $27,000 dress on. Damn, that’s one expensive dress.

She had a ton of them, Miles said.

But it doesn’t seem like she would take her life for no reason at all and so violently at that, that’s why we’re asking you since you were married to her—for how long? Horn asked.

Seven years, he replied as his head still hung low.

And she was only 30 years old. Sounds to me like her life was just getting started so why would she want to end it?

Well, it’s too bad you can’t ask her that. I did nothing to her so bad where she would wanna end her life so violently, so I don’t give a fuck what everyone is saying on social media because I haven’t even looked at it yet and I know they’re talking.

Yeah, they’re talking, Horn’s partner, Detective Tennie North, confirmed as she looked at her phone. We advise you not to look at it.

I’m not. I’m not into that shit, Miles informed them.

So, Mr. Worden⁠—

Miles, I like to be called Miles, he said.

Okay, Miles, she replied with a smile as she sat on the beautiful French provincial sofa along with him and Horn. What can you tell me about this Vain Society?

He looked up at her. I’ve never heard of a Vain Society.

Horn and North exchanged looks of disbelief.

Miles. We don’t wanna be here all night, okay? And since she committed the actual suicide downstairs in one of the bathrooms, you’re allowed to stay here tonight. But don’t start trippin’ with us when it comes to this society shit. It’s clear she wrote that on the mirror in the women’s bathroom downstairs as to the reason why she ended her life, North said, and then showed him a picture on her phone of the mirror that Masi had written this on.

He shook his head. I don’t know what she was talking about. She never mentioned it to me.

THAT’S A FUCKIN’ LIE AND HE KNOWS IT! a visibly-upset woman said as she came charging into the room towards Miles as cops tried to hold her back.

How the hell did she get up here? Miles asked as he glared at Mandi, Masi’s older sister.

"YOU KNOW HOW, MILES! YOU FUCKIN’ ASSHOLE! I KNEW THAT FUCKIN’ VAIN SOCIETY SHIT WAS GONNA KILL MY SISTER! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! AND IT’S ALL YOUR FUCKIN’ FAULT, MILES!" Mandi cried as she was still being held back by cops as well as another man who appeared to be her significant other.

Get her out of here or this interview is over, Miles said in a calm manner. She’s full of shit. There is no Vain Society.

Horn and North sighed as they exchanged even more looks of disbelief.

I’ll go talk to her, North said.

Chapter Three

Several minutes later, North talked to Mandi in a conference room on the ground floor.

So, you’re Mandi Beck, Masi’s older sister. By how many years?

Only three, Mandi said as she wiped tears from her eyes as she took a slow, shaky sip of her coffee. She shook her head. I can’t believe he told you all a boldface fuckin’ lie up there. He knows damn well that the VS exists.

"VS? You are talking about the Vain Society, right? Just so I’m clear."

Yes, that’s what people call it for short, Mandi informed her.

The VS sounds pretty discriminatory since it has the word vain in it.

You don’t know the half of it! Mandi said as she let out a sarcastic laugh, but was very serious. "I’ll tell you right now, you can take one look at me and see that I would’ve never been accepted into it. People don’t even think Masi and I are sisters—were sisters."

You’ll always be sisters, North said with a smile. And you’re not bad looking at all, Mandi.

Mandi nodded as tears streamed down her eyes. My parents are inconsolable. They even know Miles had everything to do with why she did what she did tonight. I don’t think in the short seven years they were married that she was ever happy with him, much less in love.

Care to elaborate?

No problem at all, she said, and let out a sigh. And I don’t think she was unhappy because of the 11-year age gap, I just think she wasn’t happy because she knew Miles only wanted her because of superficial reasons like most men, and that’s not true love, that’s just loving someone because of the way they look and not who the person truly is.

North grinned. Yeah, I guess we can’t say much about that. Men are men.

And women are women, and Masi had always taken pride in her looks which is nothing wrong with at all and what everyone should honestly do, but she didn’t have to work at it half as hard as most people in this world have to, including me. She was just naturally beautiful, and was clearly the better looking one out of the two of us, and we’re the only girls out of four brothers, so there are six of us total. She was always told how beautiful she was for as long as I can remember and that she deserved a wealthy man and to not settle for anyone less than that.

Who was she told this by?

My parents, relatives, friends, acquaintances, strangers—just about everyone.

Understandable.

But no one knew she was gonna end up with someone like Miles Worden. Heir to one of the wealthiest black businesses in the country, and even world. He may have helped his technology company that he is heir to make billions and therefore became a billionaire himself, but he got an over $50 million-dollar head start once he turned 18 years old. He also married his high-school sweetheart, Avis, right out of high school, and they have five kids. But as his personal net worth got bigger, so did his want for a more beautiful woman because everyone has seen Avis. She would never be considered for the VS, and she wasn’t because he did try and get in when they were together and they kept getting turned down—that’s what Masi told me.

Wow, North said. So this was the reason why Miles divorced Avis and married Masi because he knew he could get into this VS with Masi as his wife instead of Avis.

You’re exactly right, Detective North, Mandi confirmed, and took another sip of her coffee. I think the VS is absolutely disgusting. And for Miles to sit there and tell y’all he knew nothing about the VS and acting as if it doesn’t exist is flat-out disrespectful to my sister because it’s definitely the reason why she killed herself as she indicated on that mirror, as well as the only reason why he married her.

That’s very sad, North said. We all wanna always—or we were told to always—believe that looks aren’t everything, but it’s clear that people such as Miles never wanted to have that saying in his vocabulary especially when his net worth started to grow bigger and bigger.

And the bigger he wanted of everything except a big woman—but that’s in the sense of physical appearance, as you know. He wanted her to be big in beauty, and everyone knew that Masi definitely fit his bill and idea to perfection. The VS are just downright disgusting in their ways of thinking, I swear they are. I wish Masi was still here to tell you all about it. I honestly think there should be some investigation about this cult, as I call it.

She grinned. Yeah, it sounds like it. There are a lot of secret societies and everything, but the majority of them do nothing criminal so we really can’t do anything until they do.

I believe my sister’s suicide is criminal. She only did this because it was clear she was tired of being a part of that shit. When I had lunch with her just last week, she told me she was past the point of being tired of everything that had to do with the VS, and that Miles said they were staying in it and he didn’t care what she said; said that being in something like that elevated his status as a mega high-earner even more, and she was the cherry on top. He said no matter if he was the richest black man in the world, he would not have gotten in if he was still married to Avis because she just didn’t have the looks to be a VS woman. Sick.

Yeah, it is, North said as she shook her head.

Detective, you just don’t realize how many women are doing things to themselves just to get into this wretched society and don’t realize what they’re in for if there’s a slight chance they do get in because there’s always this very slim chance for people to get in—men and women.

So, you pretty much have to look like Miles and Masi and be on their level of wealth, huh?

Yeah, you do, even though I believe Miles is definitely one of the wealthiest by far. His net worth is $7 billion dollars.

Wow, I see. So, what was Masi’s daily diet like?

Just a fruit smoothie, grilled fish or grilled chicken with organic brown rice and steamed vegetables. She rarely drank anything that wasn’t water. She drank coffee, but it was always black with nothing added. The wildest she got was drinking unsweetened black tea.

Okay, and the reason why I’m asking is because there was food up there that was the opposite of what you’re describing. Was there anything she rarely ate?

She would pig out no more than three times a year on a triple bacon cheeseburger, fries with extra salt, and a large non-diet soda. She called it her secret treat because Miles knew absolutely nothing about it because he never wanted her eating anything like that, not even as a few-times-a-year treat. Why are you asking about her diet?

Wow, North said as she shook her head. That’s the exact combo we saw up in their penthouse. Miles said it was his leftover food.

He’s full of shit because he never eats fast food—at least that’s what he wants people to believe. Masi said he mainly eats steak and seafood and especially started when he was accepted into the VS since that’s what the majority of the men eat.

While the women eat grilled fish or chicken with steamed vegetables and organic brown rice, huh?

Yeah, that’s how it is. But the men don’t have to watch what they eat nearly as much as the women. The men’s wealth is their vainness. They can be unattractive and out of shape and eat like fuckin’ pigs all the time, but if they have the staggering wealth to make up for it then they’re in, but of course they have to have a beautiful woman because she’s the main premise of the VS.

I see. Nothing new there.

Yeah, exactly. But being in shit like that ruins so many people, but never did I think it was gonna ruin my sister to the point of suicide. Everyone wants to look good at some point in their lives and imagine how it would be for them once they do and how much their lives would change once they achieve their desired selves. If anyone says they don’t care at all about how they look and never at least thought about looking better and what kind of doors will open for them once they do, then they’re lying to you.

North grinned. You’re right, they are. Beauty is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year industry, and things like the VS contributes to it.

"It absolutely does. But Masi didn’t have to imagine looking good or anything. She looked good her whole life. But it took something like that fuckin’ VS to ruin her forever where she felt she was under so much pressure to stay looking the way she did that she was just tired of living up to it and felt like her life wasn’t worth living anymore. She told me she felt that was all she was good for, therefore, she felt worthless. I told her she was anything but worthless. She would spend well over $100,000 a month just on skincare, haircare, and makeup and personal trainers and food and stuff like that. And even more a month on clothes, shoes, handbags, and jewelry. I knew all of it was gonna take a toll on her, and Miles couldn’t see it because he didn’t wanna see it. All he wanted her to do was to keep looking as good as she looked the day they met and always told her to never let him or the VS down, like they were responsible for her looking the way she did to begin with."

Wow, North said for what it seemed like the hundredth time as she shook her head. I’m learning so much about all of this. Didn’t think I would. So, the party that Masi showed up to looking like anything but herself except for the evening dress she wore—albeit severely stained with her secret treat—was a party held for a woman’s birthday?

Bull, Mandi stressed, and took a sip of her coffee. "That was a VS party. They always have to have some cover as to why they’re holding a particular party. They don’t want their cover blown. And they always have these parties at fancy hotels or other discriminatory establishments because they want others to see them—to see what’s possible in life if you look a certain way and have the wealth especially as well. It’s all a fuckin’ ego thing.

Look, Detective North, there is nothing you can find about the VS online so don’t even bother to check. They have no social media pages, no website, no nothing. It’s through word-of-mouth only, and as you know, they just don’t let anyone in. Some people who thought they were gonna get in were rejected for whatever reason. This party just happened to be in the ballroom of this building and Miles and Masi happen to live right at the top of it so it was perfect for her to come to the party the way she came to it, so that’s why she did because she knew could take the time she wanted to to do what she did. I just wish she would’ve thought twice about doing what she did.

Yeah, me too.

But I don’t want this to happen to any other woman, and to be fair, any man. It’s amazing how something like the VS can make such a mess of people’s lives but pick people who they want the world to believe have perfect lives—but there are people who still want to be a part of it. There’s just so much more about it, so much more. But I need to get back to my parents and my brothers. The best day of my life will now be if someone can take the VS down.

And you have every right to say that. Thanks for all of the info you’ve given me about the VS and Masi. And I forgot to say this while up there in the penthouse, I’m very sorry for your loss.

Mandi smiled as tears once again welled up in her eyes. Thank you, Detective North.

Oh, and before I forget, I don’t know if you want this or not, North said, and pulled out a bag that had the diamond bracelet that was at the bottom of the toilet in the stall where Masi’s body was found. Do you recognize it?

Yes, Mandi replied without hesitation. That’s a VS bracelet. All the VS women have one, and they never take them off because they’re told not to take them off. It always has to be worn, especially at events. They’re custom-made and yes, it’s all real diamonds. I’m not sure who makes them for them because Masi never told me. The men have VS watches—very expensive and custom-made ones—but theirs don’t have any diamonds or anything. They don’t believe in all of that big bling. They say it looks too ghetto and unprofessional. They’re into wearing expensive suits and shirts with collars, always—ties are optional but encouraged. You won’t see them wearing gaudy expensive designer logo all over their clothes or any athlete’s sneaker brand or ripped jeans or the name of an expensive designer splashed all over a t-shirt or sweatshirt. Not VS men. They like to look ultra-rich like they are and professional, not like a raggedy-to-riches man who couldn’t leave behind the ghetto or looking raggedy but now they just have a bunch of gaudy diamond jewelry around their necks or on their wrists.

Very interesting. I mean, people just have different style, and that’s okay, but I guess if someone wanted to be a part of the VS and looked like what they don’t accept then they would have to change a lot.

And a lot have, she admitted. People have done all sorts of things to become a part of it—and for what? I just think being in stuff like that is pointless, and even seems childish. But I guess people want to feel important and having big egos and feeling that they look the best, and have the wealthiest man or have the most beautiful woman is how they fulfill that importance, and there’s just something about being accepted into something most people can’t and won’t ever be accepted in. I think they’re just dressed-up trash.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion on what they think about something, and you really have a right to feel the way you do, especially now. We’ll look more into this.

And I can’t even thank you enough for doing it.

Chapter Four

V ANESSA! What took you so long to get here?! I’ve been trying to call you and text you and everything! Dee said, as she breathed a sigh of relief.

Sorry, Dee, Vanessa replied. I was trying to get all of the information I could for my next video about what happened tonight with Masi Worden.

"Oh, my God! I can’t believe she killed herself! And right in the bathroom of the building she lived in? She was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen, and only 30? I couldn’t believe those pictures I saw of her with all of that beautiful hair shaved off. She really did all of that herself?"

Yeah, that’s what they’re saying. The bag of hair she threw at her husband was not a big wig, that was all of her hair. He must’ve really driven her crazy.

Wait! How did you get in there to get the pictures you got?

I didn’t. I had to wait outside while everyone that attended the party was hurried out and into their Rolls-Royces, Lambos, Ferraris, and Bugattis—to name a few, she said, as she got out a mug. The pictures showed up all over social media instantly.

Must be nice to be a part of the VS. You have the potential of being a VS woman, Vanessa—you know that, right?

She sighed as she made herself some coffee. "I don’t know about that, Dee. Every woman seems like she wants to be one and thinks she looks good enough to be one—but less than one percent get in. You know for the women it’s much harder to get in than the men. I heard that all the men have to be is wealthy, but the women have a whole other set of requirements and standards to go by, and they have to be married to a wealthy