Now, if you watch vertical series, you have to know the name Tim Stein. He’s a staple in dramas and is a fan favorite. Stein delivers, starring in contemporary love stories and emotionally charged dramas across vertical platforms. His characters are always saving someone and throwing a punch. Tears & Contracts: Never Provoke the CEO’s Wife, is no different. It’s another drama where Stein steals the show, and you wonder if he realizes how talented he is.
People may have their opinions about vertical dramas, and we respect that. We used to have some issues with dramas and were embarrassed that we watched them. But if we’re being honest, you have some really incredible actors who are giving everything that they have and telling stories that are fun, outrageous, and also filled with angst.
And not every actor can convincingly play angst. Stein can.
In Tears & Contracts: Never Provoke the CEO’s Wife, “a heartbroken wife forges an alliance with a powerful CEO, after a devastating betrayal by her husband. Transforming her pain into strategy, she masterminds a ruthless plan to reclaim her power, proving that the greatest revenge is success”
Men. Cheaters. While I never get how anyone can cheat, I know that it is a staple in movies and television. Liv Kirby plays Emily Jones. She’s the wife of a CEO who is suffering from small d*** syndrome. He’s flat out the worst. However, she stays married until he pushes her too far.
She catches him cheating.
Oh, she is better than I am. If I caught someone cheating on me, I would lose my mind. She doesn’t. She knows she’s now pushed to get a divorce, but needs proof he’s cheated.
While Kirby does well as Emily, there is a part of me that really wishes that the moments where I wished that we could see her shine more. Her character is fierce – determined to do whatever it takes to get the proof, but also take control over a project that she created, and her husband gave to his mistress.
In the show, Emily keeps running into James Reed (Stein). He’s a mysterious man with a seductive tone, and he’s making her think with parts of her body that have basically cobwebbed over during her marriage. He doesn’t know that she’s married, and she’s definitely not volunteering information.
Especially since Reed partners with her husband. Not exactly something worth bragging about – but hey, people make bad choices in business all the time.
Kyle Fragnoli plays Vincent, the CEO husband of Emily. Vincent relies on his power to feel big, even though he’s gross. He doesn’t like to lose, and his wife wanting a divorce is a game to him.
What Vincent doesn’t get is that karma will always come back to him. He’s always claiming he didn’t cheat, and we don’t believe him. When she caught him, he looked like an octopus trying to suction cup onto a statue. Getting a divorce and dodging that bullet is a blessing for her, maybe?
When Reed finds out that she’s married, he gives her an ultimatum. Now, whereas I get this in movies and television, I hate that. When you give someone an ultimatum, you need to lose. I don’t care – ultimatums are a way to manipulate. I also get that this isn’t real life.
So I need to pull myself out of it.
Reed is the man who is always saving Emily. He’s always there when she needs him. It’s as if his character is always one step ahead and showing his masculinity and good morals. Then five seconds later, he’s Captain Save-a-Damsel in distress. Not that anyone is complaining about that.
Through twists and turns, Emily is willing to do anything to be with James Reed. Together, they are set on reclaiming what is hers and being together.
Tears & Contracts: Never Provoke the CEO’s Wife is a good escape for a little over an hour. Corporate espionage, taking back what is yours, and finding love – even when you’re not looking for it.
Stein and Kirby play well together and off of each other. They are charismatic, and you can count on both of them to steal the scenes that are in. The quality of vertical dramas keeps improving, and these two are part of the actors who will be part of the ones leading the way.
