Vengeance Is Mine

I poured every resource I had into taking my fiance's company public.

But on the day of the IPO, she stood on stage, live for the whole world to see, and announced, Yes, we're having a baby.

My shock quickly turned to pure joy.

I was about to join her on stage when her male assistant beat me to it.

They kissed, right there in front of the cameras, their hands intertwined.

On their ring fingers were matching, one-of-a-kind custom diamond rings, symbolizing a love meant to last a lifetime.

When I confronted her later, her voice was laced with indifference.

"This was always a business arrangement, Michael. Why do you care what I do in my private life? Did you really think a little money could buy you love?"

A cold smile touched my lips.

I finally understood.

She was cutting me loose now that the job was done.

I don't know if money can buy love.

But it was more than enough to buy her company's ruin.

I immediately dumped every share I owned of Jessica's company.

In less than ten minutes, the stock hit rock bottom.

The trading screen was a sea of red.

Jessica stormed in, her face a mask of fury, her hand raised to strike me.

"Are you insane? Don't you forget you're a shareholder too! If this company goes bankrupt, every penny you invested will be gone!"

I just smiled faintly.

"Didn't you say I have more money than I know what to do with? I'd rather lose it all than raise another man's child."

Jessica's face went pale, but before she could speak, the man beside her, Brandon, cut in.

"Michael, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I had too much to drink that night. I'm the one to blame. Please, don't fight because of me."

Jessica shot me a venomous look.

"The baby was an accident. If you have a problem, take it up with me. What kind of man throws his weight around like this?"

An accident?

The nerve she had to even say it.

I could see she had zero remorse.

I pulled out my phone and called my assistant.

"Buy up every share of our main competitor to Jessica's company. Don't stop until we've shorted her company into the ground."

Jessica finally snapped.

"What the hell do you want?" she roared.

"You have two choices. Get rid of the baby, or watch your company burn."

That afternoon, she sent me a copy of a medical report confirming a terminated pregnancy.

Only then did I calmly instruct my assistant to start reinvesting.

Then, using my authority as the largest shareholder, I fired Brandon.

I forwarded the termination notice to Jessica, expecting a storm of angry texts and calls.

But there was nothing.

She didn't even reply.

I knew she must hate my guts right now, but I didn't care.

As she said, our relationship was a contract.

My grandmother's health was failing.

Her last wish, from her hospital bed, was to see me married.

Just as I was wondering where I'd ever find a wife, Jessica walked into my life.

She was like a ray of sunshine.

She'd leave little love notes on my desk when I worked late and would be the first person at the airport with a bouquet of flowers when I returned from an overseas trip.

So, when she made her company's IPO a condition of our engagement, I agreed without hesitation.

I thought my investment would at least earn me a partnership built on mutual respect.

I never imagined she would use me to build her empire, only to turn around and sleep with her assistant.

Just then, a text came in from my grandmother.

She was being discharged today and wanted me to bring Jessica home for dinner.

I tried calling Jessica, but her phone was off.

My texts went unanswered.

Remembering the medical report from the clinic, a flicker of worry ignited within me.

What if something had gone wrong?

I grabbed my keys and drove home.

The moment I walked through the door, I saw him.

Brandon, shirtless on my sofa, and Jessica, her face flushed, her clothes disheveled.

I couldn't believe it.

She'd had a major medical procedure just hours ago, and this was the first thing she did.

My sudden appearance startled them.

Jessica frantically pulled a blanket over herself, a flicker of panic in her eyes.

"You're home! You didn't say you were coming."

"Brandon was just... helping me. I spilled something on my shirt. Don't get the wrong idea."

Her excuse was so flimsy it was insulting.

I let out a cold laugh.

"Does wiping something down require taking off your shirt? Must have been a nasty spill."

Jessica's brow furrowed, sensing the ice in my tone.

Before she could retort, Brandon had pulled on his clothes and was bowing to me, a picture of false contrition.

"I'm sorry, Michael. I shouldn't be here. I'll leave right now."

My eyes caught on the suit he was wearing.

It was a bespoke piece from an exclusive brand that only created custom pieces for its members.

Eighty percent of my wardrobe came from them.

It didn't take a genius to figure out where he'd gotten it.

A wave of nausea washed over me.

I stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Take it off," I said, my voice hard as steel.

Jessica's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Michael, are you sick? You want him to walk out of here naked?"

"It's my suit. Don't I have the right to decide what happens to it? Or should I just call the police and have this thief arrested for breaking and entering and theft?"

That did it.

Jessica slapped me, hard.

"It's just a suit! Why are you making such a scene?"

She stalked towards me, the angry red marks of passion still visible on her neck.

She pulled a couple of crisp hundred-dollar bills from her wallet and threw them in my face.

"Consider it sold. Happy now?"

The sharp edge of the bill sliced a thin line across my cheek.

Brandon gasped and handed me a tissue.

As he leaned in, he whispered, his voice low enough for only me to hear:

"You don't know, do you? Jessica never got rid of the baby. The report she sent you? I had it faked."

"She didn't just give me your clothes. She wants you to raise my child for me."

His eyes were gleaming with challenge.

That was the last straw.

I swung, my fist connecting squarely with his jaw.

"You son of a bitch."

Jessica screamed and grabbed a heavy vase from the table, smashing it against the back of my head.

Crack.

The world went dizzy for a second before she shoved me with all her might.

I crumpled to the floor.

I felt a warm, slick liquid trickling down my neck.

I reached up and my hand came away covered in blood.

Jessica was already fussing over Brandon, helping him up, her face etched with concern.

She hadn't even looked at me.

It was only when she saw the blood on my hand that her eyes widened in surprise.

But her voice was still dripping with that same arrogant impatience.

"I guess I've been too nice to you. You actually dared to hit him? Michael, do you have any idea..."

I cut her off.

"You never had the procedure, did you, Jessica?"

She was momentarily speechless, then glared at me.

"I sent you the report, didn't I? What more do you want? If you're not going to believe me, then maybe we shouldn't get married at all!"

She stormed out with Brandon, knocking over a pair of ceramic dolls we kept by the door.

We'd made them together in the early days of her company, a memento of our shared dream.

She'd said they were like us-bound together forever, destined to build something great.

Now, she had shattered the one thing that symbolized us.

I had given her chances.

But for him, she had crossed every line, lied to me, and played me for a fool.

I was done making concessions.

If the basic trust between us was gone, then there was no point in a wedding.

I called my assistant and cancelled everything.

I'd just finished bandaging my head, trying to figure out how to break the news to my grandmother, when a call came from the family estate.

It was our butler, his voice frantic.

"Mr. Michael, you need to get to the hospital, now! It's your grandmother-a massive heart attack!"

My mind went blank.

I didn't even bother to change my shoes as I bolted out the door.

On the way to the hospital, I learned what had happened.

My grandmother had prepared a huge dinner, waiting for us to come home.

Instead, she received a package from Brandon.

It contained Jessica's prenatal reports and a collection of graphic photos of the two of them together.

To make matters worse, Brandon had gone online, smearing my name, claiming I was the third party who had used my power and influence to break them up.

The shock was too much for her.

Her old heart condition flared up, and she was rushed to the emergency room.

My grandmother was the only family I had left in the world.

If anything happened to her, I would destroy Brandon.

But fate is a cruel mistress.

By the time I finally reached the hospital, a doctor was gently pulling a white sheet over my grandmother's face.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice full of pity.

"We did everything we could."

My legs gave out.

I stumbled to her bedside and took her hand, my vision blurring with tears.

"Nana, wake up. We were supposed to have dinner together, remember?"

Just yesterday morning, when she was discharged, her doctor had said she was fine.

That with proper care, she would live to see me get married, to see her great-grandchildren.

Now, she was just a cold, lifeless body.

She would never open her eyes and look at me again.

I was completely alone in the world.

I buried my face in her cold hand and wept.

I don't know when Jessica appeared behind me, but I felt her hand on my shoulder.

"People die, Michael. We have to move on."

Her words ignited a firestorm of rage within me.

I turned, my eyes burning.

"Isn't this exactly what you and Brandon wanted? Why are you even here, pretending to care?"

Jessica flinched, trying to explain.

"I'm sad about Nana too, but this has nothing to do with Brandon. Can you stop acting like a rabid dog and lashing out at everyone?"

I didn't have the energy to argue.

I told my assistant to arrange for my grandmother to be taken to the morgue.

As I turned to leave, Jessica blocked my way.

"I came to talk about the wedding."

"I want to hold it during the IPO celebration. It's more efficient. But the media thinks Brandon and I are a couple now, so... I want him to stand in for you at the altar."

"Your grandmother is gone, so you don't really need to be the groom, do you? We can just sign the papers privately."

She still had no idea I had cancelled everything.

I looked at her and laughed, a hollow, bitter sound.

"No need. You two have a lovely wedding. I hope you're both very happy together, you bitch and your dog."