The Billionaire Heir She Humiliated,His Real Wife Made Her Pay

On the night of our wedding, friends came over for the traditional party games.

The very first round called for the bride and groom to kiss for three minutes.

But my wife, Lauren Sanchez, grabbed her secretary by the collar and kissed him without a second's hesitation.

The two of them locked lips for a full three minutes. When they finally pulled apart, a thin string of saliva still connected their mouths.

The smiles around the room froze. Every pair of eyes shifted to me, stiff with secondhand embarrassment.

Lauren Sanchez wiped the moisture from the corner of Noel Cobb's mouth with her thumb, utterly unbothered.

"Noel's so shy. He'd never survive a situation like this on his own, so I figured I'd help him get some practice early."

She tossed a stack of cash onto the table in front of me. Twenty thousand dollars.

"That enough? Take the money and settle down. Don't act like you've been gravely wronged."

"It was just a game. I went through with the whole wedding for you. You should be grateful."

Noel blushed and wrapped his arm around her waist, gazing up at her with open adoration.

I nodded calmly, slipped off my wedding ring, and dropped it onto the pile of bills.

"Ms. Sanchez is joking, of course. I'm not upset at all."

"After all, I've been planning to find a new partner to file a marriage certificate with myself."

Silence. The kind where you could hear a pin drop.

Lauren smashed the ashtray beside her against the table. Her expression darkened like a storm rolling in.

"Laurence Henson, it was just a game. Do you really have to be this petty about it?"

"Fine. Here's another ten thousand. Take back what you just said and stop ruining the mood for everyone."

She spoke as though scolding a child who didn't know any better.

Looking at that face, the one that once made my heart race, all I felt now was revulsion.

"I think I made myself perfectly clear. We never filed the paperwork anyway. We're done."

"Oh, and consider tonight's wedding my gift to you, Ms. Sanchez. A little practice run for the real thing. No need to thank me."

The temperature in the room plummeted.

Noel suddenly hooked his arm through mine, all smiles.

"Laurence, don't be mad. Lauren was just worried I wouldn't know what to do at my own wedding someday. She was giving me a head start, that's all."

"Tell you what, for the next game, I'll let you have the groom's spot."

I frowned. That word, let, cut deeper than any insult.

Before I could agree or refuse, Noel was already reaching into the game box. He pulled out a slip of paper and read it aloud.

"The groom must kneel before the bride and bark like a dog ten times to demonstrate his absolute loyalty to his wife."

The others exchanged uneasy glances and began whispering among themselves.

"Didn't we agree not to put anything degrading in there? Who wrote this?"

"Not me."

"Me neither."

Noel shot them a reproachful look.

"What are you all going on about? You think it's degrading, but maybe Laurence here would consider it a reward."

"After all, a kept man like him, a pretty face living off a woman's money, loves groveling to keep his meal ticket happy." He let out a theatrical sigh. "Me, I could never. Too much self-respect."

He turned to me, a taunting grin spreading across his face.

"Laurence, didn't you want to play games with Lauren?"

"Then go ahead and bark. Who knows, maybe she'll be so pleased she'll toss you another twenty grand. Opportunity of a lifetime."

Lauren heard every word. She didn't react.

My gaze drifted past her to the crimson wedding quilt beneath her, the one I'd chosen with such care. I hadn't even sat on it yet.

But their kiss had already creased and rumpled it.

Tradition held that the newlyweds should be the first to sit on the wedding quilt, a symbol of a happy marriage.

Just days ago, I'd been looking forward to this night. I'd imagined Lauren and me sitting on that quilt together, planning a future full of promise.

Now there was no need for any of that.

I shoved Noel's arm away, cold and unhurried, and let a mocking smile settle on my lips.

"Mr. Cobb, you're too modest. The way you were flapping that tongue of yours just now, you've got any dog beat when it comes to licking. Doesn't look like you need the practice at all."

"You're so good at playing the lapdog. Why don't you bark a few times so I can learn from the best?"

I'd grown up surrounded by the works of master calligraphers and painters. I'd recognized Noel's handwriting on that slip of paper the moment I saw it.

Noel's face flushed crimson, his voice dripping with wounded innocence. "Ms. Sanchez, how could he humiliate me like this..."

A glass of red wine splashed over my head without warning.

Lauren yanked Noel into her arms protectively, glaring at me with open contempt.

"Laurence, enough! You won't do this, you won't do that, all you're good for is bullying someone younger than you. There's a limit to how unreasonable you can be!"

"You're a part-time calligraphy teacher making pocket change. Your salary's so pathetic I'd be embarrassed to use it for gas money."

"You only live the life you do because of me. Where do you get off thinking you can tell me what to do?!"

A sneer curled at the corner of her mouth.

"Noel actually helps me carry the load at the company. Forget swapping him into a party game. If he wanted the moon, I'd pluck it from the sky for him!"

"And what can you do for me? You wormed your way into a wedding with me without so much as a decent betrothal gift. You're nothing but a freeloader trying to cash in!"

"So, Laurence, take the money and sit down. If it's not enough, I'll give you more. But if you keep making trouble, I won't go through with the marriage license. Period!"

My chest ached, tight and suffocating.

So refusing to accept my wife kissing another man was "making trouble."

And five years of devotion, of building her empire beside her from nothing, amounted to freeloading.

But Lauren didn't know.

The betrothal gift had been ready for months. The assets were so extensive that cataloging everything had taken time. I'd planned to present it all the day we signed the marriage license, as a surprise.

Now I saw she didn't deserve it.

"Well, that works out perfectly. I was thinking the same thing."

My voice came out cold and flat. I turned, grabbed my coat, and headed for the door.

The moment I pulled open the villa's front door, a voice rang out behind me.

"Hold on!"

Lauren descended the staircase, chin tilted up, wearing a smile that wasn't really a smile.

"Laurence, that Canada Goose parka you're wearing. A hundred thousand dollars. I paid for it."

"If you've got the nerve to talk about breaking up, then don't walk out in my things. Or can you not afford to dress yourself?"

"Oh, and don't forget to leave every card I ever gave you."

The front door gaped wide open. Frigid wind laced with snowflakes bit into my neck.

But it wasn't half as cold as what I felt inside.

Last winter, right when the cold set in, she'd complained that the jackets I bought were cheap brands that couldn't keep me warm. She'd thrown them all out without asking. The next day, she handed me a Canada Goose parka and told me that things were better now, that she'd never let me freeze again.

Lauren knew all of this perfectly well. She was doing it to humiliate me on purpose.

In that moment, regret hit me like a wall.

Regret for misjudging who she really was all those years ago.

One of the guests stepped in, trying to smooth things over. "Lauren, it's below zero out there. Laurence is barely wearing anything underneath. Without that coat, he'll freeze. It's supposed to be a happy occasion. Don't let it end on a sour note. Just swallow your pride and make up with your husband. There's no shame in that."

Lauren, of course, saw it differently.

Her lips twisted into a mocking smirk.

"We haven't even signed the papers. What kind of husband is he? I spoiled him too much, that's all. Now he thinks he can throw around words like 'break up' whenever he pleases. He should be grateful I'm not making him walk out naked."

"Laurence, don't say I never gave you a chance. Apologize right now. Promise to get along with Noel from here on out. I'll forgive you, we'll sign the license like planned, and you'll still be the man of the Sanchez household."

Noel settled in close beside her, all smiles.

"That's right, Laurence. You already lowered yourself to being a kept man. What's with the pride all of a sudden? I'd quit while I was ahead if I were you."

"It's two in the morning, in weather like this. There's not a cab to be found out here, and the nearest hotel is miles away. You'll freeze to death on the side of the road."

The moment the words left her mouth, Lauren seemed to get an idea. She picked up her phone and dialed.

"Call every hotel and motel in Capital City. Laurence Henson is not to be given a room. Anywhere."

My heart plummeted.

This was Lauren's obedience test.

She wanted me to understand that she could dictate my life on a whim. She was training me to be docile, to swallow my pride and submit.

I drew a long breath, then slapped the bank cards down on the coffee table.

Without a second's hesitation, I pulled off the Canada Goose parka and tossed it into the fireplace beside me.

The flames surged, casting a bright glow across Lauren's stunned face.

I turned and walked straight into the blizzard without looking back.

The wind cut through me like a blade. Every step was a battle, my whole body shaking so violently my teeth rattled. I kept going until I found an internet cafe that was still open, and begged the owner for a cup of hot water. Only after I drank it did the feeling start returning to my fingers.

But within minutes, my eyelids grew impossibly heavy. I slumped forward and passed out.

Somewhere in the haze, I felt hands on me.

I forced my eyes open and found myself staring into the owner's greasy, bloated face.

The cafe that had been buzzing with people just moments ago was completely empty now. The metal security shutter had been pulled down over the entrance.

The owner leered at me.

"Hey there, pretty boy. Out here all alone this late at night. Nowhere to go, huh?"

"Poor little thing. Let me take care of you."

The water. He'd put something in the water.

Terror crashed over me like a wave.

I bit down on my tongue, hard, forcing myself awake through the searing pain.

I shoved him off me with everything I had and bolted toward the bathroom in the corner, slamming the door shut and locking it behind me.

I was about to call the police when Lauren's number flashed across the screen.

One percent battery. I stared at it, then clenched my jaw and answered.

The sound that came through was Lauren's breathless panting, thick with arousal.

"Laurence, where did you put those condoms I brought back from overseas last month? I need to show Noel a thing or two about wedding-night party games."

Her tone turned mocking.

"What, now that you know you can't survive without me, you went and stole them to sell? Is that how desperate you are?"

I choked down the nausea clawing up my throat and spoke as fast as I could.

"Lauren, I'm at an internet cafe on Guangfu Road."

"The owner is trying to assault me. Please, come get me"

Lauren's voice went taut with alarm. "What? I'm coming right now!"

Then, the very next second, Noel's sneering laugh slithered through the speaker.

"Laurence, buddy, are all kept men as calculating as you?"

"I drove down that road just this afternoon. There's no internet cafe there. You're just pulling a sob story to guilt Ms. Sanchez into caving first, aren't you?"

"Ms. Sanchez, if you actually go, you'll only be rewarding his tantrums. Once you two are officially married, he'll threaten divorce every time he doesn't get his way. How embarrassing would that be?"

Before I could get a word in, Lauren exploded.

"Laurence, you are absolutely shameless! You'd stoop to a lie like that?!"

"Don't think for a second I'm going to coddle you this time. You want to come back? Fine. Tomorrow morning, you get on your knees in front of my office and tell me you were wrong!"

"Without me, that pathetic little salary of yours couldn't even cover rent on a decent apartment. You'd try to sell yourself on the street and people would turn you down for the lousy accommodations. Go sit somewhere and think about that!"

The line went dead. A heartbeat later, the screen went black.

Something inside me died with it.

Click.

The bathroom lock turned from the outside.

The cafe owner barged in, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and grinned.

"Where do you think you're going, pretty boy? This is my turf. You think I don't have the key to my own damn bathroom?"

"Trying to call your little girlfriend for help? I heard every word. She's too busy letting some other guy use those condoms to bother with you."

"Now be a good boy and take care of me. Don't worry, I'm not high-maintenance. I never bother with protection. Hahaha..."

In the depths of my despair, a thunderous crash erupted from outside.

The rolling shutter was forced open, and people stormed in.

"Let him go!"

It was officers from the nearby police station.

The internet caf owner had driven out all the other patrons so he could assault me in peace. But someone had seen him slip something into my drink and quietly called 911 on their way out.

They rushed me to the hospital to have my stomach pumped, took my statement, and left me with a thick coat. I borrowed a charger from the front desk, and the next morning, I called the calligraphy class to resign.

Once that was done, I went to the mall next door, grabbed a cheap casual outfit, and got ready to fly home.

But the moment I stepped out of the mall, several of Lauren's bodyguards blocked my path.

"Mr. Henson, Ms. Sanchez is hosting a banquet at the Regalia Hotel today to celebrate Secretary Cobb's second anniversary. She's specifically requested that you come and perform for Secretary Cobb. If you'd please."

I frowned.

"Get out of my way, or I'm calling the police."

The lead bodyguard, Val Whitney, let out a contemptuous laugh.

"Go right ahead. Then we'll file a report too."

"Ms. Sanchez says the coat you burned last night was worth a hundred grand. That's enough to land you behind bars for a while."

I laughed in disbelief. So this was the trap they'd been waiting to spring.

"A hundred grand? I'll wire it to her right now."

But Val snatched the phone from my hand and smashed it on the ground at my feet.

"You ungrateful piece of shit."

"Without Ms. Sanchez, you couldn't even feed yourself. Who the hell do you think you are, playing lord of the manor? You haven't even signed the marriage certificate, and you think you're her husband? Take him."

They dragged me into a car and sped off.

When we arrived, the entire banquet hall had been decorated with staggering extravagance.

Noel, dressed in a tailored designer suit, had his arm around Lauren's waist as they worked the room, greeting guests.

He carried himself like the man of the house.

The irony cut deep.

Because Lauren had said she didn't want anything flashy, yesterday's wedding had been a bare-bones affair at some no-name motel. She'd only invited a handful of her personal friends, so most people in her circle didn't even know the wedding had happened.

I'd understood. I knew how hard she worked for her money. Besides, once I brought her home to meet my family, we'd throw a proper celebration. Everyone would see the announcement. The whole world would know.

So I hadn't minded.

But the Regalia was the most exclusive hotel in Capital City, operating on an elite membership system. Only those who met a certain threshold of status and wealth were even eligible to walk through the doors. A single banquet there ran into the millions.

And she'd booked it for Noel's anniversary. She'd even invited the press.

When Lauren spotted me, she walked over with a frown.

"The owner of the calligraphy class said you quit. Said you're leaving. Where do you think you're going?"

My voice came out flat. Dead.

"Home. To take care of my grandfather. Is that a problem?"

A smug, superior smile spread across her face.

"So you've finally figured it out. Without my protection, you can't survive a single day in this city. Your only option is crawling back to your little village to slop the pigs."

"Tell you what. If you wash all of Noel's underwear in front of everyone today, nice and clean, I'll forgive you. Tomorrow we'll go sign the marriage certificate, just like we planned."

Her assistant brought over a small basket. There had to be at least a dozen pairs inside.

Clearly, they'd had quite the night.

My hands had been protected my entire life. My family had never let me do so much as a single chore.

I stared at her, unable to process what I was hearing.

"Lauren, did your brain and your ass switch places? Every word out of your mouth is pure garbage."

"You two spent my wedding night making out and sleeping together, and now you want me to wash his dirty underwear?"

"Let me make one thing clear: even if you chopped Noel Cobb into pieces and sold him by the pound, he wouldn't be worth me lifting a single finger!"

Lauren's face went cold instantly.

"Who told you to humiliate Noel in front of everyone yesterday? This is the compensation you owe him!"

"Drop the act. Those hands of yours teach calligraphy all day. How much does that even pay? I promised you the position of man of the house at Sanchez Corp. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"

"This is the anniversary gift Noel wants most, and I will give it to him!"

With that, she pulled out a bamboo calligraphy brush and sneered.

"Laurence, I believe this means a great deal to you. Am I right?"

"If you don't want me to snap it in half right now, you'll do exactly as I say."

My fists clenched at my sides.

That brush wasn't worth much money, but it was the last birthday gift my father ever gave me.

He'd made it by hand.

Not long after that, he died in a car accident.

I drew a deep breath, grinding my teeth before I spoke.

"Fine. I'll wash them."

Then I bent down, picked up the plastic basin they'd prepared, and said without a trace of expression, "Can I go to the bathroom to fill this up now?"

Only then did Lauren curl her lips in satisfaction.

"Good boy. As long as you keep Noel happy, I'll give it back, and things can go back to the way they were."

She posted a bodyguard at the door so I couldn't run.

Water rushed from the faucet, and my reflection stared back at me with ice-cold eyes.

I pressed the hidden button on the back of my mechanical watch.

A faint crackle of static lasted two seconds before a voice came through, equal parts roguish and wounded.

"I thought you'd thrown that watch away. What, you finally decided I'm not so bad after all?"

"Fair warning: if you're about to tell me you went and got a marriage license, I will throw myself off this building. Try me."

My voice came out level.

"No license. We broke up. She's making me wash her boy toy's underwear in front of a crowd."

"If you still want this marriage, don't make me waste my breath."

The other end went quiet for half a second.

When Ebony Mason spoke again, the excitement and fury in her voice were almost tangible.

"The Regalia Hotel?"

"Sit tight. I'll make that woman eat every last pair."

I was brought back to Noel.

Lauren hooked her arm through his, her tone dripping with tenderness. "Noel, today Laurence won't stop washing until you tell him to. Not until you're completely satisfied."

"Do you like your present?"

"Oh my God, I love it! Nobody treats me as well as you do, Ms. Sanchez."

The two of them locked lips in a shameless kiss, as if no one else existed.

Noel sauntered over to me, all smiles.

"So it turns out you didn't like barking like a dog, but this is more your speed? Tsk. Even trashier than I thought."

"You should've said so sooner. I've got plenty more at home. But wait, you're not planning to do this standing up, are you?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Lauren flicked her wrist.

A bodyguard behind me drove his boot into the back of my knee, forcing me to the ground.

Mocking laughter erupted all around.

"There we go. Much better angle for getting them nice and clean."

Noel picked up a bottle of liquor with an elegant flourish and blinked innocently.

"The thing is, I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Someone as filthy as you, Laurence... I just can't stand it. You don't mind if I sterilize you with a little alcohol, do you?"

I didn't look at him. My gaze went past him, settling on the woman behind.

"Lauren. Do I need to remind you that my skin is allergic to alcohol?"

"I'll ask you once. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Hesitation flickered across Lauren's face.

Before she could speak, Noel's eyes reddened, his voice trembling with hurt.

"Ms. Sanchez, don't tell me you actually feel sorry for him? You promised you'd help me save face today."

"I'm just trying to teach your husband how to be a proper, tidy homemaker. Otherwise, all he knows how to do is spend your money and throw jealous fits. How's he supposed to take care of you?"

Noel's lip trembled, his eyes glistening on cue. "If you think I'm out of line, then fire me. I'll leave and never come back. That way I won't be a bother to either of you."

Lauren's expression melted instantly. She cupped his face and wiped his tears, then turned to glare at me.

"Laurence, a skin allergy isn't going to kill you. Pop a few pills and you'll be fine."

"Noel's right. You need to learn your place. Other women's husbands don't act like you. Some wives keep a whole stable of lovers and their husbands don't say a word."

"Behave yourself. Stop upsetting Noel, and I promise I'll keep the deal I just made with you."

My heart went cold. Completely, irreversibly cold.

When Lauren's first business venture fell apart, she'd been swindled out of everything. Not only was she flat broke, she was half a million dollars in debt.

I couldn't stand watching her waste away, sleepless night after night, sinking deeper into despair.

But I didn't want her to feel like I was handing her charity, so I hid my identity. I told her I'd sold the house my parents left me, the one meant for our future together. I used the money to pay off every cent of her debt, gave her seed capital, and encouraged her to start over.

Then I asked one of my grandfather's most accomplished protgs to pose as a business mentor, coaching her one-on-one in corporate management and how to survive in the cutthroat world of high finance.

After that, I quietly leveraged my family's network to pull strings behind the scenes, securing investors and partnerships, helping her claw her way back up and into Capital City's elite circles.

And now, before she'd even fully cemented her position, she was already plotting to cast me aside and enjoy the best of both worlds.

But in this world, people who betray a sincere heart never meet a good end.

Noel gleefully upended an entire bottle of liquor over my head.

The alcohol burned like acid in my eyes, forcing out involuntary tears. My hair clung to my face in wet, reeking strands.

He poured five bottles in total, making sure every inch of me was drenched before he finally stopped.

He watched my skin swell red and angry from the allergic reaction, watched me clench my jaw against the searing pain and the fire spreading across every nerve.

Noel smiled, satisfied. He leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"Laurence, that sharp mouth of yours was running pretty hot earlier. What happened? Cat got your tongue?"

"You know as well as I do that I'm the one Lauren cares about most right now. One word from me, and she'll make you drink that entire basin of dirty underwear water."

"But tell you what. Get on your knees, knock your forehead on the floor a few times, and beg me nicely. I'll let you off with just two-thirds of the basin. Sound fair?"

So that was it. Payback for last night.

But if I rolled over that easily, I wouldn't be Laurence Henson.

I seized a fistful of his hair and slammed his entire head into the basin of filthy water.

Noel choked, thrashing wildly, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't lift his face from the surface.

The guards wrenched me off him. He collapsed to the side, retching and coughing, but still managed to wail through his sobs.

"Lauren! He's jealous because you chose to kiss me that night! He's doing this out of spite!"

"If you don't punish him, I'll kill myself right now!"

Lauren's face turned to iron. She backhanded me so hard I hit the floor.

My forehead cracked against the corner of the table. Warmth flooded down my face.

"Laurence, you ungrateful piece of trash! You don't like me having a lover? Fine. Then I'll make you the side piece. You'll become the very thing you despise most!"

"Tomorrow I'm going to the courthouse with Noel. He's a hundred times more obedient and forgiving than you'll ever be. He deserves to be my husband, not you!"

"You like using your hands so much? Then I'll destroy them. Someone get over here and smash his fingers, one by one. Let's see if he ever dares lay a hand on Noel again!"

I was pinned to the floor, both arms stomped flat against the ground.

Noel tossed aside the towel he'd been using to dry his face and flashed me the triumphant grin of a victor.

Val walked over with a small iron hammer, lined it up with my fingers, and raised it high.

Just as the hammer was about to come crashing down, the banquet hall doors blew open with a deafening bang.

Ebony Mason's face emerged into view, all sharp, striking angles that looked almost otherworldly.

Behind her stood over a hundred former mercenaries in tight formation, disciplined and battle-ready.

Every single one of them wore the Mason family's iconic crest pinned to their lapels.

In the next instant, every person in the room shot to their feet, gasping in unison.

"Miss Mason, what brings you here?!"