The Billionaire's Discarded Bride,A Revenge Unveiled

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

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

But my husband, Neil Sanchez, grabbed his secretary by the arm and kissed her without a second's hesitation.

They kissed for a full three minutes. When they finally pulled apart, a thin string of saliva still connected their lips.

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

Neil wiped the moisture from the corner of Shirley Cobb's mouth with his thumb, his expression utterly unbothered.

"The girl's shy. She'd never handle something like this in the future, so I figured I'd help her get some practice ahead of time."

He 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 so terribly wronged."

"All I did was swap out the game partner. I still went through with the whole wedding for you. You should be grateful."

Shirley nestled into his arms, coy and blushing, her eyes brimming with adoration.

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

"Mr. Sanchez is too funny. Of course I'm not upset."

"After all, I was planning to swap out the man on my marriage certificate too."

Silence.

The room went so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Neil smashed the ashtray beside him. Glass shattered across the nightstand, and his expression turned black as a storm cloud.

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

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

Like he was scolding a child who didn't know her place.

I looked at that face, the one that used to make my heart race, and felt nothing but revulsion rise in its place.

"I think I made myself perfectly clear. We never filed for a marriage license anyway, so consider us done."

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

The temperature in the room plummeted.

Shirley suddenly looped her arm through mine, all smiles.

"Don't be mad, Kathy. Mr. Sanchez was just worried I wouldn't know what to do at my own wedding someday, so he gave me a little preview."

"Tell you what. For the next game, I'll let you have the bride's role back."

I frowned. That word, let, scraped against my nerves like a nail on glass.

Before I could agree or refuse, Shirley was already reaching into the game box, pulling out a slip of paper, and reading it aloud.

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

A beat of stunned silence. Then murmurs rippled through the group.

"Didn't we agree not to put any humiliating ones in there? Who wrote that?"

"Not me..."

"Wasn't me either..."

Shirley shot them an exasperated glare.

"Oh, hush. You all think it's humiliating, but maybe Kathy here thinks it's a treat."

"I mean, a gold digger like her just loves groveling to keep a man happy. Me? I could never. I have too much self-respect." She sighed theatrically.

Her gaze locked onto mine, a taunting smile curving her lips.

"Well, Kathy? You wanted to play games with Mr. Sanchez so badly, didn't you?"

"Go on then. Get on your knees and bark. Who knows, maybe if he's pleased enough, he'll toss you another twenty grand. Wouldn't want to miss an opportunity like that."

Neil sat through all of it without saying a word.

My eyes drifted to the red silk quilt beneath him, the one I'd chosen with such care. I hadn't even sat on it yet.

But their kiss had already crushed it into wrinkles.

Tradition said the wedding quilt had to be sat on first by the newlyweds together. A blessing for a happy marriage.

Just days ago, I'd been imagining it: wedding night, the two of us beneath that quilt, planning our future.

How unnecessary that all seemed now.

I shoved Shirley's arm away, cold and deliberate, and let a razor-thin smile cross my face.

"Miss Cobb, you're really too modest. The way you were flicking that tongue around just now? You've got every dog in town beat when it comes to licking. Doesn't seem like you need the practice at all."

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

I'd grown up surrounded by the calligraphy and paintings of master artists. I'd recognized the handwriting on that slip of paper as Shirley's the moment I saw it.

Shirley's face flushed crimson, her voice dripping with wounded innocence. "Neil, how can she humiliate me like this..."

A glass of red wine came crashing down over my head.

Neil yanked Shirley into his arms, shielding her, and glared at me with open contempt.

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

"You're a part-time calligraphy instructor. With that pathetic salary of yours, I'd be embarrassed to let you pay for gas."

"You live the life you live because of me. Where do you get the nerve to stick your nose in my business?"

A sneer curled across his lips.

"Shirley actually helps me at the company. Forget just swapping her into a party game. If she wanted the moon out of the sky, I'd pluck it down for her."

"And what can you do for me? You wormed your way into a wedding ceremony without putting up a single cent of dowry. You're nothing but a gold digger trying to get something for nothing!"

"So, Kathryn, take the money and sit quietly. If it's not enough, I'll give you more. But if you cause one more scene, I won't sign the marriage certificate at all!"

My chest tightened until I could barely breathe.

So refusing to accept my husband kissing another woman was causing a scene.

And five years of devotion, of standing beside him while he built everything from nothing, amounted to getting something for nothing.

But Neil didn't know.

My dowry had been ready for months. The assets were so extensive that the paperwork had simply taken time to finalize. I'd planned to present it all the day we signed the certificate, as a surprise.

Now it was clear he didn't deserve it.

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

I said it coldly, turned, grabbed my coat, and walked toward the door.

The moment I pulled open the front door of the villa, his voice came from behind me.

"Hold on!"

Neil descended the staircase, chin lifted, wearing a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Kathryn. That down jacket you're wearing. Canada Goose. A hundred thousand dollars. I paid for it."

"If you've got the guts to walk out, then don't take my things with you. Can't you afford your own clothes?"

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

The villa doors gaped wide open. Wind laced with snow bit into the back of my neck.

It still wasn't as cold as what I felt inside.

Last winter, when the weather first turned, he'd complained that the down jackets I bought were cheap brands that didn't keep me warm. He'd thrown every single one of them out without asking. The next day, he'd given me the Canada Goose himself, telling me that things were better now, that he'd never let me freeze again.

Neil knew all of that perfectly well. He was doing this on purpose, just to humiliate me.

In that moment, all I felt was regret.

Regret that I'd been so blind about who he really was.

One of the guests thought things had gone too far and tried to intervene. "Come on, Neil. It's below zero out there. She's barely wearing anything underneath. Without that jacket, she'll freeze."

"It's supposed to be a happy occasion. Don't let it end like this. Just swallow your pride and make up with your wife. There's no shame in that."

Neil clearly didn't see it that way.

His lips twisted into a mocking smirk.

"We haven't even signed the certificate. What wife? I spoiled her too much before, that's all. Now she thinks she can throw around words like 'breaking up' whenever she pleases. She should be grateful I'm not making her walk out of here with nothing but the clothes on her back."

"Kathryn, don't say I didn't give you a chance. Apologize right now, promise to get along with Shirley from here on out, and I'll forgive you. We'll sign the certificate, and you'll still be Mrs. Sanchez, just like you wanted."

Shirley nestled against his side and settled in, beaming.

"She's right, you know. Sis, if you've already lowered yourself to being a gold digger, why get so worked up over a little thing like this? I'd quit while I was ahead if I were you."

"It's two in the morning, and in weather like this, you won't find a cab out here. The nearest hotel is miles away. Try not to freeze to death on the side of the road."

The moment the words left his mouth, Neil seemed struck by his own idea. He pulled out his phone and dialed.

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

My heart plummeted.

This was Neil's obedience test.

He wanted me to understand that he could dictate my life on a whim. He was trying to train me into submission, to break me into something compliant and small.

I drew a long, slow breath. Then I slapped every last bank card onto the coffee table.

Without a second of hesitation, I stripped off the designer coat and tossed it into the fireplace beside me.

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

I didn't look back. I walked straight into the blizzard.

The wind hit me like a wall. I pushed forward, shaking so hard my teeth rattled, arms wrapped tight around myself. Every step was a fight against the cold that clawed through my clothes and sank into my bones.

I finally found an internet caf still open nearby. The owner handed me a cup of hot water, and I sat there clutching it, letting warmth seep back into my frozen fingers.

But before long, my eyelids grew impossibly heavy. I slumped over and fell asleep.

Through the haze, I felt hands on me. Groping. Tugging.

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

The caf that had been buzzing with people just moments ago was now completely empty. The metal security shutter had been pulled down to the floor.

The owner leered at me, his grin wet and obscene.

"Hey there, sweetheart. Pretty little thing like you, wandering in alone this late... you homeless or something?"

"Poor baby. 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 hard on my tongue. The sharp sting of pain cut through the fog in my head just enough.

I shoved him with everything I had, scrambled toward the restroom in the corner, and threw myself inside. The lock clicked into place under my trembling fingers.

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

One percent battery. I stared at it, my breath ragged, and answered.

The sound that came through the speaker was unmistakable. Heavy breathing. The kind soaked in lust.

"Kathryn, where'd you put those condoms I brought back from overseas last month? I'm teaching Shirley a few things tonight."

His tone shifted, turning 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 swallowed back the nausea clawing up my throat and forced the words out.

"Neil, I'm at an internet caf on Guangfu Road."

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

Neil's voice went taut with alarm. "What? I'm on my way!"

Then, in the very next second, Shirley's voice slithered through the line, dripping with saccharine contempt.

"Oh, sis. Are all gold diggers this calculating?"

"I drove past that road just today. There's no internet caf there. You're pulling a sympathy stunt to guilt Mr. Sanchez into caving first, aren't you?"

"Mr. Sanchez, if you actually go, you're just rewarding her little tantrum. Next time she'll threaten you with divorce every time she doesn't get her way. How embarrassing would that be?"

Before I could get a single word out, Neil's voice exploded through the phone.

"Kathryn, you have absolutely no shame! You'd stoop to a lie like this?"

"Don't think I'm going to keep indulging you. You want to come back? Fine. Be kneeling outside my office by morning and admit you were wrong!"

"Without me, that pathetic salary of yours couldn't even cover rent on a decent apartment. You'd try selling yourself on the street and men would turn you down for the lousy accommodations. Think about that!"

The line went dead.

A second later, the screen went black. Zero percent.

Something inside me went cold and still, like ash after a fire burns out.

Click.

The bathroom lock gave way.

The owner burst through the door, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and yanked. That same revolting grin split his face.

"Where do you think you're going, you little tramp? This is my place. You think I don't have a key?"

"Trying to call your boyfriend for help? I heard every word. He's busy with some other woman and can't even be bothered with you."

"Relax, sweetheart. Just be a good girl and take care of me. Don't worryI'm not a complicated guy. Never bother with protection, hahaha..."

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

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

"Let her go!"

It was the police from the nearby station.

The caf owner had kicked out all his customers so he could assault me in peace. But someone had seen him slip something into my drink and called the cops the moment they left.

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. The next morning, I called the calligraphy studio and resigned.

After that, I went to the mall next door, grabbed a cheap set of casual clothes, and headed for the airport to fly home.

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

"Miss Henson, Mr. Sanchez is hosting a banquet at the Imperial Monarch Hotel today to celebrate his two-year anniversary with Secretary Cobb."

"He's specifically requested that you come and perform for Miss Cobb. If you'll follow us, please."

I frowned.

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

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

"Go ahead. We'll file a report of our own."

"Mr. Sanchez says that dress you burned yesterday was worth a hundred grand. That's enough to land you behind bars for a good while."

I laughed in disbelief. So this was the trap they'd been setting.

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

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

"The hell is wrong with you? Someone offers you an inch and you take a mile?"

"Without Mr. Sanchez, you couldn't even feed yourself. Who do you think you're fooling, acting all high and mighty? You two haven't even registered the marriage. You really think you're some CEO's wife?" He jerked his chin at the others. "Take her."

They dragged me into a car and sped off.

When we arrived, the entire banquet hall had been decorated to the nines.

Shirley, dripping in designer couture and jewels, hung on Neil's arm as they greeted guests together.

She looked every bit the role of his real wife.

The irony cut deep.

Neil had said he didn't want to make a fuss. So yesterday's wedding had been a bare-bones affair in a cheap little hotel, with only a handful of his personal friends in attendance. Most people in their social circle didn't even know the wedding had happened.

I'd understood. I knew how hard he'd worked to earn his money. Besides, once I brought him home to meet my family, we'd throw a proper celebration. Everyone would see the news coverage and know about us then.

So I hadn't minded.

But the Imperial Monarch was the most exclusive hotel in Capital City, operating on an elite membership system. Only those who met a certain threshold of wealth and status were even allowed through the doors. A single banquet here cost millions.

And he'd booked it for Shirley's anniversary party. He'd even invited the press.

When Neil spotted me, he walked over with a frown.

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

My voice was flat. "Home. To take care of my grandfather. Is that a problem?"

A smug, superior smile spread across his face.

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

"Tell you what. If you wash all of Shirley's underwear by hand in front of everyone here, I'll forgive you. Tomorrow, we go register the marriage like nothing happened."

He had his assistant bring out a small basket. There had to be at least a dozen pairs inside.

My entire life, my family had guarded these hands like they were made of glass. They'd never let me do so much as a household chore.

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Neil Sanchez, is your brain screwed on backwards? Every word out of your mouth is garbage."

"You two spent my wedding night kissing and sleeping together, and now you want me to wash her underwear?"

"Let me make one thing clear: even if you chopped Shirley Cobb into pieces and sold her by the pound, she still wouldn't be worth me lifting a finger!"

Neil's face went cold instantly.

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

"Drop the act. How much do you even make teaching calligraphy classes all day? I promised you the position of Mrs. Sanchez. Don't bite the hand that feeds you!"

"This is the anniversary gift Shirley wants most, and I'm going to give it to her!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a bamboo calligraphy brush and sneered.

"Kathryn, I believe this means a lot 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 instantly.

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

He'd made it with his own hands.

Shortly after that, he died in a car accident.

I drew a deep breath and forced the words through my teeth.

"Fine. I'll wash them."

Then I bent down and picked up the plastic basin they'd prepared, my expression blank.

"Can I go to the bathroom to fill this up now?"

Only then did Neil curl his lips in satisfaction.

"Good girl. Keep Shirley happy, and I'll give it back. I'll even restore your old lifestyle."

He posted his bodyguards at the door to make sure I couldn't run.

Water rushed from the faucet, reflecting my ice-cold eyes.

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

A faint crackle of static lasted two seconds before Denys Mason's voice came through, roguish yet tinged with something almost wounded.

"I thought you'd thrown that watch away. What's this about? 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'm jumping off the nearest building. Try me."

My voice came out steady.

"No marriage license. We broke up. Now he wants me to wash his mistress's underwear in front of a crowd."

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

The other end went silent for half a second.

When Denys spoke again, the excitement and the lethal edge in his voice were almost tangible.

"The Imperial Monarch Hotel?"

"Sit tight. I'll make that bastard swallow every last pair."

I was brought back to Shirley.

Neil had his arm around her waist, his tone tender.

"Shirley, today, as long as you don't say stop, Kathryn will keep washing until you're satisfied."

"How do you like your present?"

"Oh my God, I love it! You're always so good to me, Mr. Sanchez!"

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

Shirley sauntered over to me with a beaming smile.

"So it turns out you didn't like barking like a dog, but you prefer doing this kind of thing? Wow. You're even trashier than I thought."

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

The moment the words left her mouth, Neil flicked his wrist in a signal.

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

Mocking laughter erupted from every direction.

"There we go. That's the proper position for getting things clean."

Shirley picked up a bottle of imported liquor with an elegant sweep of her hand, blinking innocently.

"The thing is, I'm a bit of a germaphobe. Someone as filthy as you really grosses me out. You won't mind if I use a little alcohol to disinfect you first, right?"

I didn't look at her. My gaze went past her, straight to the man behind her. My voice was level.

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

"I'm only going to ask you once. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Something flickered across Neil's face. Hesitation.

Before he could open his mouth, Shirley's eyes rimmed red, her voice pitching into a wounded whimper.

"Mr. Sanchez, don't tell me you feel sorry for her. You promised you'd help me get my dignity back today."

"I'm just trying to teach your wife how to be a proper, clean homemaker. All she knows how to do is spend your money and throw jealous fits. How's a woman like that supposed to take care of you?"

"If you think I'm wrong, then just fire me. I'll leave and never come back, so I won't bother either of you ever again!"

Neil's expression melted instantly. He cupped her face and wiped her tears, then turned to me with a deep frown.

"Kathryn, a skin allergy isn't going to kill you. Just take some extra medicine."

"Shirley's right. You need to learn some manners. Other men's wives don't act the way you do. Some husbands keep a whole string of mistresses and their wives don't say a word."

"Be good. Stop upsetting Shirley, and I promise I'll keep my word about what I said earlier."

My heart went completely cold.

When Neil's first business venture fell through, he'd been scammed out of everything. Not only was he penniless, he was half a million dollars in debt.

I couldn't bear to watch him spiral into depression, lying awake night after night.

But I didn't want him to feel like I was handing him charity either, so I deliberately hid who I really was.

I told him I'd sold the apartment my parents left me as a wedding gift, used that money to pay off his debts, gave him the startup capital, and encouraged him to try again.

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

After that, I quietly leveraged my family's network to pull in investors and partnerships behind the scenes, helping him claw his way back and break into Capital City's upper class.

And now, before he'd even fully secured his footing, he was already plotting to bite the hand that fed him and enjoy the company of another woman.

But in this world, people who betray someone's genuine devotion never come to a good end.

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

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

She poured five bottles in a row, making sure every inch of me was drenched before she finally stopped.

She watched my skin swell red with the allergic reaction, watched me clench my jaw against the searing sting and the fire spreading across my body.

Shirley smiled, satisfied. She bent down and whispered in my ear.

"Kathryn, I thought that mouth of yours was so sharp. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

"You know as well as I do that Neil only cares about me now. All I have to do is say the word, and he'll make you drink that entire basin of underwear water."

"But if you get on your knees right now and knock your forehead on the floor a few times, beg me nicely, I'll let you off with just two-thirds of it. How does that sound?"

So this was payback for last night.

But if I caved that easily, I wouldn't be Kathryn Henson.

I seized a fistful of her hair and shoved her entire head straight into the basin of dirty water and underwear.

Shirley choked instantly, arms flailing, thrashing wildly, but she couldn't lift her head no matter how hard she tried.

The bodyguard wrenched me off her. She collapsed to the side, gagging and coughing, but didn't forget to wail between heaves.

"Neil! She's jealous because you chose to kiss me that night! She did this on purpose to get back at me!"

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

Neil's face turned black as iron. He backhanded me so hard I crashed to the floor.

My forehead struck the corner of the table, and a warm rush of blood ran down my face.

"Kathryn, you really don't know when to quit! You don't like me having a mistress? Fine. Then I'll make you the mistress. You can become the very thing you despise!"

"Tomorrow I'm going to the courthouse with Shirley. She's far more obedient and forgiving than you'll ever be. She's more fit to be Mrs. Sanchez!"

"You like using your hands so much? Then I'll destroy them. Someone get over here and smash her fingers, one by one. Let's see if she ever dares touch Shirley again!"

I was pinned to the floor. Two heavy boots crushed down on my arms, locking them in place.

Shirley tossed aside the towel she'd been drying her face with and flashed me a victor's smile.

George 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 exploded inward with a deafening boom.

Denys Mason's face emerged into viewchiseled, striking, almost otherworldly in its perfection.

Behind him stood over a hundred former mercenaries in tight formation, disciplined and lethal. Every single one of them wore the Mason family's signature crest pinned to their lapels.

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

"Mr. Masonwhat brings you here?!"