Punished for My Ex's First Love, I Became the Billionaire's Wife

The second year after I gave birth to the child of one of Harborview's biggest power players, my ex-boyfriend Tyler Henson showed up with an engagement ring.

Hilary Fox, I'm here to keep my promise from three years ago. I'm going to marry you.

Three years ago, Tyler's childhood sweetheart, Letitia Pruitt, offended Joseph Gilbert, one of the heaviest names in Harborview's underworld, and came crawling to me on her knees.

Hilary, you've been through torment before. You know how to handle that vengeful devil. Please, help me just this once.

The anniversary gift I'd prepared for Tyler slipped from my hands. I stared at him, unable to believe it.

He had once promised he would help that scar heal, that he would never tell a soul.

His face was grim, but there was a threat in his voice.

If you won't go, I'll make public how you were once humiliated and abused. You'll never be able to hold your head up again.

Haven't you always wanted to marry me? Fine. I promise you, as long as you survive these three years for Letitia, I'll marry you.

My heart twisted with pain, and I refused on the spot.

But I never imagined that, to protect Letitia, she would actually drug me and deliver me to Joseph Gilbert, trading three years of my serving him for Letitia's safety.

Later, when Joseph was attacked by his rivals, I threw myself in the way to save his life, and then unexpectedly carried his child. After that, I became the one thing no one dared touch.

Now, I sidestepped the hand Tyler held out with the ring.

My voice was calm I'm already married. Please show some self-respect.

Married?

Tyler froze, as if he'd just heard a joke.

Hilary, I know you're angry with me over what happened back then, but you don't have to say something this ridiculous.

Everyone knows you're head over heels for me. Who would ever marry you?

All right, stop messing around. I promised you back then. Once you survived three years with that devil, I'd marry you.

I know you don't have friends, so today I made a point of bringing mine along to cheer you on.

The friends behind him looked at me with displeasure.

Hilary, Tyler dragged us all away from dinner for your sake, just to witness the moment you propose.

Tyler's eyes glinted with amusement You heard them. This time I'm serious.

With that, he held the ring out to me.

I lowered my eyes to look.

My name and Tyler's were written on the ring box. It was the same one I'd bought back then, when I'd meant to propose to him.

Back then, after I'd set everything up and was about to confess, my heart fluttering like a girl's, he gave the ring to Letitia instead.

Today's Letitia's birthday. Her wish is to experience being proposed to. You can propose another time.

One careless sentence, and I became everyone's joke for a solid month.

Later, just as I'd clawed my way out of the shadow of being mocked by everyone, Tyler came around again, asking me to take Letitia's punishment.

I refused, so he drugged me.

If I hadn't saved Joseph's life by sheer accident, I don't know what would have become of me now.

Now, I slowly took the ring.

Before I could speak, a smile spread across Tyler's face. He suddenly turned his head and stretched out his hand toward the others.

See? I told you all it'd take was a little coaxing. You lost. Pay up, pay up!

They all looked at me helplessly.

Hilary, Tyler said you were his number-one doormat. At first we didn't believe him. Now we do.

It's all your fault we lost our money.

Tyler turned back, smiling at me, eyes crinkled.

All right, today's Letitia's birthday. Hurry up and propose. I still have to go set up the venue for her.

The words had barely left his mouth before I dropped the ring straight into the trash.

My voice was steady Once something's tainted, I won't take it.

Tyler's smile froze. His brow furrowed.

Hilary, you're not still angry, are you?

My expression stayed cool.

"There's no need."

He sounded a little impatient.

"My patience has limits. Don't think that just because you took Letitia's punishment for her, I'll put up with you. Pick the ring back up. I'll give you five minutes, that's it. Throw another tantrum and you can forget about ever marrying me."

The crowd watched me with sneers, already betting on whether I'd cave.

I even noticed Tyler quietly join their bet in the group chat.

But barely a minute later, his phone rang. It was Letitia.

"Tyler, are you here yet? My head suddenly started pounding so badly at the hotel. Can you take me to the hospital?"

"I'm on my way!"

Frantic, Tyler hurried off without sparing me a single glance.

Ten minutes later, Letitia's post showed up in my social media feed.

The photo caught Tyler in the act of massaging her temples.

The caption read: "Thank you, for always rushing to my side when I need you most."

My face stayed calm, neither happy nor sad.

I tapped a like and left a congratulatory comment, then headed to the little house I'd bought back when Tyler and I were together.

My mother's memorial portrait was kept there.

Joseph was very busy. Tomorrow was our family reunion day, and he'd insisted I bring the portrait along, saying his elders had never met our child.

I'd just found it and was about to leave when the door was suddenly shoved open.

Tyler stormed in, dragging Letitia by the hand, his face dark with anger.

"Hilary, what was that snide little comment you left on Letitia's post!"

I frowned.

A blessing, twisted into sarcasm.

It was almost funny.

Letitia hung back behind him, the picture of injured innocence.

"Tyler, don't blame Hilary. She must have seen you taking care of me again, that's all. She's just jealous."

Then she turned to me, tears welling up, and made her promise.

"Hilary, I'm sorry. I forgot how much you dislike anyone getting close to Tyler. I've never forgotten everything you did for me. These three years, I only wanted to look after him for you. Now that you're back, of course I should disappear from your lives."

With that, she rose as if to leave.

Tyler caught her arm and rounded on me with a roar.

"Hilary, that's enough. I'm not your property! I haven't agreed to marry you yet, so you'd better not think so highly of yourself!"

"And another thing. Letitia's spent these three years blaming herself because you took the punishment for her. That's how she ended up with these headaches!"

"And you? There's nothing in your head but jealousy!"

Watching it all, Letitia hid a smirk.

I'd seen this clumsy little victim act more times than I could count.

I looked at Tyler coldly and let out a scornful laugh.

"So you're saying her headaches are my fault?"

"And who was it that drugged me to protect her?"

"And who was it that took her punishment for three whole years?"

Tyler froze, a flicker of guilt crossing his face.

Seeing it, Letitia instantly dropped to her knees before me.

"Hilary, please don't be angry. It's all my fault. I never should have let you take my place."

"Hit me!"

And with that, she grabbed my arm and tried to drag my hand against her own face.

But before it could even touch, she toppled backward with a cry of pain.

"Hilary, if you want to hit me, then go ahead and beat me to death!"

Tyler immediately swept her behind him, shielding her.

"Hilary, if you so much as touch a single hair on Letitia's head, don't blame me for what I do!"

Even a fool could see she was faking. He couldn't.

Not now, and not back then either.

My face stayed calm.

"I have things to do. Get out of my way."

He let out a scornful laugh.

"Hilary, would you drop the act? You just can't stand to see me with Letitia."

"You were like this three years ago too. When are you finally going to admit it!"

I frowned. "I'll say it one more time. I'm already married."

He thought I was still angry.

"You say you're married, then tell me, who did you marry?!"

"Don't tell me it's that monster Joseph Gilbert?"

"Yes."

"Don't make me laugh. Why would a man like him want a woman like you, someone who's been humiliated?"

"Apologize to Letitia right now, or I'll make your secret public!"

"I'll post it to every group we both belong to."

As he spoke, he'd already drafted the caption.

The headline read: "When Hilary Fox was fifteen, her stepfather subjected her to five years of physical abuse. By the time she was rescued, she was barely lucid."

His thumb hovered over the send button, a smug grin on his face.

Those five years were the darkest shadow of my life. I'd told only him.

Yet now it had become his weapon against me.

I was about to speak when Letitia suddenly bumped into his arm.

The next instant, the post shot out.

A flicker of panic crossed his face.

He tried to recall it, but someone had already taken a screenshot.

And they were tagging me over and over in the group chat.

"Hilary, is it true? Come on out and say something."

"No wonder you were always so cold to the boys in our class. We thought you were just stuck-up, but turns out you were being abused. Pretty thrilling, huh?"

A barely visible look of triumph crossed Letitia's face, but she apologized at once.

"Tyler, I didn't mean to. I just suddenly felt a little dizzy."

Rage flared in my chest.

I grabbed her by the collar.

"You deserve to die!"

She broke into sobs instantly.

"Hilary, please don't hit me. These past three years I've worried about you so much it left me with these dizzy spells. I just had an attack, that's all."

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault!"

She kept begging.

Tyler's eyes flashed with pity, and he shoved me back hard.

"Hilary, what are you doing, scaring Letitia like that? It was an accident."

"So what if people know your secret? You spent three years waiting on Joseph Gilbert hand and foot, so you're already low enough. A little more won't hurt!"

Letitia was still playing "guilty."

"Tyler, don't say that. After all, it was my carelessness."

Tyler comforted her.

"You didn't mean to. There's no need to feel bad."

He glared at me.

"Hilary, I haven't even settled the score with you for last time, and now you're scaring Letitia again."

I looked at him coldly.

"Tyler, you're going to regret this!"

With that, I walked straight past him and left.

Tyler watched me go, and finally realized I meant it.

I'd taken only a few steps when he suddenly called my name.

"Hilary, for the sake of the three years you took the blame for Letitia, I'll go register the marriage with you tomorrow."

"But you're not allowed to single Letitia out again."

I didn't stop.

I didn't answer him either.

There was no point.

The moment I got back, I was flooded with messages mocking me.

"Abused by your stepfather for five years, that must have felt great, huh?"

"No wonder Tyler wouldn't be with you. Did he think you were dirty? Can you even still have kids?"

"Heard you were giving Tyler grief again today. You can't even have children, so why don't you hurry up and step aside?"

I didn't respond. I left every group we shared.

A short while later, a message came in from Letitia.

"Did you see those messages, you worthless thing?"

"Do you even know, during those three years you took my punishment, I was once carrying Tyler's child."

"But he said he'd promised to marry you, so he actually made me get rid of it."

"You can't even have kids anymore, yet you cling to him so desperately. Don't you find it pathetic?"

I glanced at it, then blocked her outright.

I'd been abused as a child, but in the end, the person who hurt me was the one who got locked away.

I'd told Joseph Gilbert all of it, and he'd told me he'd lived through something similar.

That was why, later, he turned ruthless toward others, and just as ruthless toward himself.

His work kept him buried, so ever since our daughter was born, I'd been the one raising her.

Just then, Joseph called.

Honey, I might get back pretty late tomorrow. When Daisy gets out of school, wait for me, and we'll take her out together.

Okay.

The moment I hung up, a message notification came in from Tyler.

Letitia's mother is coming tomorrow, so I'll keep her company first. I'll go to the county clerk's office with you in the evening.

Letitia's mother was coming, and Tyler had to stay by her side.

It was almost funny.

I didn't reply.

The next evening, I went to the kindergarten.

As luck would have it, the county clerk's office sat diagonally across the street.

I'd just gotten there and was waiting for Daisy to come out when I saw Letitia walking toward me, two people in tow.

Her face wore a cold sneer.

Hilary, I never imagined you'd cling to Tyler this hard. Can't you see he doesn't like you at all? He spent the whole day with my mother today, and when she said she wanted him as a son-in-law, he agreed.

Even if he signs the papers with you today, it's only because he feels a little guilty toward you.

You'd better know your place and get lost, fast.

The two behind her chimed in with their own jeers.

Worthless trash. You actually think you can take Letitia's man? Take a good look at what you're worth.

If you really dare to sign those papers later, we guarantee we'll break your legs!

I looked at Letitia calmly. You're this frantic because you're afraid he'll actually marry me, aren't you? Sounds like you already know you were never more than a game to him.

What did you just say?!

Letitia flew into a rage and grabbed me by the collar.

The two behind her got ready to hit me too.

At that moment, Tyler stepped out of a taxi.

The second she saw him, Letitia faked an injury and dropped to the ground.

The two of them shouted, She's hitting people! She's hitting people!

Tyler saw Letitia lying on the ground, his face tightening with alarm as he hurried over.

What's going on here?!

The two pointed at me. Tyler, it was her. Letitia just came to offer her congratulations, and the second she saw Letitia, she straight-up started hitting her!

Letitia clutched her chest, voice thick with tears.

Tyler, what did I ever do wrong? Why does she hate me this much?

Just because I took her punishment for three years, does that mean she has to make me slave away for it the rest of my life?

My chest hurts so badly. That kick just now felt like it broke a bone!

At her words, Tyler turned on me, seething.

Hilary, I already agreed to come sign the papers with you. Why are you still this hostile toward Letitia?!

I let the first two times slide, but this time you actually laid hands on her, so don't blame me for not going easy on you!

Hold her down for me. I'll make her understand what happens when you push your luck!

The two exchanged a smirk, their eyes gloating at my misfortune, then seized me hard.

Tyler helped Letitia up, watching me coldly.

Letitia, however he hit you, hit him back the same way! And everything she disrespected you with before, all of it!

Letitia said with feigned worry, Maybe we shouldn't. If she signs the papers with you and then keeps me from seeing you again, I'll have nowhere left to cry.

Tyler looked at me, his voice ice.

Sign the papers? I gave her the chance and she couldn't hold on to it, so there'll be no signing!

Go ahead and hit her. If anything happens, I'll take the blame!

Then... then I'll do it.

Letitia picked up a stick from the ground beside her and came toward me, smug,

The stick came down hard across my body.

In an instant, pain ripped through every inch of me.

"You're going to regret this!"

I fought to break free, but the two of them just slammed their feet into my legs.

Driving me down onto my knees in front of Letitia.

She grabbed a fistful of my hair and knocked me to the ground with a single slap.

The room spun so violently I couldn't get up again.

She leaned close to my ear, smug, and sneered, "Hilary, this is what you get for not listening."

Then she turned to Tyler, putting on a pitiful little face.

"Tyler, did I hit her too hard?"

Tyler's voice went soft. "Compared to what she did to you, this is nothing!"

Then he turned his cold eyes on me and spoke without a trace of feeling. "Hilary, you really don't know when you've been given a break. The fact that I even agreed to come is more than you deserve."

"You think anyone besides me would marry a cheap woman like you?"

I struggled to my feet, staring Tyler down.

He let out a cold laugh, ready to keep going.

At that moment the crowd began to shift, parting on its own to clear a path.

Joseph came through it, holding our daughter's hand, surrounded by his bodyguards.

The instant he saw me, battered head to toe, a killing menace flooded over him.

His gaze swept the whole scene. "Who hit my wife? Step forward, now!"