The Husband They Mocked Was a Hidden Billionaire

1: 1

My wife has a severe germophobia.

To hold her hand, I have to scrub in like a surgeon, front and back, until my palms and knuckles are spotless. Only then do I earn one minute of holding her hand.

To kiss her, I have to brush my teeth at least ten times before I'm allowed to so much as touch her.

And to share a bed, I have to soak my whole body in hypochlorous acid, disinfect head to toe, before I'm allowed onto her mattress.

Three years of marriage, and I honored every single one of her rules.

Until the company retreat at the beach.

I watched my wife's little assistant put sunscreen on her.

His bare, undisinfected hands smoothed lotion from her exposed back all the way down to her ankles.

That was when I finally understood. Her germophobia was aimed at me and no one else.

I took out my phone and made a call.

Kill every project with Agatha Henson's company. Now.

If she was so squeamish, then I'd just trade her in for a wife who wasn't.

After all, as the sole heir of Skyline Group, the line of women who wanted to marry me would stretch from Sterling City all the way to France.

To celebrate landing a ten-million-dollar order, Agatha had brought the whole staff out to the beach to unwind.

I hiked two kilometers in the blazing sun to fetch her a fresh-pressed juice.

The moment I got back, I saw her lying on her stomach on the sand, her assistant Theo Matthews carefully rubbing sunscreen into her skin.

Agatha wore a barely-there bikini, and Theo's hand slid slowly down her back all the way to her ankles.

The two of them looked utterly at ease with each other.

But we'd been married three years. Forget sunscreen. Just to hold her hand I had to scrub in like a surgeon, scrub until the skin broke, and that bought me ten minutes.

Even an ordinary kiss between husband and wife cost me ten rounds of brushing my teeth before I was allowed one light touch.

As for the bedroom, I had to file for it a month in advance, then disinfect my whole body with hypochlorous acid before I was allowed onto her bed.

And now she lay there and let Theo's hands, hands that had just been in the sand, roam freely over her bare body.

My face darkened as I walked over.

Since when does an assistant handle his boss's personal life too?

Surprise flickered in Agatha's eyes when she saw me, but she made no move to get up.

Don't read into it, honey. The sun's brutal out here and I couldn't reach my own back, so I had Theo do it for me.

Theo's hand grazed the pale curve of Agatha's waist, a smug, showing-off gleam in his eyes.

Christian Vance, you're a househusband. Everything you enjoy right now, Agatha gave you. You knew we were coming to the beach and you didn't even prep her sunscreen. That's pretty negligent of you.

I just didn't want Agatha's fair skin getting burned, so I stepped in and did it for you.

The last of the sunscreen went on, and Agatha looked at me like she was giving an order.

Theo worked hard putting my sunscreen on. Hurry up and give him the watermelon juice to cool him off.

Theo reached out to take the juice from my hand.

My expression went cold, and I lifted my arm and poured the whole thing over his head.

Want watermelon juice? Can't you buy your own? Or does someone else's just taste better to you?

The words had barely left me when there was a sharp crack.

Agatha's palm landed hard across my face.

Christian, what the hell is wrong with you?

Theo, all wounded innocence, grabbed her hand.

Agatha, all I did was put sunscreen on you out of kindness. I never thought Christian would care this much.

A man who's been cooped up at home too long, his world's just too small. He never stops to think about who gave him the life he's living now.

I let my gaze sweep over Theo, dripping and pathetic and still spoiling for a fight.

When did what goes on between a husband and wife become the business of some assistant?

That shut him up, his face twisting like he'd swallowed a fly.

Agatha pushed him behind her and stared at me, her expression dark and vicious.

Christian, apologize to Theo right now.

The word apologize turned my heart to ice.

And if I don't?

Her face went cold.

Then don't blame me for forgetting we're married.

With that, she took Theo's hand and started walking back.

Come on, Theo. I'll take you to the nearest mall and buy you a change of clothes. Wouldn't want you catching a cold.

I watched her walk off without a shred of hesitation, then took out my phone and made a call.

Halt all cooperation with Agatha Henson's company. And send me whoever signed the contract with her.

Agatha said Theo landed that ten-million-dollar order.

I wanted to see who had the nerve to sign a ten-million-dollar deal with a mere assistant without my go-ahead.

I sat alone by the water for a while, letting the sea wind blow over me, then went back to the villa.

The second I pushed the door open, there was a loud pop.

Then juice, sour and reeking, came pouring down over my head.

Agatha's icy voice came from inside the living room.

Christian, don't you love pouring juice on people? Well, now you can have all you want.

2: 2

The whole room broke into laughter, the staff eyeing me with open contempt.

"A kept man living off Ms. Hensonhow does he even have the nerve to lay a hand on Assistant Matthews?"

"Right? Everybody knows Assistant Matthews is the lifeblood of this company now, and he actually dumped juice on him. Talk about digging your own grave."

Agatha sat on the leather sofa, watching me with a cold, ugly expression.

"Christian, this is the price for refusing to apologize."

Theo walked up to me holding a bottle of water, smug all over his face.

"Chris, this watermelon juice has gone sour. The smell's really bad. Let me wash it off for you."

With that, Theo twisted the cap off and poured it straight over my head.

A foul, stinking liquid dripped down my face, and I felt the anger climbing up from my chest.

That was not water at all.

It was urine.

I stepped forward, gripped Theo by the collar, my voice low and menacing.

"Do you know what happens to people who cross me?"

Theo gave a contemptuous smile.

"You're a househusband living off dear Agatha. What could possibly happen to anyone who crosses you?"

The moment the words left his mouth, I drove my fist hard into his face.

Theo hit the floor instantly.

Agatha rushed over at once, planting herself in front of him.

"Christian, Theo was kind enough to help clean the juice off your face, and you keep hitting him again and again. How can you be so vicious?"

I looked at her and let out a cold laugh.

"Agatha, are you sure you want to protect him?"

Agatha stared straight into my eyes, resolute.

"Theo is my assistant, and he's the one who landed us that ten-million deal. Of course I'll protect him."

Hearing that, my expression darkened.

"And if I fire him right now, as vice president of this company?"

Back when Agatha wanted to start her own business, I not only put up the money, I called in the people I knew and taught her, step by step, how to run a company.

Later, once the company found its footing, she used the excuse that the household needed someone managing things behind the scenes and pushed me down to second in command.

The company had only ever been her training ground, so I didn't mind, and I rarely went in.

But I still held forty percent of the shares.

More than enough to fire one lowly assistant.

The instant I said it, the room erupted in laughter again.

"Has this househusband watched too many soap operas? He actually thinks he's some ruthless CEO. If he's got time to put on airs here, he should go get his head checked at a hospital instead."

"A kept man who can't even manage anything, saying he'll fire the company's lifeblood? Has his brain short-circuited?"

Theo, all wounded innocence, grabbed Agatha's hand.

"Agatha, since Chris dislikes me so much, maybe I should just leave the company. I don't want to end up hurting things between you two as a couple."

At that, Agatha immediately clasped his hand, her face grim.

"No outsider gets to call the shots in my company."

Then she turned to the HR director.

"Starting tomorrow, Christian is stripped of his vice-president position. The new vice president will be Theo."

I clenched my fists hard, glaring at Agatha.

"Agatha, for the sake of one assistant, you not only humiliate me in public, you're even handing him my position as vice president?"

Agatha smiled with disdain.

"You're nothing but a title on paper at this company. Theo creates far more value than you ever could."

I looked at her and gave a mocking laugh.

"Then let's see just how much value he creates for you."

A useless man who can't even put together a spreadsheetwhat value could he possibly bring?

With that, I turned to leave.

But the next second, the door was slammed shut.

Agatha's grim voice came from behind me.

"You haven't apologized to Theo yet. Don't even think about leaving."

3: 3

I turned back to Agatha.

"And if I don't apologize?"

She let out a cold snort.

"Then don't blame me for what comes next!"

The moment she finished, she flicked a glance at the staff standing by, and two of them lunged forward and pinned me down.

One of them slammed a foot into the back of my knee. There was a heavy thud, and I dropped straight to the floor.

I clenched my teeth.

"Agatha, are you sure you want to treat me like this over an assistant? Have you really thought through what it costs to cross me?"

She faltered for a second and opened her mouth, but Theo stepped in and caught her hand.

"Agatha, I just made vice president, and Christian humiliates me like this in front of the whole company. If he doesn't apologize to me, how am I ever supposed to command any respect around here?"

At that, Agatha's eyes swept over me, cold and flat.

"Christian, apologize right now and sign over the forty percent of shares in your name to Theo, and I'll pretend today never happened."

I almost laughed at her.

"Agatha, is your head full of paste? You want me to hand shares worth tens of millions to an assistant for free?"

Her face changed at the refusal. She was about to speak when Theo came forward with a smile.

"Since Christian won't apologize, why don't we play a little game instead?"

With that, he had them drag me out to the pool in the back courtyard.

The instant I saw the water, I froze where I stood.

The pool was churning with piranhas, hundreds of them, thrashing in a frenzy.

I looked from Theo to Agatha, wary.

"What do you two think you're doing?"

Theo smiled, contemptuous.

"Christian, we just want to play a little game. See who swims faster, you or the fish in that pool."

Agatha, germophobe that she was, ignored all of it and hooked her arm through Theo's, watching me with a cold face.

"Christian, there's still time to apologize to Theo!"

My fists clenched, and murder spread through my eyes.

"Agatha, there's still time for you to turn back too. If something happens to me, I can't promise what your Henson Corp will look like tomorrow."

That only made Theo's smile more mocking.

"You're a kept man living off Agatha. Who are you to put on airs?"

Agatha's face turned uglier still. She waved a hand.

"Push him in. Pull him out whenever he admits he was wrong."

The words had barely landed before someone kicked me hard into the water.

The second I hit the surface, the piranhas came at me with their jaws open, countless of them.

Something tore into my leg, and in an instant the whole pool went red with blood.

I fought my way toward the edge. Just as I was about to climb out, Theo and his men came at me with stun batons, swinging down hard.

"Get out that easily? Not a chance."

The current ran through the water and through my whole body until I nearly blacked out.

Theo looked at the pool, water almost fully reddened with blood, and his smile grew wider.

"Either you kneel and admit you were wrong right now, or you get ready to be piranha feed!"

Then he turned to the crowd from the company.

"Why don't we make a bet? How long can this Christian last in the pool?"

The words had barely settled before the finance supervisor's hand shot up.

"A hundred grand says he doesn't make ten minutes."

"Fifty grand on five minutes!"

While they were all working themselves up, a cool voice sounded behind them.

"A million. I bet he doesn't last ten minutes!"

With that, Agatha pulled out a check and held it out in front of Theo.

"Consider this million a prize for Theo!"

Everyone who saw it burned with envy.

"Vice President Matthews really does rank higher in Ms. Henson's heart!"

"Right. That kept man Christian could get kicked out any day now. It won't be long before Vice President Matthews takes his place for good."

As the crowd cheered, my strength drained away, and the piranhas closed in around me.

At that razor's edge, a shout came from outside the door.

"This is bad! People from Skyline Group are here!"

4: 4

Agatha's brows drew together, and the second she turned she saw the marketing manager rush in, panic all over his face.

"Ms. Henson, we've got a problem! Skyline Group's marketing manager just called. He says he'll be at the villa in ten minutes!"

Agatha froze for a beat.

Theo, on the other hand, stepped forward looking pleased with himself.

"They must have found out we're doing our team retreat by the shore and come out to find us. They might even want to bump up the order!"

The rest of them fell over themselves to flatter him.

"That's our Vice President Matthews for you!"

Agatha glanced at me in the pool, already a bloody mess, and something flickered in her eyes that almost looked like reluctance.

Theo was quick to read the room. He walked right up to her.

"Agatha, if Skyline's people see him in this state, it'll only hurt the company's image."

"Tell you what, let's pull him out first."

At his word, someone stepped up and hauled me out of the pool by force.

Then Theo came over holding a glass of liquor, mockery all over his face.

"Christian, drink this, and we'll call everything between us even. How about it?"

I looked at him with murder in my eyes.

"Theo, nothing between us will ever be even!"

Agatha's face darkened when she heard me.

"Christian, Theo's being kind enough to let you off. Don't make this harder on yourself than it has to be!"

My hands were clenched tight. I looked down at the wounds all over my body, and I didn't want to keep tangling with them. I forced my voice level.

"So if I drink this, you'll let me go?"

Theo nodded.

"Of course. We keep our word!"

Once I had the answer I wanted, I took the glass from his hand and drained it in one go.

The liquor slid down cold, and almost at once my body started to burn, like countless worms crawling over me, gnawing into my skin.

"What did you make me drink?"

The moment the words left me, my legs went heavy as lead, and I dropped hard to my knees.

Every one of them broke into wild laughter at the sight.

"Vice President Matthews doesn't mess around. He knew Christian wouldn't apologize, so he slipped an obedience drug into the drink. Now that he's had it, he'll do whatever you tell him, obedient as a dog."

I ground my teeth.

"Theo, your reckoning is coming, and soon!"

He gave a sneering laugh, then drew back and slammed his fist into my face.

"I don't know about mine, but yours is already here!"

"Now get down and kowtow. Apologize!"

As his voice reached me, my consciousness was eaten away bit by bit, and my whole body pitched toward the floor against my will.

I fought it, biting down hard on my own tongue, trying to hold on to a shred of clarity.

Blood ran red from the corner of my mouth, and still I couldn't summon an ounce of strength. All I could do was turn my eyes to Agatha, trying to wake some scrap of conscience in her.

She only watched me, cold.

"Theo, take it easy, all of you. Skyline's people will be here any minute. Don't let them walk in on something this bloody. He's still my husband, after all."

At her words, the crowd cheered and rejoiced.

"Since Christian took the drug, doesn't that mean we can make him do anything we want?"

"So we could even make him be our dog?"

They surged forward, jostling to get at me, barking orders one after another.

"Christian, I order you to take your clothes off right now. Let me see if you're really as bad in bed as Ms. Henson says!"

"Christian, give us a bark. Let me find out how good it feels having a CEO husband play dog for me!"

Just as they were dragging at me, there came a thunderous bang.

Then a wave of black-suited bodyguards smashed through the door and stormed in.

The instant Agatha saw the man at the head of them, her pupils shrank in shock.