The Spoiled Heir's Costly Mistress

As I was driving down the street, an intern from my husband's company suddenly collapsed in front of my car. Before I could even process what had happened, my husband jumped out of nowhere, fiercely accusing me of being vicious. He demanded I pay the intern four million dollars as compensation for her emotional distress. When I refused, he secretly wired all the funds out of our joint account behind my back. Seeing the notification from my bank app, my head felt ready to explode. I tracked him down immediately to confront him. "Are you insane, Ethan? That woman staged the whole crash, and you just handed her our entire life savings?!" Ethan, who was busy packing a bento box with loving care, shot me an irritated glare. "Cut the act, Serena. Chloe is far too sweet and innocent to pull a scam like that! You obviously dug into my company, found out I had feelings for her, and deliberately triggered her heart attack out of pure, psychotic jealousy!" "If you don't want to get sued and rot in prison, just let the money go and drop it right here." I laughed aloud from sheer anger. What he didn't know was that the money had been set aside for his sick parents' life-saving medical treatments. Now, I couldn't wait to see how he was going to clean up this mess. I dialed my father-in-law's number right then and there, looking back at Ethan one last time. "Are you absolutely certain you want to hand all that money over to a company intern?" Her name was Chloe Vance, someone I hadn't paid any attention to before. It wasn't until Ethan rushed to the hospital, aggressively covering her bills and tending to her every whim around the clock, that I discovered she was an intern at his firm—and that the two of them had been flirting behind my back for the past six months. "I'll say it one more time, Serena: this is restitution," Ethan snapped. "Don't think that just because you married me, you can run wild and hurt the people close to me. Hand over this money quietly, and we can still stay married. But if you dare harass Chloe while she's trying to recover, I'll press charges against you for aggravated assault. The Miller family has no room for an ex-con wife." Looking at his threatening expression, my self-restraint finally shattered. My fingernails dug deep into the palms of my hands. Even though my feelings for him had long died out, hearing such freezing, merciless words still left me struggling to breathe. Years ago, it was his parents' charitable foundation that saved my life. After graduating from a top university, I joined their family business to repay their kindness. Looking at the Miller family through rose-tinted glasses, I eventually accepted Ethan's advances, and before long, we walked down the aisle. Little did I know that after the wedding, Ethan would reveal his true colors. He chased after other women relentlessly. I tried everything I could, but instead of making him change his ways, it only made him worse—and made him despise me from the bottom of his heart. To avoid shocking his ailing parents, I had held off on getting a divorce, throwing all my energy into my career instead. The only reason his business hadn't gone under yet was because I was carrying it on my shoulders. Yet, after pouring out so much, in his eyes, I was merely a wicked woman. The intern had blatantly staged the accident, yet with just a few tearful words from her, he had given away every cent to my name! "Ethan, the dashcam caught the whole thing on video! Chloe deliberately blocked the driveway and refused to move. I only tapped my horn twice. Her heart attack had nothing to do with me!" "I'm willing to cover her hospital bills, but I will never accept paying damages!" "Besides, Mom and Dad have been sick for three years. The specialists finally found a curative treatment, and that money was specifically saved to keep them alive. Are you really going to throw away your own parents' lives for some intern?!" Their treatment couldn't be delayed any longer. Realizing Ethan was useless, his parents had transferred their liquid capital to me. Those four million dollars were their only lifeline! Yet Ethan only cared about chasing cheap thrills. He barely visited them a few times a year and knew next to nothing about their actual condition. He even assumed I was using his parents to manipulate him. "If they need treatment, don't they have their own money? I've already transferred the four million to Chloe. If you don't want to go to jail, get the hell out of my sight!" Carrying the lunch he made for Chloe, he shoved me violently aside. "This is the price you pay for hurting her! Consider this your only warning. If you try anything again, no amount of money will save you from me!" Before I could utter another word, Ethan stormed out the front door, vanishing into the distance. Knocked onto the floor, I took several deep breaths to steady my racing heart. I pulled out my phone and spoke to my father-in-law. "I'm sorry, Dad. Ethan transferred all the funds away. Your procedure will have to be pushed back." "Don't worry, though. Even if I have to mortgage and liquidate all my assets, I'll scrape together enough for your medical bills." On the other end of the line, my father-in-law let out a heavy, weary sigh. "It's not your fault, Serena. I heard your conversation with that worthless boy." "You've suffered enough over the years. You don't need to worry about our medical expenses. Your mother and I still have other assets; liquidating a few will be more than enough. Go ahead and divorce that ungrateful brat. Whatever family assets are left, I'm putting entirely in your hands..."Hanging up the call, I let out a massive sigh of relief. His parents were the only reason I had endured this marriage for so long. Now that they were completely done with him, the crushing burden on my shoulders finally lifted, leaving me feeling lighter than air. "Is the divorce paperwork ready?" "Take that four million as his payout to sever ties with the family. There's no need to waste any more energy on him! We're staying in the exact same hospital as that intern, yet he runs up here three times a day without stepping foot in our room once. What a waste it was raising that boy... sigh..." My mother-in-law rubbed her eyes, utterly despondent. I immediately took her hand in mine. "Don't worry, Mom. No matter what happens, I'll always be your daughter." After comforting them, I headed over to handle their paperwork, only to run into Chloe in the corridor. Not only had she walked away with four million dollars, but she had also bought into Ethan's firm and become vice president. Arrogance and triumph practically dripped from her face. "Oh, Serena! Why are you visiting me? Honestly, I should be the one dropping by to thank you." "All that money Ethan gave me came from your hard labor, after all. When he gets back, I'll make sure to put in a good word for you. Maybe I'll let him spend a day or two with you each week, so he doesn't cling to me so much. It's getting a little suffocating, honestly." Facing her blatant provocation, I swallowed my disgust and replied flatly, "Move aside. I'm not here for you." "Oh, so you're looking for Ethan?" "He went to check out a luxury villa for me, but he'll be back soon. Looks like we're going to be neighbors from now on, Serena. You better watch how you drive next time. If you scare me again, it won't just be money you lose—it'll be your spot as Mrs. Miller." My fists clenched tight. She had orchestrated the entire incident just to frame me. Back then, she had stood in the middle of a narrow lane on a phone call, blocking my car for ten straight minutes. Since I had been talking to Ethan's parents about their upcoming treatments, I waited patiently. But she refused to move, and the cars behind me started honking relentlessly, prompting me to tap my horn twice. Who would have guessed she would instantly faint on the spot? Under standard protocol, I wouldn't have been held liable at all. Yet Ethan and Chloe insisted I knew about her heart condition beforehand and had deliberately triggered an attack. If this went to court, my name would be dragged through the mud even if I proved my innocence. Fearing the fallout might hurt my career, his parents had advised me to swallow the four million loss and cut ties with the pair once and for all. Still, if Chloe thought she could keep rubbing it in my face, she had another thing coming. "I consider that four million as throwing meat to a stray dog. Losing it won't break me. But if you bark in my direction one more time, I swear I'll take it back, trigger another episode, and leave you unable to pay your bills, dying right in that hospital bed." I wasn't bluffing. Once the divorce went through, I would cut off all support to Ethan's business. I knew the ins and outs of his company better than anyone. I had a dozen ways to reclaim that money, drive them into bankruptcy, and strip them down to nothing. I highly doubted Chloe's fragile heart could survive that kind of financial ruin without seizing up. "You're the dog, you pathetic bitch! In Ethan's eyes, you're nothing but a cash cow! All it takes is a few words from me, and he hands over everything you own. Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!" Losing her cool, Chloe lunged forward, grabbing my collar. I grabbed her by the wrist and wrenched her away with a single hard shove. Ethan walked around the corner just in time to see it, rushing forward and striking me across the face with a brutal slap. I couldn't dodge in time. Half my face went numb and swollen instantly. Stars exploded across my vision, and I had to brace myself against the wall to keep from collapsing. By the time my head cleared, Ethan was holding Chloe protectively in his arms, helping her back to her feet. "Ethan, maybe... maybe I should just return the four million to Serena. I'm too scared to keep it." "She came here to assault me today. Who knows what she'll do to me next time?" Ethan turned a murderous glare on me. "You just don't know when to quit, do you, Serena?! If Chloe's condition gets worse, I swear to God, you will regret this!"That evening, Ethan brought Chloe straight into our house, slamming two files down onto the dining table. One was Chloe's medical assessment, showing minor fluctuations in her vital signs. The other was an asset transfer agreement, demanding that I hand over full management rights of my company to Chloe. A dry laugh escaped my throat. "Are you just straight-up robbing me now, Ethan? Even with normal recovery, heart conditions fluctuate all the time. She doesn't even show signs of deterioration, and you expect me to hand over the company I built from the ground up with my own blood, sweat, and tears?" Dropping all pretenses, Ethan resorted to open threats. "If you hadn't attacked Chloe, would she even be in the hospital? I thought stripping you of four million would teach you some humility, but you're still completely unrepentant!" "You had the nerve to lay hands on Chloe today, so we're settling everything, old and new. Four million isn't enough anymore. Hand over the company, or prepare to face charges in court!" I shook violently with rage. "Ethan, after all the years I've given you, are you really going to be this ruthless?" Ethan sneered with contempt. "What did you ever give me? Don't act like I don't know the truth. You only managed to build that business because my parents backed you. Without the Miller family, you'd be nobody!" "If you had known your place, shown some gratitude, and quietly worked for me, my family would have kept you around in luxury. But the moment you got your hands on some loose change, you started bossing me around and targeting the people closest to me. I've had enough of you!" I closed my eyes as past memories flashed through my mind. Ethan had never been good at business. He chased skirts, lived recklessly, and surrounded himself with parasites and opportunists. Because his parents had entrusted him to me, I stepped in to cut off those toxic influences, terrified he would fall into ruin. I worked endless nights without sleep, managing to keep the Miller empire afloat after his parents fell ill. And all I got in return was his bitter hatred. Opening my eyes again, the warmth in my gaze was completely gone, replaced by chilling detachment. "Then go ahead and sue me. From this moment on, Ethan, I will never lift a finger to help you again. Everything will be handled strictly by the book." As for the past, and Chloe's pathetic smear attempts, I didn't care to explain myself anymore. Ethan wasn't worth wasting another breath or another drop of emotion on. With that, I turned around and headed straight to the hospital to check on his parents. As I stepped into the elevator, my phone began streaming an audio feed of Ethan and Chloe talking. To protect myself against Chloe's schemes, I had slipped a micro-recorder onto her clothes while we scuffled at the hospital earlier that day. Just a precaution. I hadn't expected Ethan to be the one plotting my downfall. "Chloe, even though Serena triggered your attack, the evidence is a little thin. If we take it to court, it'll be hard to squeeze much more out of her." "Don't worry, though. This time, I'm going to make sure Serena loses everything so she never has the power to touch you again!" "She only talks big because my parents back her up. Once we make my parents despise her and cut her off, she won't have any leverage left. She'll have to crawl back and beg on her knees..." What Ethan didn't realize was... Every single word he said was being heard loud and clear by his parents.I had intended to make a clean break and finalize the divorce with Ethan as quickly as possible, but his parents' surgery was suddenly bumped up. I had no choice but to shelve everything else and dedicate myself entirely to taking care of them. The night before the operation, I returned home to get some rest and recharge. Unexpectedly, Ethan came home before midnight for the first time in months. He even poured me a glass of wine and brought it over. "Serena, how long has it been since we sat down and actually talked?" "I know how much you care about me. But a guy with my status... you have to expect women to throw themselves at me, right?" "Chloe and I talked it over. As long as you stop targeting her, we won't press charges. Finish this glass, and you can go back to being Mrs. Miller in peace." Frowning, I felt an overwhelming wave of revulsion. The Miller family's wealth was kept alive purely through my efforts, yet he spoke as if he were granting me charity. His excuses were even more laughable. Plenty of rich men kept side pieces, but none were foolish enough to hand over four million dollars on a silver platter like he did. Tomorrow was a critical day for his parents' procedure, and I didn't have the energy to fight him. I gave a noncommittal hum, took the glass, downed it, and brushed him off to head straight to bed. When I opened my eyes the next morning, my head pounded with a splitting migraine. The sheets were completely disheveled, showing clear signs that another person had slept beside me. Ethan and I had been sleeping in separate rooms for ages. Who else could have been in my bed? Glancing at my phone, I panicked—it was already late morning! Their surgery was scheduled to begin any minute, and my alarm hadn't gone off! Throwing everything aside, I sped straight to the hospital. While I was frantically processing the admission paperwork, Ethan and Chloe suddenly barged in. "Serena, my parents saved your life back then, and this is how you repay our family?!" Ethan slammed a thick stack of glossy photographs straight into my face in the middle of the crowded lobby. "It wasn't enough that you tried to hoard our family assets, but you actually brought random men into our bed?! Have you no shame at all?!" Staring at the pictures scattered across the floor, my vision blurred, my ears ringing violently. The photos clearly showed me in bed with an unfamiliar man. A flock of tabloid reporters suddenly swarmed in, flashing cameras wildly in my face. The suffocating chaos made it nearly impossible to breathe. "The wine..." Dazed and horrified, I stared at Ethan. "You drugged me?!" The memory of the glass of wine he handed me last night hit me like a train. I had blacked out completely right after drinking it, and the nausea and headache were still lingering. Everything clicked into place. I gritted my teeth until they nearly cracked. "Ethan, how could you be so evil?!" He swung his hand and delivered a stinging slap across my cheek. "You filthy whore! You're the one sleeping around, and you have the nerve to blame me?!" He grabbed my collar, pulling me close to whisper a cold, vicious laugh into my ear. "That's what you get for clutching onto the Miller family assets and hurting Chloe! You're finished, Serena! If you confess right now, I might still take pity on you and throw you some scraps. Otherwise, pack your bags and get the hell out of our family!" "I'll make sure your reputation is utterly destroyed, with zero chance of recovery." In that instant, I wanted nothing more than to tear him apart with my bare hands. Yet the paperwork wasn't finished. His parents were already prepped for surgery; every minute of delay increased their risk of complications. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of his parents being wheeled toward us in wheelchairs, pushing through the crowd. I bit my tongue until I tasted blood to choke back the rage, shoving Ethan away to reach for the reception desk. "We can settle this tonight. Mom and Dad need to get into the operating room right now!" Ethan refused to let go, his grip like an iron vice around my wrist. "Still trying to stall for time so you can spin the PR? Dream on! Confess your sins in front of the press right now!" He was completely unhinged! I never imagined he could be this heartless. "Ethan! Don't you give a damn whether your own parents live or die?!" I roared through gritted teeth. Seeing my bloodshot eyes and raw desperation, his expression faltered slightly. He pulled out his phone, seemingly about to call and confirm. Chloe stepped up beside him, tugging softly at his sleeve. "Ethan, maybe we should let Serena go for now. We can handle this privately. Your parents have always treated her so well; I'm sure they wouldn't want to see her publicly humiliated and cursed by everyone." Ethan lowered his phone, wearing a sneer of sudden realization. "Oh, I see. You want my parents to step in and save your skin, don't you? Ha! They're getting senile, which is why they always take your side. Serena, even if they're on their deathbeds, I'll make sure they despise you and throw you away like the trash you are before they go!" The moment the words left his mouth, the wheelchairs carrying his parents broke through the crowd, stopping right in front of us. Ethan froze for a second before rushing over. "Mom, Dad! You're at this hospital too? Why didn't you tell me?" "You got here just in time. Serena is an ungrateful snake! She's been cheating on me behind our backs—" Before he could finish his sentence, my father-in-law's hand swung through the air, cracking across his face with a furious slap. "You monster! Are you trying to put us in an early grave?!"