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He Chose the Fake Heiress, I Married the Real Power

NovelShort Completed

Billionaire Revenge Divorce Devil HusbandSecondChance

Chapters (5)

第1章

On our wedding anniversary, the project I had spent three years working on finally held its launch conference. But my name had been replaced by that of the fake heiress, Cora Sutton. Furious, I shot to my feet. The woman deliberately bumped into my shoulder and gave me a mocking smile. “Gyna, Callan gave me your credit as a birthday gift. There’s no place for you on stage, so why are you getting up?” I forced down my anger and turned to my husband. “Callan, you know how much this project means to me. Why did you do this?” Hearing that, Callan calmly walked over to me, took my hand, and said softly, “Gyna, it’s just one project. There will be more in the future.” “You’re talented, and you have my support. You have everything. But Cora is different. So can you give her the credit?” His cold words struck deep into my heart, leaving a dull ache in my chest. In our five years of marriage, this wasn’t the first time he had asked me to give in to her. I once thought I could keep giving in, playing the gracious and understanding wife. That was until half a month ago, when I caught them kissing passionately at the most famous couples’ restaurant in Belmont. Callan had even given a necklace worth 45 million dollars at auction to the fake heiress I hated with all my heart. At that moment, the joy I had felt after rushing back overnight just to celebrate his birthday was crushed. My heart quietly died with it. But now, I pulled my hand away from his and said calmly and firmly, “No.” The disbelief in his eyes was obvious. His voice turned cold. “Gyna, are you really going to make yourself look petty over a name on a project?” I lowered my eyes and gave a soft laugh. Why should I give in? The moment I discovered he was cheating on me, I had already decided to leave. And after this launch conference, there were only ten days left until I walked away. I was done giving in. I was done with this marriage too. —— The room fell silent as everyone waited for my answer. Callan stood there with a cold expression, expecting me to give in what I always had. I looked straight into his cold eyes and spoke calmly, “Call off the launch and give me back the credit for my work. Otherwise, I’ll sue her for stealing my work.” Callan stared at me in disbelief. Even Cora looked surprised. “Gyna, you’ll have plenty of projects in the future. Is it really necessary to take things this far?” Callan said. His words only made me want to laugh. In the future? Everyone else might not know how much I had sacrificed for this project, but he did. For three years, I had worked countless late nights, pouring my heart and soul into it. I had even worked myself sick enough to suffer internal bleeding. No one knew better than him how much this project meant to me. When the project was first getting off the ground, he was the one who stood up for me despite everyone’s objections. While others doubted me, he held my hand tightly and promised, “Gyna, I’ll make your dream a reality in Bellmont and prove your worth to everyone.” Looking back on that promise now, it seemed almost laughable. Once again, I saw the truth clearly. Callan never loved me. “I’m not making a scene. I just want what belongs to me.” My voice remained calm. The moment our eyes met, his brows drew together and his hand slowly curled into a fist. I knew that was always the first sign that Callan was about to lose his temper. But I ignored him and calmly looked away. Suddenly, Cora wrapped her arm around mine, her voice trembling with tears. “Gyna, I know you’ve resented me all these years. But everything has already been prepared, and there are so many reporters watching. If you make Callan stop the launch now, aren’t you putting him in a difficult position? Or are you trying to embarrass the whole Hawthorne family?” “Are you really going to be this petty over a name on a project? I’ll pay you for it. Just tell me your price and stop making things difficult for Callan.” She sounded pitiful as a tear rolled down her cheek. I frowned and looked at her tearful face. Her tears always came so easily whenever she wanted to hurt me. And yet, Callan always fell for them. I held out my hand, my voice calm and emotionless. “15 billion dollars. Pay me now.” Cora suddenly took a step back. Callan frowned and snapped at me, “Gyna, enough with this nonsense.” I said nothing, my heart as still as water. I wasn’t making a scene. If they wanted it so badly, they could simply pay for it. Seeing that I remained silent, Cora pushed even further. “Callan, don’t blame Gyna. She grew up poor in the slums, so it’s only natural that she cares so much about money…” Hearing that, my anger flared again. I yanked my arm away, making her stumble backward. Callan immediately caught her in his arms and pushed me away. “Enough! What the hell is wrong with you today? Is a name on a project really worth all this?” I looked at his worried expression and gave myself a bitter smile. He had once loved me this passionately too. That was why I knew better than anyone that he had cheated on me and fallen out of love. But I had already decided to stop loving him. There was no reason for my heart to hurt anymore. As the argument unfolded, several reporters at the scene raised their cameras to capture everything. I had no intention of wasting my time arguing with them, so I pulled out my phone and dialed the police. Before I could make the call, Cora suddenly slammed into me again, knocking my phone from my hand and sending it crashing to the floor. “Gyna, hate me if you want. You’ve hated me all these years anyway. But you didn’t have to humiliate me in front of all these people. I’ll leave.” Cora, her eyes red with tears, shouted at me in a hurt voice before breaking free and rushing out of the conference hall. Callan immediately raised his hand to stop the launch. He ordered his bodyguards to clear the reporters from the venue, then turned to me, furious. “You went too far this time. It’s just a project credit, yet you pushed her to this point.” “If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have lost everything all these years.” With that, he turned and hurried after her. His cruel words echoed in my mind. I clenched my fists, a dull bitterness spreading through my chest. The eighteen years Cora and I spent living each other’s lives were the hardest years of mine. I was so poor that I had to dig through garbage for scraps to eat. I worked three jobs a day just to pay for my adoptive mother’s medical treatment. If the nurse who had delivered us hadn’t been consumed by guilt for years and finally confessed what she had done, I never would have found my way back to the Sutton family. But all these years, no one in the Sutton family had ever loved me except my late grandfather. Everyone loved Cora. I got neither the life I should have had as the Sutton family’s daughter nor their love. I slowly unclenched my fists, my heart finally at peace. Thankfully, I no longer cared about the Sutton family or Callan. Leaving was already within reach. Once the crowd had cleared out, one of my coworkers cautiously approached me. “Gyna, you’ve upset Mr. Hawthorne. What if the project can’t launch in Bellmont? You’ve spent years working on this. Maybe you should apologize to him while you still can.” I smiled faintly and shook my head. “It won’t happen.” If I couldn’t launch it here, I’d launch it in Ashford. After all, there was someone waiting for me there.

第2章

After leaving the venue, I hailed a cab home. On the way, a message popped up on my phone. [Ms. Sutton, I’ve had your visa expedited, and the technical team handling your project’s data has also been added to our secure database. I hope you’ll keep your word. I’ll be waiting for you in Ashford in ten days.] The message was from Jace Vane, the son of Ashford’s richest man. I met him during the rainy season in Ashford. He had been badly injured while fleeing his enemies, and I saved his life. Over the years, he had never been shy about his feelings for me. He had also wanted me to join his company, but my heart had always belonged to Callan. The day I discovered my husband was cheating on me, I opened our long-neglected chat. [Mr. Vane, you once promised that I could join your company whenever I wanted. Would that offer still stand a month from now?] I hesitated before sending the message. I had no idea if he still wanted me to join after all these years. To my surprise, his reply came almost instantly, as if he had been waiting by his phone. [It would be my honor, Ms. Sutton. Ashford will welcome you in a month. If you need anything, I’ll help in any way I can. After all, my heart has always belonged to you.] Staring at his reply, I thought I must have lost my mind. But I needed a way out, and he was that way out. I looked at the date on my screen before turning off my phone. The tension between my brows finally eased. In ten days, I could leave Callan behind and take my project with me. I gazed out the window at the passing scenery, lost in memories. Over the years, I had never cared much about the rumors. Even though Callan and I had been together before I returned to the Sutton family, everyone insisted that Callan and Cora were meant to be together, while I was nothing more than a shameless homewrecker. I once believed that after everything we had been through in those difficult years, we would love each other until the end of our lives. But time and again, he took Cora’s side and asked me to give in to her. I raised my hand and looked at the ring on my finger. Without hesitation, I slipped it off and threw it out the window. It was a simple, understated ring. Callan had spent all his savings on it when he was struggling financially and used it to propose to me. He once promised he would give me a better diamond ring someday. Later, I watched him shower Cora with countless expensive gifts, yet somehow, he had forgotten all about mine. It was okay. I finally understood the difference between being loved and being unloved. And I didn’t love him anymore. When I got home, I saw Callan leaning against the sofa. I ignored him and started walking upstairs. He suddenly stood up and pulled me into his arms, burying his face against my neck. His cold voice was now soft and gentle. “Gyna, are you still upset about what happened today?” The rose perfume on him, the same scent Cora always wore, filled my nose. I frowned. “Callan, you’re overthinking it. I don’t have time for that. I have plenty of work and housework to deal with.” I quietly slipped out of his arms and headed for the stairs. He called after me, clearly annoyed. “Gyna, you’ve changed so much lately. You never used to talk about work and housework all the time. What are you trying to pull now?” Back then, I loved him enough to take care of everything for him. I handled the company and the family home by myself and never wanted to trouble him. Looking back, I realized I had only been making things harder for myself. I stopped, my chest tightening as if an invisible hand had wrapped around it. “Did you go to LQ Restaurant half a month ago?” His body stiffened. He avoided my eyes. “No. I never go to couples’ restaurants unless I’m with you.” His answer was enough to confirm that he had cheated on me. That was all I needed. Then his eyes fell on my bare ring finger. He grabbed my hand tightly. “Where’s your ring?” My heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t time for him to find out that I was leaving yet. “You said you didn’t like me wearing my ring at work. You thought it was too flashy, so I put it away.” He calmly let go of my hand. “Gyna, we’re still coworkers at work. Wearing your ring all the time doesn’t look good. At least you’re being sensible this time.” “Mm,” I said softly. All these years, Callan had never worn the matching ring I gave him. It wasn’t because he was worried about what his coworkers might think. He simply didn’t want to upset Cora. After all, one post had always been pinned to her blog. The diamond ring you gave me. Promise you’ll keep me close for the rest of our lives. The post came with a photo of the two of them holding hands. I never understood who she was talking about. Now I did. Callan was about to say something when thunder suddenly rumbled outside. He quickly glanced at his phone, then looked at me. I remained calm and said lightly, “It’s raining. Aren’t you going to hurry and keep her company?”

第3章

After I said that, Callan stepped forward and grabbed my wrist, his voice low. “Gyna, did you misunderstand something?” His grip was so tight that it left red marks on my wrist. I lowered my eyes and said calmly, “Cora gets scared when it rains. You always go comfort her until she falls asleep, don’t you? Whether you’re working late or sleeping beside me, you never let the rain stop you.” “I’m just reminding you not to forget to keep her company.” His grip tightened. Tears of pain welled in my eyes. Only then did he notice and awkwardly let go, his voice softening. “Gyna, Cora is like a younger sister to me. We grew up together, so of course I have to take care of her. You need to learn to be more understanding if you want to be a good wife and a good sister to her.” I had heard those words so many times over the years that I was sick of them. He had always had the perfect excuse for cheating. When I loved him, I believed him. Now, I only found him disgusting. My chest felt tight, but I nodded numbly and gently rubbed my red, sore wrist. “Okay. From now on, you can take care of her for the rest of your life.” Seeing the anger rise in his eyes again, I started counting how many seconds it would take before Cora called him. Three, two... “Callan, that thunder scared me. I’m really frightened. Can you come stay with me?” He tried to cover the phone with his hand, but I could still hear her spoiled, childish voice clearly. “Wait for me. I’ll be there soon.” Callan hung up and started walking away, but suddenly stopped and turned to me. “Gyna, there’s an urgent matter at the family estate. Get some rest.” I said nothing. Then he quickly left. After that, I walked upstairs, only to quietly laugh to myself. Liar. What urgent matter could there be in your world besides her? Late that night, I messaged my lawyer. [Mr. Hale, please prepare the divorce papers for me. I want the best possible settlement. I want 80% of Callan’s assets.] Love might be something I could live without, but I wouldn’t leave without my money. I turned off my phone and pulled out my suitcase. I packed my things one by one. I left behind everything connected to Callan and put it all in a box, which I hid deep inside the closet. Consider it a little surprise for him after I’m gone. A message from Cora popped up on my phone. Several intimate videos of her and Callan followed. On that video, he was shirtless, moving over her as they kissed passionately. Seeing the scene made my stomach churn, and I couldn't help but gag. [Gyna, you thought marrying him would make him love you? You’re such a pathetic joke.] [You were nothing but a way for him to pass the time. Once he got tired of you, you became worthless. Can’t you see? He only feels passion with me. He won’t even touch you.] [I’m giving you some friendly advice. Get out of Bellmont on your own. The Sutton family and Callan are both mine.] Her messages no longer angered me. In the past, I would have been furious enough to tear her apart after receiving messages like these. But now I didn’t love Callan anymore. So her messages were nothing more than spam. I calmly typed a reply. [If you want that piece of trash, keep him. I don’t collect garbage.] Then I immediately screenshotted our chat and sent it to Mr. Hale. [Can this evidence help me get a better divorce settlement?] The reply came quickly. [Of course, Ms. Sutton.] After the heavy rain that night, Callan didn’t come home or contact me for three days. I was already used to it. In the end, he would always casually claim that he had to travel overseas for work. For those three days, Cora kept sending me provocative messages, but I never replied. I simply saved screenshots and sent them to my lawyer while quietly moving forward with my plans to leave. That afternoon, Callan hurried home. When he saw me coming downstairs, he approached me. “Grandma is hosting a family dinner tonight. Get ready. I’ll take you to the family estate.” I was about to refuse, but when I thought of Callan’s grandmother, the only person in the family who had ever truly cared about me, I figured I should say goodbye before leaving, so I simply nodded. After going upstairs, I changed into a fitted dress. When I came back down, Callan was standing at the turn of the staircase, looking up at me. He paused at the foot of the stairs, his eyes lingering on me before he walked over. He took a diamond necklace from his suit pocket and gently placed it around my neck. “I bought this for you at the auction in Rivelle.” “Gyna, you’ve changed lately. I don’t like this side of you. Do you understand?”

第4章

Hearing his words, I smiled faintly, a hint of sarcasm in my eyes. Of course Callan didn’t like this side of me. He only liked the sweet and obedient wife I had been when I loved him. Unfortunately, he would never see that woman again. I calmly nodded and handed him a document. It was the divorce agreement my lawyer had sent over that morning. Once he signed it, we would have nothing to do with each other anymore. “I want to sell the villa in the south. You’re the legal owner, so I need your signature.” He took the pen, frowning slightly. “It’s been perfectly fine. Why do you suddenly want to sell it?” Before he could look through the papers, the butler urged us to leave. “We’ll talk about it when we get back.” I stubbornly held onto his hand and handed him the pen. “We can’t wait. The buyer is already lined up. I need the money to buy some new jewelry. It’ll only take a second to sign.” Callan gave me an annoyed look and signed his name. Then he said, “Gyna, when did you become so obsessed with money and appearances?” I didn’t answer. My fingers brushed over the line in the agreement stating that I would receive 80% of his assets as compensation. I quickly put the papers away and walked past him toward the door. Just as the butler opened the front passenger door for me, Cora looked at me nervously. “Gyna, I’ve always been used to going everywhere with Callan. You don’t mind if I ride with him, do you?” Callan walked over to me, seemingly about to explain, but I cut him off. “I don’t mind.” Then I walked straight to the back seat and sat down. Callan froze, staring at me in confusion. Once the car started moving, he suddenly spoke, “Gyna, Cora’s always been close to me. Don’t get upset over it or start acting childish.” Before I could say anything, Cora grinned. “Callan, why do you think Gyna is so petty? She’d never get upset with me, right?” She leaned forward from the passenger seat and looked back at me. I clearly saw the dark love bite on her neck as she gave me a provocative smile. I showed no reaction. I turned to look out the window and said calmly, “I told you, I don’t mind.” Throughout the drive, I watched their flirty interactions and listened to their conversation without feeling a thing. I looked down at my phone and saw a new message: [Ms. Sutton, I’ve collected the divorce agreement. Congratulations on getting a fresh start.] A faint smile crossed my lips. The divorce agreement had been finalized, and the divorce was now official. The man waiting for me in Ashford would make sure I got my divorce certificate as soon as possible. This miserable marriage was finally coming to an end. When we arrived at the Hawthorne family estate, Callan opened the car door for Cora. Before he could even think about opening mine, she had already linked her arm through his and led him inside. I calmly opened the door myself and walked in. As I made my way inside, I heard the younger members of the Hawthorne family whispering cruelly behind me. “She really has no shame. She’s supposed to be the wife, yet she acts like the mistress. What a joke.” “Exactly. Her husband doesn’t even love her anymore, but she still refuses to leave the Hawthorne family.” “Five years of marriage and still no baby. Do you think Callam finds her so disgusting that he won't even touch her? Or maybe she's just a useless woman who can't even have children? Haha!” Amid their laughter, I stopped in front of them, raised my hand, and slapped Callan’s niece across the face. "How dare you speak disrespectfully about your elders. You deserved this. Since your parents never taught you any manners, I'll teach you myself," I said coldly and turned to leave. The girl stomped her feet in anger and pointed at me. "Nobody loves you, you bitch! If it weren't for you, Cora would be Callan’s wife. Just wait and see how Callan dumps you!" I didn't look back. I simply laughed to myself. 'You're wrong. I'm the one leaving him.' After all, there were only seven days left before I left. At the dinner table, Cora naturally took the seat beside Callan. In the past, I should have pulled her up and made her leave. But now, I didn't even look at her. I walked straight over and sat beside Callan’s grandmother, Eliza Hawthorne. She took my hand and asked softly, "Did you and Callan have a fight?" I gave a faint smile and shook my head. Cora suddenly spoke up loudly, "Eliza, what could they possibly fight about? If they did fight, it was probably because Gyna can't have children. But there's nothing anyone can do about that. After all, she was so stupid that she couldn't even keep her baby alive back then." The moment she finished speaking, anger surged through me. Then I stood up, grabbed my glass, and splashed the wine in her face. "Cora, who gave you the right to speak here?" She stood up, wiped the wine from her face, and shouted at me, "Was I wrong? If you weren't so stupid, that baby wouldn't have died." My heart twisted in pain. I raised my hand to slap her, but someone grabbed my wrist and shoved me back. "Gyna, enough. Cora wasn't wrong. You shouldn't have splashed her out of nowhere. Apologize to her." Callan's words cut me to the bone. He was the last person in the world who had any right to bring up that baby. Back then, he had been hunted down by his enemies and nearly died. I had thrown myself in front of him and taken the bullet for him. That's how I lost our baby. I had cried my heart out that day. Callan had knelt in front of me and sworn, "Gyna, we'll have another baby. I swear I'll avenge our child." His vow had once meant everything to me. Now, it was nothing but a cruel joke. Seeing how openly he defended Cora, I felt sick again. I instinctively covered my mouth and started gagging. Seeing this, Eliza suddenly took my hand. "Gyna, are you pregnant?"

第5章

At that moment, everyone looked shocked, and I froze too. With a servant supporting me, I went upstairs to rest. Suddenly, the door was pushed open. Cora had changed into a clean dress and walked toward me in eight-centimeter heels. She suddenly shoved me and sneered. "Gyna, I can't believe you're pregnant again. That bastard in your belly really refuses to die. If I'd known, I should have had them fire a few more bullets that day. I should have made sure your uterus was damaged so you'd never be able to get pregnant again." My whole body froze. My voice came out hoarse, "Was that kidnapping years ago your doing?" She folded her arms, looking pleased with herself. "Of course it was. So what? I failed to kill you and even let you live this long. I was far too merciful." Anger burned inside me. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. She leaned close to my ear and whispered. "Oh, and Dad agreed to it too. After all, the Sutton family’s fortune would only be mine if you were dead." "Grandpa was dying, yet he still wanted to leave everything to you, a daughter who had just returned home. So Dad and I killed him ourselves.” “He died so miserably, and his granddaughter couldn't even make it back in time to see him one last time. Oh, anyway, didn't Callan take you out for a meal that day? I arranged it. I made sure you wouldn't be there when that old bastard died." Her words stabbed straight through my heart. I thought of how I had missed Grandpa's final moments. I thought of how Callan had unexpectedly canceled his work that day just to take me out to dinner. Tears blurred my vision. I shouted at Cora in anger, "Why would you do this?" Cora took a step back and laughed like a madwoman. "Because everything in the Sutton family belongs to me, including Callan. You bitch should have died." "Oh, and I already had someone dig up that old man's ashes. Maybe I should just throw them in the trash. What do you think?" Without hesitation, I slapped her hard across the face. "Cora, you deserve to die!" She looked at me without a trace of anger. She forced out a single tear, then suddenly dropped to her knees and pulled out a dagger. A cruel smile spread across her lips. "You've been pretending not to care lately, but you still refuse to let him go. So how about I end this for you? After all, Callan and the Hawthorne family would never let a murderer stay in their family." Before I could stop her, she suddenly drove the dagger into the side of her chest and screamed, "Help me!" The door was kicked open, and Callan rushed inside in a panic. His eyes were red with rage as he shoved me aside. I crashed into the corner of the table behind me. The vase fell and shattered, and a shard cut into my calf. "Gyna, she came here to see you out of kindness, and you tried to kill her? You're a heartless lunatic," he roared at me. I wanted to explain, but the words caught in my throat. Callan would never believe me. There was no point in saying anything. The truth would speak for itself. Ignoring my bleeding leg, I limped away as quickly as I could. I had to find Grandpa's ashes. The moment I stepped out of the Hawthorne family estate, an SUV suddenly came speeding straight at me. It hit me with such force that I was thrown several feet away. Blood stained my white dress, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood. Two men stepped out of the SUV. I recognized them as two of Callan's cousins. I used the last of my strength to whisper, "Help me..." They looked down at me with disgust and kicked me hard. "Looks like she's going to die anyway. Let's go back and tell Cora what we did." "Now that she's dead, Cora will become the daughter-in-law of the Hawthorne family. She'll give us plenty of money!" Their cold voices faded as they walked away. My whole body was in excruciating pain. I dragged myself forward inch by inch and desperately tapped my emergency contact. With all the strength I had left, I cried out, "Callan, I was hit by a car. Please save me..." The moment he heard me, his voice turned urgent. "Where are you? I'm coming right now." But before I could force out another word, his voice suddenly turned cold and annoyed. "Gyna, you already drove Cora into the emergency room. And now you're lying to me to get me away from her? You disgust me." He hung up without hesitation. I coughed up more blood as a sharp pain tore through my abdomen. Then I felt a warm flow beneath me. Callan, I wasn't lying to you. My vision blurred. Memories from the past flashed through my mind like a movie. It hurt so much... Then I suddenly heard the butler's panicked voice beside me. "Mrs. Hawthorne!" When I regained consciousness, I heard the machines beeping inside the emergency room. The doctors' urgent voices rang out. "Quick! Get the defibrillator. Her heart rate is dropping." "She's losing too much blood. Go get her family. Hurry!" "Ms. Sutton, open your eyes. Don't fall asleep!" A nurse rushed into the operating room, sweat covering her forehead. "Her husband said she should stop pretending. If it weren't for her, Cora wouldn't be in this condition. If she wants to put on an act, she can do it alone." "What about her parents?" "They didn't answer." A wave of excruciating pain tore through my body. Suddenly, countless voices echoed in my mind. "Gyna, I'll love you for the rest of my life." "Gyna, enough! Is it really that hard to give in just once?" "You bitch, you deserve to die! If it weren't for you, Callan and I would have been married long ago." "Gyna, Grandpa regrets all the years I lost with you. But blood ties could never make me forget you. Everything in the Sutton family belongs to you. You have to take good care of it..." … Was I going to die? No. My fingers trembled as I forced myself to speak, "Don't contact my family. I'll sign it myself!" With every bit of strength I had left, I signed my name. I wouldn't die. I hated Callan, and I hated Cora even more. So I had to survive and take back everything that belonged to me. More importantly, I had to live long enough to make them pay for everything they had done. After I survived the emergency surgery, I learned that Grandpa's ashes had been scattered and were now gone forever. I sank to my knees in front of his empty grave. "Grandpa, I swear I'll make them pay!" Then I changed my ticket to the earliest flight and had my lawyer file a lawsuit against them. Before boarding, I received a message from my lawyer. [Ms. Sutton, Mr. Vane expedited your divorce certificate for you. He also helped transfer all of the Sutton family's assets to Ashford. I'll stay in Belmont and do everything I can to sue them. Congratulations on your new beginning.] I walked forward with a relieved smile. From now on, a living hell awaited them, while I was heading toward a new life.