My Ruthless Wife's Secret Wedding

My wife, Chloe Miller, was terminally ill. Against my parents' warnings, I liquidated all my assets, quit my job, and dedicated every second of my life to taking care of her. Her dying wish was to save her father's bankrupt empire, Miller Enterprises. Without hesitation, I poured $150 million into her family's company, bringing it back from the dead. Yet, only six months after her tragic "death," my best friend, Jax Mercer, broke the news to me. "Ethan, I saw your wife! She's not dead! She's literally at a venue downtown, having a wedding with another man!" I pushed Jax away. "You must have seen someone else. I buried her with my own hands. I hosted her funeral." Frustrated, Jax dragged me into his car and drove straight to the wedding venue. When I looked through the glass doors and saw Chloe standing there in a white gown, my mind went completely blank. The moment Chloe spotted me, the radiant smile on her face vanished. She walked over to me, her heels clicking against the marble floor. "Since you've seen everything, I won't bother lying to you anymore." "The one I truly love is Tristan Vance. I only faked my death because I didn't want to break your heart." "So, stop clinging to me. Move on." I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. All my unconditional devotion over the past three years meant absolutely nothing to her. If that's how it is, I will make sure the Miller family spits out every single dime I invested in them. Seeing my silence, Chloe added with an air of superiority: "I know you sacrificed a lot for Miller Enterprises. Don't worry, I won't leave you out on the streets." "I can get you a dummy job in our security department. It pays $1,500 a month. That should be plenty for someone like you now." I let out a cold laugh. She actually thought I had fallen so low that I'd crawl for a minimum-wage security job. Jax couldn't take it anymore. He pointed straight at Chloe's face and spat, "Chloe, are you even human? Ethan gave up everything for you, and this is how you humiliate him?" "To save your family's worthless company, the entire Sterling family's estate is on the brink of collapse!" Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "Did I force him to save us?" "If his brain doesn't work right, you as his friend should take him to the psych ward to get checked." "Instead, you watched him liquidate his entire family inheritance just to prop up a woman. He is incredibly stupid." Jax was too furious to speak. I looked at Chloe, utterly astonished. I couldn't believe this was the same woman who, six months ago, lay crying in my arms, begging me to save her family. Now, those same lips were spitting out such venomous words. "When you faked your illness to deceive me, you planned all of this, didn't you?" Chloe nodded nonchalantly. "I figured you might help the Millers, but I didn't expect you to be so... naive." "I threw out a casual sob story, and you actually risked your family's legacy to save mine." "When meat is served on a silver platter, why wouldn't I take a bite?" "Naive..." I muttered, staring at the playful smirk on her face. My hands trembled with rage. "Is being genuine a crime?" "I risked my life for a joke you made, and you take it for granted." "Did our years together mean absolutely nothing to you? Do you feel no guilt at all?!" Chloe sneered. "Don't think that just because you have a pretty face and used to have money, every woman is going to worship you." "In business, it's all about supply and demand, about mutual utility. I thought the heir of the Sterling family would at least understand that basic concept." "You want my guilt? Fine." Chloe waved her hand, and her assistant hurried over. "Go to the bank and cash $100,000 for him." My brow furrowed. Before I could process what she was doing, my phone buzzed with an urgent text from my personal secretary: "Mr. Sterling, the acquisition agreement with Miller Enterprises went through today. Our company has officially been taken over by them." A cold sweat broke out across my back. "When did this happen? You bought my company?" I stared at Chloe, my voice shaking. "That was the last legacy my mother left me. You..." She nodded triumphantly. "So what? Without Miller Enterprises' acquisition, how many days could that failing company of yours survive anyway?" "It just so happens my new husband doesn't have much management experience. He can use your mother's company as a playground to practice." "Oh, by the way, your appointment as a security guard starts this afternoon. Make sure to call him 'Mr. Vance' when you see him!" My face flushed with rage, the fury inside me threatening to explode. To save the Millers, I had sold off almost all of my family's businesses, but I had kept that single company because it was the last thing my mother left me before she passed. It wasn't just a business; it was my only memory of her. And now, Chloe had secretly orchestrated a hostile takeover behind my back. And she wanted me to stand at the gate, guarding the door for her new husband. Jax looked like he was about to lose his mind. "You absolute bitch! You play with people's hearts like toys! You will burn in hell!" He lunged forward to grab her, but a group of burly security guards immediately blocked him. "Say whatever you want. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a wedding to finish with my husband." "If you two dare to make a scene again, don't blame me for getting ugly!" With a snap of her fingers, the guards shoved Jax and me out of the hotel lobby. Then, they threw the envelope of $100,000 cash into the air, letting the bills rain down all over the asphalt. "Who still believes in true love these days? Fucking hilarious," one of the guards mocked before slamming the heavy glass doors. Jax yelled, pulling out his phone to call some of his old street contacts to trash the place. I grabbed his arm, stopping him, and then knelt down on the concrete, calmly picking up the scattered bills one by one. Jax stared at me. "Bro, they just walked all over you, and you're in the mood to pick up their trash?" I looked at the hundred-dollar bill in my hand. "This isn't trash. This is the wedding gift I'm going to use to ruin Chloe's life."On the drive back, Jax didn't stop cursing. "That heartless bitch! When Miller Enterprises was about to go under, you stood outside the senator's office in the freezing rain for three days and nights just to get them a federal bailout." "Without the billions of dollars you poured in later, the entire Miller family would be sitting in a federal prison right now!" "If it weren't for you, that woman would be wearing a prison jumpsuit!" I patted Jax on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down. "We've known each other for so long, and you're still this impulsive?" Jax gripped the steering wheel tightly. "Impulsive? If you hadn't stopped me, I would have had my boys drag her out by her hair." "It's a good thing we live in a civilized society now. Ten years ago, I would have personally broken her legs." Ten years ago, because of some family issues, Jax and his father were heavily involved in the underground docks. Later, his father cleaned up his act and started a legitimate logistics business. And the person who helped his father get clean was my mother. Once Jax finally calmed down, he glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "What's the plan? From the look on Chloe's face, she wants to completely devour whatever is left of the Sterling legacy." I didn't answer right away. As a wife, Chloe was a monster. But as a businesswoman, she was incredibly ruthless and efficient. She had played the long game, hiding in the shadows, just to give me this grand surprise. "Let's go to the office first. I need to pick up a few things." When Jax and I arrived at the Sterling Building, we couldn't even get past the turnstiles. My keycard flashed red. The receptionist saw me and hurried over, but she made no move to open the gate. "Mr. Sterling, I'm so sorry. The board of directors announced this morning that we've merged with Miller Enterprises." "You've been officially terminated. I can't let you inside." Jax stepped up, his face darkening. "Are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten who paid your salary all these years?" "You've been here for a decade! Your benefits are five times higher than any other company in this city! Who do you think gave you that?" The receptionist lowered her head, but she didn't budge. "The new Chairman said our benefits will remain the same under the new management. Please, Mr. Mercer, don't make this difficult for us." I held Jax back, keeping my expression perfectly calm. "It's fine, Jax. I don't need to go in. I'm just here for my personal belongings." Hearing this, the receptionist pointed toward the large trash bin near the curb outside. "The transition team cleared out your office earlier. Your things... should be out there." I nodded slowly and walked out. Standing by the trash bin, I sifted through the discarded files and found a silver frame. It was the only photo I had left of my mother and me. "These ungrateful bastards. I hope they rot," Jax muttered under his breath. I carefully wiped the dust off the glass frame and put it in my coat pocket. Then, I hailed a cab and headed straight to the city hospital. I pushed open the door to the luxury VIP suite. Chloe's mother, Eleanor, was sitting up in bed. When she saw me, a flash of guilt crossed her face. She forced a tight, artificial smile. "Ethan, dear... is the wedding over?" I nodded, sat down on the chair beside her bed, and picked up an apple, slowly peeling it with a pocket knife. "My wedding is over. But hers... seems to be just starting." Eleanor's eyes darted around nervously. "Sweetheart, what are you talking about?" I ignored her question. I didn't offer her the peeled apple like I usually did. Instead, I took a slow, deliberate bite out of it. "Do you know the most important lesson my mother ever taught me?" "Integrity. Whether dealing with business or relationships, you must be absolutely genuine." "Too bad Chloe doesn't deserve it." As I chewed the apple, Eleanor finally realized I knew everything. Her fake smile vanished. "Ethan, I know Chloe's methods were a bit harsh, but she did it to protect our family's assets." "Once she gets back, I'll make sure she gives you a proper explanation." Hearing how eager she was to distance herself from me, I couldn't help but chuckle. "An explanation? You're even faster than Chloe at drawing a line between us." "Like mother, like daughter." Staring at my cold, unblinking smile, Eleanor began to panic. "Ethan, I know what Chloe did was wrong, but it's a fact that she doesn't love you." "You two had a few years of marriage, and that should be enough. Don't do anything stupid." I stood up, tossing the half-eaten apple onto the sterile white nightstand. "Stupid? Of course not. Please tell Chloe that I've prepared her wedding gifts. I'll be delivering them one by one." Leaving the hospital, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn't called in years. "Hey, Dad. I ran into some trouble."Twenty-four hours later, a refined butler with a sharp British accent arrived at my penthouse with a single suitcase. "Ethan, your father is currently occupied with a major merger in London. He instructed me to assist you with anything you need." "I have full authorization to use all of the Sterling Group's global resources to resolve your... issue." I nodded. Just then, my phone rang. It was Chloe. The moment I answered, her screeching voice echoed through the speaker. "Ethan! What the hell did you say to my mother?" "You pathetic loser, threatening a sick woman? And here I thought you were a gentleman." "I'm warning you, if you have a problem, bring it to me. My mother is scheduled for her organ transplant next week. If you dare mess with her medical care, I will destroy you!" She slammed the phone down before I could even reply. Listening to the dial tone, I turned to the butler. "Your name is..." "You may call me Alan, sir." "Alright, Alan. You heard her. My former mother-in-law needs some medical help." "I was the one who pulled strings to get her to the top of the donor list three years ago. Now, I regret it." Alan nodded smoothly. "Understood, sir. I shall contact our medical associates immediately. They will know what to do." Without making any grand phone calls, Alan simply sent a brief, encrypted text. Within an hour, the head of the transplant department from the city hospital arrived at my penthouse. "Mr. Sterling, it took us a year to secure a matching donor for Mrs. Miller. Are you certain you want to cancel the private funding and revoke her priority status?" I took a sip of my water. "Yes. Cancel it." A year ago, when Chloe was pretending to be on her deathbed, she had held my hand, weeping. "If I die, it's fine, but my mother has been bedridden for years. You have to save her, Ethan." Her mother had an incredibly rare blood type, making finding a compatible donor nearly impossible. I hadn't given up. I spent millions, utilizing global networks, until I finally found a matching donor—a healthy kid whose family was struggling financially in South America. Although I hated exploiting someone's situation, for Chloe's sake, I had practically begged the parents and promised them a massive trust fund of $150,000 annually. With that life-changing money, they had agreed. "Send $300,000 to the donor's family as compensation for canceling the contract," I instructed the doctor. "Tell them they are free from any obligation." The doctor took my black card, nodded respectfully, and left. Once he was gone, I turned back to Alan. "Also, look into Chloe's death certificate from six months ago. Find out which corrupt official signed off on it." "And one more thing. Find her younger half-brother, Leo Miller. The one Chloe kicked out of the country four years ago." Alan didn't ask a single question. He took the notes and immediately set to work. Jax, who had been sitting on the couch, looked completely bewildered. "Wait, I get canceling her mom's surgery. That's a killer move." "But why are we looking into her dead father's illegitimate kid and her fake death certificate? She's alive, so obviously the certificate is a fake." I smiled faintly. Chloe and I had been together for seven years, married for six. She was a meticulous woman. She knew a cheap fake certificate wouldn't fool me. So, that death certificate had to be legally registered in the system. And as for the Miller family empire, Chloe wasn't always the sole heir. Her father, Arthur, had a biological son from an affair. Old Arthur was traditional; he would never have willingly left his empire to a daughter when he had a son. But Chloe was ruthless. After her father's sudden "car accident," she fabricated a scandal, stripped her teenage brother of his rights, and banished him overseas. With the boy gone and her father incapacitated, she became the sole ruler of the Millers. "I was so blind back then," I muttered, looking at Jax. "I actually believed her when she said her brother was a dangerous delinquent who had to be sent away for his own good." I let out a cold laugh. "Imagine her reaction when she's about to fully integrate the Sterling assets, and her long-lost brother suddenly appears to contest her father's estate."Hearing this, Jax slowly let out a whistle and gave me a thumbs-up. "Damn, Ethan. You really are a tactical genius." Then, his brow furrowed. "But they're still blood. How can you be sure the kid will turn against his own sister?" I looked at Jax. "That's where you come in. I need you to dig into the car accident that put Arthur Miller in a vegetative state four years ago." Jax's eyes widened as the realization hit him. He slapped his chest. "Say no more. Consider it done." After Jax left, I sat alone in the quiet penthouse. I traced my fingers over the scratched face of my luxury watch. The glass was cracked, but I still wore it. It was the first gift Chloe had ever given me when we met in college. To a wealthy heiress like her, it wasn't expensive. In fact, she probably thought it was cheap. But I had worn it every single day. I remembered what my mother told me before she passed away: "Ethan, love fiercely, but never compromise your self-respect. Most of life's misery comes from making excuses for people who don't deserve them." That was why she had divorced my billionaire father and built her own independent empire. She refused to be a bird in a gilded cage. I guess that independent streak was what had attracted me to Chloe in the first place. How ironic. My phone buzzed again. Chloe's name flashed on the screen. "Ethan! Why was my mother's transplant canceled? You did this, didn't you?!" "Yes," I replied smoothly. "This is my first wedding gift to you. Do you like it?" There was a long, suffocating silence on the other end. I could practically hear her grinding her teeth. "Fine. If you want to play dirty, don't blame me for what comes next." I smiled. Play dirty? She had lied to me for three years, faked her death, and secretly stole my mother's company. And she thought I was playing dirty? My moves were gentle compared to hers. "Does Tristan know you're legally still married to me?" "Because I still have our marriage license right here in my drawer." Chloe's voice turned dangerously sharp. "What are you planning to do?" "Nothing much. Just letting your new husband know he's legally a homewrecker." Chloe let out a cold, mocking laugh. "So what if he knows? You think a piece of paper can ruin our relationship?" "Maybe not," I replied. "But what about the law?" "According to the state registry, my status is 'widowed.' But you're very much alive. I wonder how many years you'll get for bigamy, identity theft, and grand larceny?" For the first time, panic crept into Chloe's voice. "Ethan, you wouldn't dare!" "Just sit back and watch," I whispered. "The real show hasn't even started yet. Your second, third, and fourth gifts are already on the way." "Let's take our time."