I hid my identity and married a poor guy, all because his mother told him from day one of our relationship: *A man who treasures his wife gets blessed by fortune.* My husband, Ethan Barlow, treated her words like a holy commandment. When I casually mentioned wanting seafood, he’d drive to the docks at midnight just to pick out the freshest crabs for me. When I didn’t feel like walking, he’d carry me on his back up sixteen flights of stairs. Later, he started a gourmet seafood chain. Within a few years, his business skyrocketed. He went from a fishmonger at a local market to a multimillionaire CEO. Everyone said I was the luckiest woman alive, pampered by my husband so much that I couldn’t even unscrew a water bottle cap myself. Until last week, when a famous heiress from Manhattan’s high society set her eyes on him. Ethan came home and handed me a divorce agreement, along with a transfer of fifty million dollars in assets. “Sera, this fifty million is your compensation.” “The wife I need now is someone who can stand beside me as an equal.” I calmly signed my name, turned around, grabbed my purse, and went to the bank. Looking at the bank statement showing my true personal balance of over thirty billion dollars, I couldn’t help but laugh. Since Ethan didn’t want to pamper me anymore, I guess I’d just find a hotter, sweeter, poorer young guy to spoil instead.
When I pushed open the double doors of our villa, the living room floor was cluttered with my clothes. My mother-in-law, Patricia Barlow, was directing the maid to sweep my expensive skincare products brutally into black trash bags. Hearing the door, she quickened her steps and grabbed my hand. “Oh, Seraphina, my heart aches for you.” “You’re a good girl, but Ethan is a CEO worth millions now.” “Our company is going public, and we desperately need that hundred-million-dollar investment from the Vance family.” She pushed my hand away, her eyes suddenly filled with disdain. “You can’t even unscrew a water bottle cap. Staying with Ethan will only drag him down.” “I know you feel wronged, but for Ethan’s future, you need to be sensible.” I looked at her calculating face and found it hilarious. Back when Ethan was just a poor boy selling fish at the market, Patricia was the one holding my hand, bragging to everyone that a man who listened to his wife would make a fortune. Back then, I was exhausted by the cutthroat corporate world. I just wanted a simple life with a simple man. So, I naively believed her. Later, when he started his seafood chain, I helped him behind the scenes. In just a few years, his company’s valuation soared. Everyone thought I was just lucky, pampered into a useless doll by Ethan. They had no idea. The only reason Ethan could secure those premium supply chains—monopolized by the city’s top oligarchs—was because I pulled the strings from behind the curtain. I ignored Patricia and turned to look at Ethan, who was sitting on the sofa, smoking. He stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, and walked over to me. There was a hint of guilt in his eyes, but also a trace of lingering affection. He reached out to touch my cheek, but I tilted my head to dodge him. “Sera, I’m sorry.” “That fifty million compensation is more than enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life.” “I also bought you a luxury penthouse downtown. If you ever run into trouble, you can always call me.” I stared at him quietly. “Are you that desperate for money?” “For Tiffany Vance’s investment, you’re throwing away years of our marriage?” A flash of pain crossed Ethan’s face, but he quickly looked away. “Sera, you don’t understand how brutal the business world is.” “The seafood industry is cutthroat. Without the Vance family’s capital and connections, my company could go bankrupt any day.” “I need a wife who can fight beside me in the boardroom, not a little girl who waits for me to crack lobster claws for her at home.” His tone softened a bit. “I still care about you, but reality is just this cruel.” He loved me, sure. But he loved money more. Seeing Ethan soften, Patricia slapped her thigh in a panic. “Ethan! Miss Vance is going to be here any minute! Don’t do something stupid!” “She’s just a woman who knows how to spend money. She got fifty million dollars for doing nothing! What more does she want?” I lowered my eyes, hiding the mockery in them. “Fine. I’ll leave.” I didn’t even look at my designer clothes on the floor. I only picked up a simple black leather briefcase near the foyer. Inside was the list of my real assets. As I walked to the door, a red Ferrari screeched to a halt in the courtyard. The door swung open, and Tiffany Vance, dressed in a haute couture skirt and high heels, stepped out. She looked me up and down, pulled a check from her Hermès bag, and held it out between two fingers. “Seraphina Sterling, right?” “I heard you got fifty million from Ethan.” “Here’s another million. Take it and disappear from New York high society forever.” Patricia immediately rushed forward, her face practically glowing with greed. “Miss Vance is so generous!” “Sera! Hurry up and thank Miss Vance!” I didn’t take the check. I just stared at Tiffany for a moment. Suddenly, I laughed. “Miss Vance, since you’re so filthy rich…” “Why don’t you first pay off the ten million dollars in unpaid supply bills that Ethan’s company owes?” The moment I said this, Ethan’s face drained of color. He looked at me in shock. “How do you know about the ten million in unpaid bills?!” I smiled, offered no explanation, and walked right past them out the door. Since Ethan believed Tiffany could fight beside him, let him find out. Let him see how brutal the business world really is once he loses his ultimate backer.
After leaving the villa, I checked straight into the penthouse suite of the Celestial Heights Hotel, the most luxurious hotel in New York. The entire building was under my name. When the general manager saw me, he almost dropped his walkie-talkie in shock. I waved my hand to cut off his formal greetings. Sinking into the plush sofa, I sent a direct text to my assistant. “Cut off all premium seafood supply chains to Barlow Seafood.” “Also, find me a young guy. Must be extremely handsome, sweet-talking, and very poor.” Since Ethan didn’t want to pamper me anymore, I needed someone else to do the job. This time, I wasn’t going to hide my wealth. I refused to believe money couldn’t buy me absolute emotional satisfaction. The next morning, I went to Barlow Seafood to sign the final paperwork to withdraw my shares. To protect Ethan’s fragile ego back then, I had only taken a symbolic 5% non-voting equity. As I approached the conference room, Patricia’s exaggerated laughter echoed through the door. “Oh, Miss Vance, this emerald-cut diamond bracelet you gave me is gorgeous!” “Unlike that Seraphina, who only knew how to spend Ethan’s money and never bought me a single decent gift.” I pushed the door open, showing no expression. The room fell dead silent. Tiffany was sitting at the head of the table, playing with her manicured nails. Ethan stood beside her, staring at some financial reports with a deep frown. Seeing me, Ethan immediately put down the documents. “Sera, why are you here?” “The money for your shares has already been wired to your account by accounting.” I walked to the table and tossed my pen onto the documents. “I’m just here to grab my personal files.” Tiffany leaned back in her chair and let out a scoff. “Seraphina, you got your money, so learn to behave.” “Coming to the office today—are you trying to play hard to get?” “Ethan is very busy. He doesn’t have time for your games.” Patricia quickly jumped in. “Exactly!” “Sera, don’t be ungrateful.” “The Vance family is about to invest a hundred million dollars! Ethan is a rising star in New York now!” “If you keep harassing him, Miss Vance will make sure you can’t even find a job in this city!” I looked at Patricia’s brown-nosing face and found it incredibly pathetic. “A hundred million dollars?” I raised an eyebrow and looked at Ethan. “Mr. Barlow, has Miss Vance’s wire cleared yet?” “Because I heard your largest seafood supplier suddenly cut off your inventory this morning.” Ethan’s hand froze over the files. “How do you know about the supply shortage?!” He was indeed losing his mind. That supplier controlled eighty percent of the premium seafood imports in New York. Once they cut the supply, Barlow Seafood’s reputation would be ruined by tonight. Tiffany’s face shifted slightly, but she forced a cold sneer. “So what if they cut us off?” “Once my family’s hundred million clears, we can find any supplier we want!” I gasped dramatically, mocking her. “Oh, wow. Miss Vance is so powerful.” “Then you better hurry. Seafood rots very quickly, you know. It’s going to stink up the place.” I leisurely packed my personal documents into my bag and turned to leave. Ethan rushed out after me, grabbing my arm. “Sera, stop playing games!” “Do you know someone at that supplier?” He looked into my eyes, his voice filled with exhaustion and desperation. “Please, put in a good word for me.” “We were married, after all. Do you really have the heart to watch my life’s work go down the drain?” I shook off his grip without a second thought. “You must be joking, Mr. Barlow.” “How could a useless girl like me know a top supplier?” Seeing Ethan’s crushed expression, my mood instantly improved. Down in the lobby, a young guy in a crisp white shirt was leaning against a pillar, waiting for me. He had a jawline that could cut glass, but when he smiled, he had this look of pure, innocent charm. “Hey, beautiful. Are you done with your business?” He ran over and naturally took the bag from my hand. I looked at Julian Montgomery, the “poor boy” my assistant had found according to my exact specifications, and smiled with satisfaction. “Let’s go. I’m taking you out for a feast.” Behind us, Ethan, who had chased me down to the lobby, stood there with a face as black as coal.
The crisis at Barlow Seafood was far worse than Ethan had anticipated. Within three days, foot traffic at his high-end locations plummeted. The hundred-million-dollar investment Tiffany promised was constantly delayed in “compliance checks.” Patricia was frantic, digging for information everywhere. Somehow, she heard a rumor that Julian, my new “poor boy,” actually had connections to secure premium seafood. That afternoon, I was having street tacos with Julian at an outdoor patio. Julian was incredibly sweet, carefully squeezing lime juice over my tacos and wiping my fingers with a napkin. “Try this, Sera. It’s really good.” I had just taken a bite when a black Mercedes-Maybach screeched to a halt by the curb. Ethan and Patricia stepped out, their faces grim. Patricia stormed over and slammed her hand on our table, knocking over the salsa. “Seraphina! Is this how I taught you to behave?” “Have some self-respect!” “Make this boy hand over the seafood supply chain right now, and Ethan might still forgive your little tantrum!” Ethan stared at Julian’s hand, which was gently brushing a stray hair from my face. His eyes burned with jealousy. He stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. “Sera, stop using this loser to make me jealous.” “What’s the point of finding a pretty boy who has nothing going for him but his face?” He suppressed his rage, his voice trembling. “Just have him give me the supply chain, and I won’t take back the fifty million.” “I can even offer him a job as a security guard at my company.” “Stop ruining your own life!” I wrenched my wrist free, finding the mother and son utterly delusional. “Mr. Barlow, are you confused?” “We are divorced.” “Who I date and what I eat has absolutely nothing to do with you.” I grabbed a napkin to wipe my hands, looking at him coldly. “And as for the supply chain, why on earth should Julian give it to you?” “Because of your bloated ego? Or because your mother screams the loudest?” Ethan was speechless. Just then, several black SUVs pulled up. The doors slid open, and a dozen muscular bodyguards in black suits poured out, surrounding our table. Tiffany, stepping high on her Louboutins, walked over, escorted by her entourage. She looked at the messy table, then at me, letting out a sharp laugh. “I wondered who was bold enough to block our supply chain.” “Turns out it’s just a discarded ex-wife playing sugar mommy to some boytoy!” Tiffany walked up to Julian, lifting her chin arrogantly. “Look, kid. I don’t care what scam you used to get those supply lines.” “Hand them over. Now.” “Otherwise, I’ll make sure you can’t even beg for scraps in this city.” Julian popped a piece of taco into his mouth, chewed slowly, and didn’t even look at her. Feeling humiliated, Tiffany pointed at Julian and screamed. “Trash his stand! Teach this boy a lesson!” The bodyguards immediately lunged forward. The patio erupted into chaos. Tables were flipped, chairs shattered, and food flew everywhere. Patricia stood on the side, screaming fake concern. “Oh dear! Stop fighting! Stop it!” But she kept backing away, and in the confusion, she gave me a vicious shove from behind. I was standing near the edge of the patio. With her push, I lost my balance and fell hard onto the concrete, right onto some shattered glass. A sharp pain shot through my palm. Fresh red blood immediately began to pool on my wrist. “Sera!” Julian tried to rush over to help me, but two bodyguards held him back. I sat on the ground, looking at the blood on my hand, my eyes turning ice-cold.
The throbbing pain in my palm made me frown. Seeing the blood, Ethan’s face changed instantly. He instinctively took a step toward me, trying to help me up. “Sera!” There was genuine panic in his voice. But before he could touch me, Tiffany grabbed his arm tightly. “Ethan! If you dare help her today, the Vance family’s hundred-million-dollar investment is canceled!” Ethan’s hand froze in mid-air. He looked at my bleeding hand, then at the furious Tiffany. His eyes were torn with conflict. Patricia rushed over, locking her arms around Ethan’s other side. “Ethan! Don’t be a fool!” “She fell because she didn’t watch where she was going! What does that have to do with you?” “If you offend Miss Vance for an outsider, our company is finished!” Ethan closed his eyes in agony. When he opened them again, there was no warmth left. He stood there, looking down at me, his voice dry. “Sera, I’m sorry.” “Just bear with it. Go to the hospital and get it bandaged.” “I’ll pay for the medical bill.” In the face of a hundred million dollars, his pathetic version of love was ultimately worthless. Sitting on the dirty ground, I felt deeply disgusted. Seeing Ethan’s choice, Tiffany smiled triumphantly. She stepped forward, and her sharp stiletto heel came down right on my bleeding hand, grinding down hard. “Seraphina, learn your place.” “A useless trash who can’t even open a water bottle cap dares to fight me for a man?” “You think you can play with me?” She bent down, lowering her voice. “Do you believe that with one phone call, I can make sure you disappear from New York forever?” I stared at her foot on my hand and didn’t say a word. I just suddenly yanked my hand back with brute force, throwing her off balance. Tiffany stumbled, and just as she was about to snap, Julian, who was held by the bodyguards, suddenly exploded with strength. He kicked the bodyguard in front of him straight in the chest, breaking free, and rushed to my side. He knelt on one knee, gently cradled my injured hand, and pulled a pristine white silk handkerchief from his pocket to wrap it. His eyes, usually so bright and innocent, were now cold enough to freeze water. “Ms. Sterling, I am deeply sorry for this lapse in security.” Julian’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to everyone’s ears. Ethan froze. “Ms. Sterling?” “What do you mean, Ms. Sterling?” Before anyone could react, the deafening roar of high-performance engines echoed from both ends of the street. A dozen blacked-out Rolls-Royces with low-digit vanity plates swerved in, completely blocking off the street. The doors opened in perfect unison. Dozens of elite, highly trained bodyguards in tactical suits rushed out, securing the entire perimeter. Tiffany’s thugs looked at this military-grade security force and didn’t even dare to breathe. From the middle Rolls-Royce, a chubby, middle-aged man climbed out. He didn’t even bother to wipe the cold sweat pouring down his face as he stumbled through the crowd. *Thud!* He dropped straight to his knees right in front of me. When Tiffany saw the man, she gasped, her voice cracking in pure terror.
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