He Didn’t Know I Was His Real Benefactor

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For five years, I kept my identity as the heiress to a powerful conglomerate a secret.

I willingly gave up my privileged life to help Leonardo fight his way from nothing to the CEO of a multinational corporation.

Full of joy, I took my prenatal scan to surprise him, only to see him kneeling through the crack in the door, kissing Tiffany's slightly swollen belly.

When he saw me, he showed no remorse. Instead, he coldly slammed an abortion consent form onto my face.

Tiffany has severe depression. She cant stand to see anyone else pregnant. Go get the abortion tomorrow. Don't make me angry.

I looked at the man I had poured everything into, and suddenly, I felt utterly disgusted.

For a gold-digger, he wanted to kill my child.

But he didn't know. Everything he owned was merely a toy I had casually bestowed upon him.

Since he had no shame, I would take back everything that was mine, with interest!

Mr. Leonardo, Miss Tiffanys pregnancy is stable, but her emotions absolutely must not be stimulated.

I stood outside the CEOs office, clutching the ultrasound report that read "Four Weeks Pregnant." My knuckles were white from clenching so hard.

The door wasn't fully closed. Through that glaring gap, I saw my husband, Leonardo, who was usually so cold and imperious at the office, now kneeling on one knee in front of the leather sofa.

He held a bowl of steaming, high-end nutritional broth, carefully blowing on it to cool it down, as tenderly as if he were handling a priceless treasure. Then, he slowly brought it to Tiffanys lips.

Tiffany, come on, just a sip. For our baby, you need to eat something.

Tiffany was wearing an oversized mens shirt, its collar slightly open, revealing suggestive red marks.

She pushed Leonardos hand away with a whine, tears instantly welling up in her eyes, and said with a fragile, tearful look:

Leonardo, you spend every day with me like this. Wont Aria be angry? After all after all, shes your legally married wife. What am I?

Leonardo scoffed, an undisguised look of disgust and disdain flashing across his handsome face.

Why even mention her? What a buzzkill. Shes just a dowdy housewife, always smelling of stale cooking.

If it werent for her being so docile and responsible, like a free live-in maid who could take care of me, I never would have married her.

He put the bowl down and pulled Tiffany into his embrace with a pained expression, kissing her forehead.

Youre the only one in my heart, always have been. As soon as this baby is born, Ill divorce her immediately and marry you. Everyone will know youre my true wife.

I stood outside the door, my blood running cold as if drained from my body, shivering from head to toe.

Five years. For him, I broke ties with my family, abandoned my esteemed status as the heiress of the Franklin Corporation, and lived anonymously. I endured countless hardships with him in this city.

When he was starting his business, he couldnt attract investors, and he stayed up all night smoking on the rooftop, desperate.

It was me who secretly leveraged my grandfather Spencers connections, disguised as a mysterious investor, paving the way for him.

He worked overtime until he had a stomach hemorrhage trying to rush a project. I never left his side at the hospital for half a month, neglecting myself entirely, preparing him various stomach-soothing broths until my own hair started falling out.

I thought we were a couple who had been through thick and thin, with a love as strong as steel.

But it turned out, in Leonardos eyes, I was just a doormat who practically paid to be his live-in maid.

A mere stepping stone, to be kicked aside at any moment to make room for his precious first love.

I took a deep breath and suddenly pushed the door open.

With a loud "bang," the heavy solid wood door slammed against the wall, startling the two people who were locked in an intimate embrace inside.

Tiffany shrieked, shrinking into Leonardos arms like a startled rabbit.

Leonardos face instantly changed. Seeing me standing at the door, his brows furrowed into a tight knot, his eyes full of the fury of someone whose secret pleasure had been interrupted.

Aria? What are you doing here? Who told you to come in without knocking! You have no manners!

He instinctively spread his arms to shield Tiffany behind him, as if I were some man-eating monster.

I ignored his roaring noun and walked in step by step, staring intently at his face, which I had once been so infatuated with, and held up the ultrasound report.

I came to tell you Im pregnant.

But now it seems, Ive come at a bad time. My apologies for interrupting, Mr. Leonardo.

The office instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Leonardos gaze fell on the report in my hand, his pupils sharply contracting.

But there wasnt a hint of joy on his face, only a flash of extreme irritation and disgust.

Tiffany tugged at his sleeve, her eyes instantly red, tears streaming down her face, her voice trembling like leaves in the autumn wind.

Leonardo Aria is pregnant too What about our baby?

I should just go. I dont want to break up your family. Ill just have the baby alone and raise it myself

She made a move to stand up. Leonardo immediately pressed her back onto the sofa, his face contorted with distress, and quickly reached out to wipe her tears.

What nonsense! The child in your belly is my child, Leonardos! Who dares to make you leave! If anyone leaves, its her!

After comforting Tiffany, he turned his head and looked down at me, his eyes as cold as poisoned ice blades.

Aria, this child cant stay.

I thought I misheard, my ears ringing. What did you say?

Leonardo strode to the desk, pulled open a drawer, took out a pre-prepared abortion consent form, and slammed it down on the table.

I said, go to the hospital tomorrow and get the procedure done.

He pointed at the trembling Tiffany on the sofa, his tone self-righteous:

Tiffany developed a chronic illness after saving me back then. She has severe depression and cant handle any stress.

Given her current condition, she absolutely cannot see that youre also pregnant.

Youre strong, healthy as an ox. You can have children a couple of years later; itll be the same.

I stared at the man before me in disbelief, as if looking at a completely unfamiliar monster.

To protect his mistresss child, he wanted to kill his own flesh and blood?

Leonardo, are you insane! This is our child! The child weve longed for for five years!

Yesterday, you were still touching my belly, saying that if it was a girl, youd buy her all the best dresses in the world!

Plans change! Leonardo interrupted me impatiently, his voice dripping with arrogant condescension.

Aria, dont be unreasonable. This might be Tiffanys only chance to be a mother in her life. I must protect her.

Youve held my wifes position for five whole years, enjoyed so much wealth and glory. You should be content.

Now, for Tiffany, whats wrong with you suffering a little inconvenience? Dont look at me like I owe you millions!

I looked at his self-righteous face, my stomach churning, the disgust shooting right through me.

What if I refuse to go through with it? I gritted my teeth, asking each word distinctly.

Leonardo sneered, his eyes filled with overt threat and disdain.

Aria, dont make me do this the hard way.

Youre a housewife who hasnt worked and has been out of touch with society for five years. What do you have to fight me with?

Without me, you cant even support yourself, let alone a child!

Tomorrow morning at eight, Ill have the driver pick you up for the hospital. Dont force me to send people to drag you there.

If things get too ugly, youre the one wholl be embarrassed!

I didnt cry, nor did I throw a dramatic tantrum like a shrew.

Looking at Leonardos utterly selfish face, I only found it laughable.

I, Aria, the sole heiress of the mighty Franklin Corporation, had wasted five years of my youth on a blind, ungrateful fool.

Alright, I understand.

I calmly put away the ultrasound report, not sparing them another glance, and turned to walk out of the office.

Behind me, Tiffanys sweet, deliberately provocative voice carried:

Leonardo, is Aria mad at me? Her eyes were so scary just now; will she get revenge on us?

Forget about that crazy woman. Leonardo scoffed, his tone full of certainty.

Shes useless without me; she cant survive. Just scare her a bit, and shell calm down. Tomorrow, shell definitely go to the hospital obediently.

Listening to Leonardos conceited mockery, a cold smile touched my lips.

Cant survive without you?

Leonardo, you overestimate yourself.

You think you stand at the pinnacle of this city, but you don't realize that the entire empire beneath your feet belongs to my family, the Franklins.

Stepping out of the Leonardo Group building, the sunlight outside made me squint slightly.

I took a taxi directly to a top-tier private hospital with extreme privacy.

I didnt get an abortion. Instead, I had the chief physician personally perform the most comprehensive prenatal check-up on me.

After confirming that the baby was perfectly healthy, merely a little unstable due to my emotional fluctuations, I walked to the hospital's quiet VIP garden and dialed a number I hadn't called in five years.

The phone rang three times before it was answered. A voice, old but incomparably authoritative, came through, tinged with unconcealed excitement and trembling.

Aria? Is that you? Is it really you?

Hearing my grandfather Spencers voice, my feigned strength instantly crumbled. My eyes welled up, and I fought back tears.

Grandpa, its me. I was wrong.

I shouldn't have disobeyed you back then, insisting on marrying that animal, Leonardo.

There was a two-second silence on the other end, followed by a heavy sigh, and then the distinct thud of a cane hitting the ground.

Just come back! Its good that youre back! The Franklin family doors are always open for you.

Did Leonardo hurt you? I knew that mean-looking boy couldnt be trusted!

Yes. I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, and my eyes became cold and sharp.

Grandpa, I want Leonardo to lose everything, to be utterly disgraced. I want him to kneel, begging for death but unable to find it.

Good! Grandpas voice was firm and powerful, carrying the authority of a superior.

Anyone who dares to bully my granddaughter, Spencer's granddaughter, Ill make their whole family pay! Its time for a shake-up in Las Vegas!

Mr. Harrison will contact you in ten minutes. Just tell him what you need to do.

All of the Franklin familys resources are at your disposal!

After hanging up, I felt the five-year-long burden on my heart finally lift.

Leonardo thought I was a soft touch, easy to manipulate.

He had no idea that sixty percent of the dark shares in his proudly built Leonardo Group were under my name, Arias!

He was only able to sit securely in the CEOs chair because I had been secretly controlling the capital behind the scenes.

With just one word from me, his commercial empire would collapse tomorrow.

But I didn't want him to die too easily.

I wanted to watch him bleed out slowly, to see everything he owned turn into smoke, making him experience true despair.