The Kneeling Billionaire

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Everyone thought Susie Summers was a pushover.

She'd been married to Henry Ziegler for three years working for him at the office by day, serving him in bed by night.

Even when she caught Henry fooling around with Lena Hampert right there in the office, the coworkers watching were sure she'd sweep it under the rug like always.

Three years of being ground down had finally broken something loose in Susie. She was done.

But before she could throw the divorce papers in Henry's face, William, The CEO of the Luis Group, showed up. He dropped to his knees in front of everyone, eyes red, begging Susie to come back.

The moment she kicked the door open, Susie saw the most revolting thing she'd ever witnessed in her life.

Henry's tie was crooked. Lena was draped all over him, one strap of her dress hanging halfway off her shoulder. Documents were scattered across the desk, and the air reeked of perfume.

Susie's head started ringing but her hands moved faster than her brain. Her phone was already out, the record button pressed.

"Susie?" Lena reacted first, shrieking and stumbling backward, making a show of pulling up her strap. But her eyes were gleaming with satisfaction.

Henry turned around. His expression shifted then curled into a cold smirk. "What are you doing here?"

"Dropping something off." Susie raised her phone and walked toward them, one slow step at a time. "Figured I'd get you both on camera. So you won't forget how pathetic you looked."

Her voice was completely calm. Calm enough to surprise even herself. Three years she'd stood up with this man. Today, she didn't have to anymore.

Henry lunged for the phone. Susie stepped back, and with her other hand pulled a folded letter from her bag and snapped it against his chest.

"Sign it. And expect divorce papers from my lawyer."

Henry stared down at the letter. Then he let out a short, sharp laugh. "You? Quit? Divorce me? Susie, have you lost your mind? You got this job through my connections. You think you can survive without me?"

Lena sauntered over then, dabbing at her eyes, her voice dripping with fake innocence. "Sis, you've got it all wrong. Henry and I were just going over some work stuff"

"Shut up." Susie cut her off, her tone was ice cold. "Call me that one more time and I'll make you regret it."

Lena's face went pale. Then the tears started falling, and she spun toward Henry. "She's being so mean to me..."

Henry exploded. He grabbed the resignation letter and tore it apart, throwing the pieces at Susie's face. "You've got some nerve! You're useless all you do is cause scenes and embarrass me. If you walk out that door, you leave with absolutely nothing. And don't think for a second you'll get anywhere near the kids!"

Susie smiled.

It was a cold smile. Cold all the way through. For three years she had put up with everything the cooking, cleaning, raising the kids, pulling late nights, getting belittled and pushed aside all because Henry introduced her as "my wife." She had shrunk herself into nothing more than his accessory.

But not today.

"I'm taking the kids," Susie said, word by word. "And you're not getting your hands on everything we have. And what you two just did in here? Everyone's going to know about it."

"You're threatening me?" Henry grabbed a mug off the desk and hurled it to the floor. Glass exploded across the tile. "You think I won't have security drag you out of here right now?"

Susie didn't flinch. She just held her phone up higher. The footage on the screen was crystal clear.

Out in the hallway, a crowd had gathered. Coworkers were craning their necks, their faces a mix of amusement and nosiness. Not one of them stepped forward.

Susie wasn't surprised. They'd been waiting for her to fall on her face ever since her first day here.

"Susie, just let it go." Lena's voice softened into something sweet and poisonous. "Henry has been so good to you. Aren't you grateful? The only one looking bad right now is you."

Susie turned to look at her, eyes sharp. "Cut the innocent act, Lena. You weren't worried about looking bad three years ago when you crawled into Henry's bed, were you?"

"That's a lie!" Lena screamed. "That never happened!"

"Didn't it?" Susie laughed, lifting the phone. "The angle on this is pretty clear. Want me to send it to the whole company and let everyone decide?"

Lena went pale as a sheet of paper and threw herself at Henry, sobbing harder than ever.

Henry was shaking with rage, opening his mouth to lay into Susie when a sudden ripple moved through the crowd.

"Mr. Luis is here!"

Everyone stepped back at once, parting like a wave.

Susie looked up.

William was walking down the corridor toward them. His suit was immaculate. His expression was dark the kind of dark that settles in right before a storm. His gaze swept past everyone in the room and landed directly on her.

Susie's heart slammed against her ribs.

Williamher college crush, the boy who once said, "Susie, wait for me. I'll come back and marry you"was now the CEO of the Luis Group. And her direct boss.

She never thought their paths would cross again.

"What's going on here?" William stepped into the doorway, his voice was dangerously low.

Henry instantly slapped on a smile. "Mr. Luis, it's nothingjust family stuff, me and my wife"

Susie didn't let him finish. She held her phone out to William.

"Mr. Luis. This is the evidence."

William looked down at the screen. The footage showed Henry and Lena tangled togethertoo disgusting to describe.

His expression darkened with every passing second. His fingers tightened around the phone until his knuckles went white.

The office fell into an eerie silence. You could hear everyone breathing.

Henry scrambled to explain. "Mr. Luis, don't listen to hershe just wants to get back at me"

"Shut up." William raised his head, his voice cold as ice. "Henry. Lena. You're both fired."

"What?"

Henry and Lena stared, the color draining completely from their faces.

"Mr. Luis, you can't do this!" Henry blurted out. "She's my wife! She's my wife! Don't let her fool you!"

William didn't even look at him. His gaze shifted back to Susie.

Then, in front of everyone, he dropped to one knee.

The moment William went down on one knee, the entire office seemed to freeze.

Everyone went still. The panic on Henry's face hadn't even faded before it twisted into a sneer. Lena's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head. The executives crowded at the doorway turned to stonesome of them forgot to breathe.

"Mr. Luis, are you insane?" Henry's voice cracked. "Kneeling for her? She's nothing! A washed-up, worn-out wife who lived off my charity!"

William didn't acknowledge him. He looked up, his gaze locked on Susieeyes full of emotions. Guilt. Tenderness. And something deeper, something that looked like obsession.

"Don't go." His voice was quiet. But every word hit like a hammer.

Susie's eyes went red. She bit down hard on her lip, her hands balling into fists at her sides, fingernails digging into her palms. The pain kept her grounded.

"William, get up." Her voice was shaking.

"I'm not getting up." He didn't move. His back stayed perfectly straight. "Three years ago, I wasn't in a position to do this. Today I am. Susieif you resign, I'll stay right here on my knee until you change your mind."

Henry shoved forward and jabbed a finger in Susie's face. "You skank seducing my boss! I knew something was off with all that overtime you were pulling! Now it makes sense! You've been sleeping with Mr. Luis this whole time!"

Susie knocked his hand away and pulled out her phone, letting out a cold laugh. "Sleeping with him? Henry, are you blind? You had photos of me and Mr. Luis saved on your own phone. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

Henry went pale.

"You kept old photos of me and Mr. Luis for three years," Susie said, her voice raised higher, "just waiting for a moment like this to use against me? That's really something, Henry. You get caught cheating, and your first move is to flip it around and say I slept my way to the top?"

Lena suddenly threw herself at Susie, grabbing her arm. Tears appeared from nowhere. "Sis, pleasedon't do this! Henry just made a mistake, one stupid mistake. Please forgive him! If you won't, I'll get down on my knees and beg you!"

And then she actually knelt, her knees hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Susie looked down at her. Not a single flicker of emotion in her eyes.

"Lena, are you done?" Her voice was unnervingly calm. "Being a homewrecker is your hobby now? You've been hitting on Henry since sophomore year of college. Did you really think I didn't know?"

Lena's crying stopped dead. Her pupils shrank.

"You..." Her lips trembled. She couldn't get the words out.

"How did I find out?" Susie laughed coldly. "Those explicit messages you sent himdid you think deleting them meant they were gone forever? Those monthly allowance transfersdid you really think switching accounts would make them untraceable?"

Lena's face went white as paper.

Henry snapped. He grabbed Susie's arm and yanked. "Shut your mouth! Say one more word and I'll make sure you walk out of this marriage with nothing. And don't even think about seeing our kid."

"Don't you dare touch my child." Susie's voice was slow and deliberate, her eyes cold as a blade. "Henry, I've put up with you for three yearsall for the sake of our child. Today you threw away the last shred of decency yourself. Don't blame me for what comes next."

She pulled her hand away and turned to William.

"Mr. Luis, get up."

William still didn't move. "Promise me you won't quit."

Susie took a deep breath. The tears finally came. She wiped her face, her voice rough and raw. "Fine. I won't quit. But you have to promise me one thing."

"Name it."

"Give me the worst project in the Luis Group. I want three months to claw back every cent Henry and Lena have swallowed over the yearsevery last penny."

William paused for a second. Then a slow smile curling on his lips.

He stood and extended his hand toward Susie. "Deal."

Susie didn't shake his hand. She turned and stared at Henry and Lena, forced an unflattering smile.

"Henry. Lena. Listen closely."

"From today on, it's war between us. I won't stop until it's over."

The office was dead silent.

Henry's face had drained to white. Lena's legs were visibly shaking. Susie's words had cut into them like a blade driven straight to the bone.

"Susie, have you lost your mind?!" Henry forced himself to shout. "I dare you to come after me!"

Susie ignored him. She reached into her bag and pulled out the resignation letter. She tore it slowly, one strip at a time. Each tear of paper rang out sharp and clear in the office.

When she was done, she tossed the scraps into the air. They fluttered down and landed all over Henry and Lena.

"You" Henry was shaking with rage. "You're out of your damn mind!"

"Out of my mind?" Susie laughed coldly. "I've never been clearer, Henry. You embezzled three point four million dollars from the company and laundered it through Lena's account. Did you really think William didn't know?"

Henry's pupils shrank. His lips trembled. "That's a lie"

"And you." Susie turned to Lena. "You've been at the Luis Group for less than two years, and you've already been skimming kickbacks behind Henry's backcolluding with suppliers, falsifying accounts, pocketing the difference. Did you think William didn't know?"

The color drained from Lena's face. "Susie, don't you dare make up lies about me!"

"Make up lies?" Susie held up her phone and gave it a little wave. "Want me to pull up the bank statements, the wire transfers, and your chat logs with Henry and put them on display for the whole company?"

Henry lunged for the phone. William stepped in front of him, his gaze was glacial. "Don't even think about laying a finger on her."

Henry froze.

Lena suddenly burst into tears and dropped to her knees. "Mr. Luis, it's not like thatSusie set me up! She's jealous of me"

"Jealous of you?" Susie crouched down and looked Lena straight in the eye. "Jealous of what, exactly? Jealous that you're better at being a mistress than I ever was? Or jealous that you stabbed your own sister in the back without a trace of shame?"

Lena's skin crawled under that stare. Her sobs died in her throat.

"Enough." William spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a weight that left no room for argument. "Henry. Lena. Get out."

Henry's head snapped up. "William, you'd really fire me? I'm your brother-in-law"

"Brother-in-law?" William's eyes went dark. "You think you deserve that title?"

Henry's face turned iron-gray. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists. "Fine. Fine. You'll both regret this. And let me tell you something, WilliamSusie was pregnant with my child once. You think she's so innocent? She's nothing but a"

SMACK.

A hard slap landed across his face.

It was Susie.

Her eyes were red, her hand still trembling, but she stood perfectly straight. "Say one more word, Henry, and I'll make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison."

Henry clutched his face, stunned and furious. "You hit me?"

"So what if I did?" Susie's voice was ice. "I've put up with you for three years. That ends today. Henry, everything you took from meI'm going to take it back. Every single piece."

Lena scrambled to her feet, shrieking like she'd snapped. "Susie, who do you think you are?! You're nothing but a washed-up"

"Shut up."

William Luis's voice cut through the room. Low. Frigid.

Everyone went still.

He walked toward Henry and Lena, his gaze was as cold as winter ice. "Henry, you owe the company $3.4 million. Pay it back within three days, or I'll see you in court. Lena, every kickback you pocketedI want it all back by tomorrow, or things will get a lot worse for you."

Henry panicked. "William, you can't"

"I can." William cut him off. "Effective today, the Luis Group is officially terminating both of you. Security, escort them out."

Two security guards stepped in from the doorway and grabbed Henry and Lena, dragging them toward the exit.

Lena shrieked, "Let go of me! Susie, you better watch your backThis isn't over"

Her voice grew fainter and fainter, until it finally faded at the end of the hallway.

The office fell silent. There was only Susie and William left.

Susie finally gave out. Her legs buckled, and she dropped into the chair. She raised her hand to cover her face, her shoulders trembling slightly.

William stood in front of her. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking, his voice cracked. "Susie, I'm sorry."

"Don't say sorry." Susie lowered her hands. Her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying. "Your kneeling in front of me just nowpretend it never happened."

"I can't pretend it never happened." William looked at her, his eyes were full of nothing but pain. "These past three yearsI'm the one who wronged you. If I had shown up sooner"

"William." Susie cut him off, her voice eerily calm. "Everything I went through these past three years has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me." William crouched down and took her hand. "I know you hate me. I left without a wordthat was on me. But can you give me a chance"

"A chance to do what?" Susie pulled her hand away. "To forgive you? To fall in love with you all over again?"

William had no answer.

Susie let out a laughhollow and sad. "William, do you have any idea what my life looked like these past three years? Henry hitting me, scolding at me every single day. Lena making my life hell. They even threatened my child"

She couldn't finish the sentence. The tears came before she could stop them.

William felt as if something was being carved out of his chest. He reached out to wipe her tears, but Susie turned her head away.

"Don't touch me." Her voice was raw. "I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity." His voice came out rough. "It's because I care about you."

Susie looked at him, then suddenly laughed. "You care about me? William, where was that when you walked out without saying a word?"

William said nothing.

"Forget it." Susie stood up. "It's all in the past. All I want now is to focus on work, build the Luis Group into something, and then"

"And then what?"

"And then take my child and leave this place." She turned away. "And never come back."

William suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Don't go."

Susie looked back. His eyes were rimmed red.

"Susie, I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness." William's voice dropped to almost nothing. "But these past three years, I never stopped looking for you. When I found out you'd married Henry, I thought you did it to get back at me"

"I didn't." More tears fell. "I married Henry because I was pregnant with your child."

William went completely still.

"I was pregnant. You were gone. I couldn't find you." Susie wiped off the tears. "Henry said he'd marry me. Said he'd take care of the baby. I believed him. And look how that turned out."

William's hand started to shake.

"Where is the child?" His voice trembled. "Where?"

"At home." Susie took a slow, deep breath. "With my parents. Henry never met him."

William's eyes went red. "Susie, I"

"Don't." Susie shook off his hand. "William, I don't need you to make it up to me. I just need your helphelp me grow the Luis Group, make sure Henry and Lena pay for what they did."

"And after that?"

"After that, we're even."

William watched her walk away, a weight sitting heavy in his chest.

Then he spoke. "What's the child's name?"

Susie's steps faltered.

"Susie." William moved closer. "What's his name?"

Susie didn't turn around. But her voice softened. "Willson."

"Willson?"

"Yeah. Willson." Susie turned around, her eyes blurred with tears. "He's the only thing that's kept me going in this life."

William stood frozen, his Adam's apple bobbing, eyes turning red.

"Susie." His voice was hoarse. "Wait for me. I'll build the Luis Group into something bigger and make Henry and Lena pay. And then"

"And then what?"

"And then I'll beg you to give me another chance."

Susie looked at him without a word.

She turned and walked toward the door, stopping at the threshold.

"William, some mistakes can't be forgiven just because you are sorry."

The door closed.

The office fell silent again, with only William left inside.

The moment the door shut, William slammed his fist down on the desk.

Three years.

It had taken him three years to piece together everything Susie had been through.

The day she married Henry, he was overseas closing an acquisition deal. By the time he flew back, it was already the day after her wedding. He went to wait for her outside her office building and all he saw was her, walking alone in the rain with a baby bump.

He hadn't dared go up to her.

He figured she must hate him. Hate him for vanishing without a word, for never giving her any explanation. So he stayed in the shadows, watching as Henry berated her, as Lena humiliated her, as her coworkers isolated her.

It broke his heart.

Then, three months ago, he finally dug up the evidence that Henry and Lena had conspired to drain Susie's family company dry. He caught a flight back that same night, moved as fast as he possibly could to acquire the Luis Group, and took the position of CEO.

He thought that would be enough to protect her.

But she had quit.

William leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling, his eyes stinging.

The moment Susie walked out of the office, he'd nearly lost it nearly rushed over and pulled her into his arms. She was still so thin, still so beautiful. But the light in her eyes had dimmed so much compared to three years ago.

He remembered how she used to laugh in college her eyes curving into little crescents. They'd been in love back then. He'd thought she was it for him.

Then his father got gravely ill. The family business was seized by his uncle. He had no choice but to go abroad and take over the mess. He'd sent her a breakup text, not wanting to drag her down with him. He spent years grinding, clawing for power, until he finally took back everything that was his.

He'd assumed she would wait for him.

Instead, he heard she had gotten married.

William closed his eyes, his fingers tracing the surface of his phone screen. On it was a photo he'd secretly taken of her she was feeding a child, the soft curve of the side of her face was so heartbreakingly gentle.

He suddenly stood up, grabbed his jacket, and headed out.

Susie had just gotten home. She was sitting on the couch with her son Willson in her arms, staring blankly at nothing. He was only two and a half years old but already knew how to say "Mama." His eyes looked exactly like William's.

She looked down at him, and tears fell.

"Willy, Mommy's so tired."

He raised his tiny hand and wiped her cheek. "Mommy don't cry. Willy be good."

Susie pulled him closer.

Then the doorbell rang.

She wiped her eyes and walked over to answer it. The moment she opened the door, she froze.

William was standing there, with a large bag of groceries in his hand, and his suit jacket soaked through with rain.

"How did you"

"I looked up your address." His voice was gentle. "You're living here?"

Susie said nothing. She was renting the top-floor unit in an old building no elevator, dim hallways, paint peeling off the walls in patches. After the divorce, Henry had transferred the ownership of their house, the car, and every last dollar of their savings to somewhere else. This was all she could afford.

William looked into her eyes, his throat felt tight. "Susie. I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"Sorry I didn't protect you." He stepped inside, and when he spotted the child sitting on the couch, his footsteps faltered. "Is that Willson?"

Susie shifted her body to block his view.

"Leave."

"I'm not leaving." William set the bag down and crouched, staring at the boy's face. "He looks just like me. Susie, you can't lie to me."

Susie bit her lip, her eyes burning red. "William, enough. You walked out on me without a single word, without any explanation. And now you just show up at my door you think that makes it better?"

William stood up, his voice was rough. "My dad was seriously ill back then. I didn't want you suffering alongside me. I thought"

"You thought I'd wait for you?" Susie let out a cold laugh. "And while I was waiting, Henry and Lena gutted my family's company. While I was waiting, they told me to get rid of the baby and crushed me under their feet."

William grabbed her hand. "Susie, I know everything. For three years, I've been keeping tabs on it all. I know what Henry did to you. I know how Lena treated you."

"Then why didn't you come back sooner?"

"I was afraid."

William dropped to his knees in front of her, his voice breaking. "I was afraid you'd hate me. Afraid you wouldn't forgive me."

Susie looked at him, tears streaming down her face. "William, I do hate you. I hate you for making me carry all of this alone for three years."

"I know." William clutched the hem of her skirt. "So give me the chance to make it right. Susie, starting today, I won't let you carry anything alone ever again."

Susie looked at him in silence.

Finally, she picked up the child, turned, and walked inside, leaving only one sentence behind. "William, focus on building the Luis Group first."

The door shut.

William knelt outside, listening to the baby's cries drifting through the door, and Susie's choked, trembling voice trying to soothe them.

He clenched his fists, his eyes burning red.

"Just wait, William," he whispered to himself. "Everything I owe her I will pay it back."