The Billionaire's Vengeful Heiress

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Mom, are you a homewrecker? Weston suddenly blinked up at me as I pulled a fresh shirt over his head.

My hands froze on the cotton fabric. A cold chill slid down my spine. Weston, who told you that?

Right before school let out today, he mumbled, his little eyebrows scrunched together. My teacher said you're a despicable homewrecker. But I'm your kid. So, are you a bad woman who ruins families?

Chapter 1

"Do you know what that word means, sweetie?"

Westons wide eyes were painfully innocent. "No."

I forced my facial muscles to relax into a warm smile. "Well, mommy isn't one. You're daddy's boy, and I'm your mommy. How about we ask daddy about it at dinner tonight?"

"Okay."

Watching that pure, toothy grin, a block of ice formed in my stomach. So, someone couldn't wait to make her move after coming back to the States. I set Weston down on the plush rug in his playroom and signaled the nanny to keep an eye on him. I strode back to the living room, sinking into the leather sofa.

I fired off a text to the private preschool director while waiting for Nathaniel to walk through the door.

My thumb hovered over the send button when the front door clicked open. Asher, my oldest, walked in from school.

I dropped my phone and moved toward the foyer, reaching out to take the glossy shopping bag from his grip. "Asher, you're back. What's this?"

My fingers clamped around the bags handles, but he didn't let go. We stood frozen in the entryway. He opened his mouth, jaw working as if he couldn't force the words out. The realization hit me.

I let go, taking a step back to break the heavy silence.

"Your mother bought it for you, didn't she? My mistake. You keep it."

He stared at the marble floor, muttering under his breath. "She's not"

I caught the tail end of his whisper. "What was that?"

He lifted his head, eyes locking onto mine. "I said, she's not my mom. You are."

I stood paralyzed.

He shoved the luxury bag directly into my chest.

"Throw it away for me, Mom. She forced it on me. I never wanted it."

Before I could process the words, he bolted up the sweeping staircase, leaving me alone in the foyer. Was he embarrassed? I watched his retreating back, the memories suddenly pulling me under.

The He and Zhou families' multinational empires were on the verge of a multi-billion dollar merger of the century. To prove our absolute alliance to Wall Street and our stakeholders, we were forced into signing a brutally ironclad contract marriage. In my generation of the Zhou dynasty, I was the only daughter. My older brothers were already married off, leaving me as the sole pawn on the board.

The He family laid out their cards, too. Their choice was the third son, Nathaniel.

I was only a sophomore at Columbia then. I demanded to finish my degree before walking down the aisle, so we settled for a massive, highly publicized engagement gala. Afterward, I flew to Europe to complete my studies, barely paying attention to the high society gossip back in New York.

Nathaniel played the part of the perfect fianc flawlessly. He showered me with limited-edition gifts every holiday. Whenever I flew back on breaks, he carved out time from his brutal schedule to jet me around the globe. Slowly, he broke through my defenses.

He was drop-dead gorgeous, Ivy-League educated, and fiercely attentive. He anticipated my needs, opening car doors and pulling out my chair. On paper, he was the ultimate catch.

Even my billionaire heiress best friend turned green with envy. "Arabella, you seriously hit the jackpot. Your contract husband is practically a runway model. Look at meI'm being forced to marry some bald, fat Wall Street dinosaur."

Right after spitting that out, she tapped her phone and sent a disgustingly sweet voice note, reminding her ancient fianc to drive safe.

Chapter 2

That was the reality of our circle. It was always a union of bank accounts and stock options. Love was a myth for the poor.

On our anniversary, Nathaniel claimed a sudden board meeting would keep him at the office. I sat alone in our ten-million-dollar Manhattan penthouse, watching a lavish dinner prepared by a Michelin three-star chef turn ice-cold.

I ate the meal in total silence. Later that night, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. Nathaniels name lit up the screen.

I picked it up, but the heavy, wet sounds of skin slapping against skin choked the words right out of my throat. Without making a sound, I hit the record button.

"Nathaniel you're going to marry me, right?" a breathless female voice whimpered.

"Of course, baby. You're the only one I love."

"Then when are you going to break the engagement with her?"

"Tomorrow. I'm telling the board tomorrow."

The conversation dissolved into animalistic groans. I pressed the end call button.

Seconds later, my screen lit up with an incoming iMessage from an unknown number. I instantly activated screen record, then snapped a screenshot. In this world, you never leave a single piece of evidence behind.

I tapped the message. A photo loaded.

I slowly sat up against the headboard, saving the image to my secure cloud before pinching the screen to zoom in. I dissected every pixel. Nathaniels hand was locked tightly around the woman's bare waist, their naked bodies tangled together beneath hotel sheets.

He was fast asleep, but his lips were curved into a deeply relaxed, genuine smile. A smile I had never once seen in all our time together. Was she really worth throwing away a multi-billion dollar empire?

Another notification popped up. The sender unsent the photo. Predictable. Good thing I already had the receipts.

A new text bubbled up.

"He loves me. Do yourself a favor and back out of the contract."

She immediately unsent that one too, replacing it with a new strike.

"In any relationship, the woman who isn't loved is the real homewrecker."

I typed out a single, emotionless reply.

"Noted."

I took exactly thirty minutes to compartmentalize the betrayal. Then, I dialed my private assistant and ordered her to clear the airspace for my Gulfstream jet.

Some deals needed to be canceled face-to-face.

The moment the jet's tires hit the tarmac, my phone vibrated with another text.

"We are truly in love. You're just dead weight. He only agreed to the arrangement because of the board's pressure."

I stared at the screen, scoffing at her pathetic desperation. She was screaming like a clown begging for an audience. The harder she tried to prove her worth, the more violently I was going to rip away her delusions.

Settling into the leather seats of my chauffeured Maybach, I dialed my oldest brother, Victor.

"Victor. You've been spearheading the He Group merger, right? Where do we stand on the timeline?"

"We're in the final wrap-up phase," his deep voice came through the speakers. "I'm already setting up the board for the next major acquisition. Why the sudden interest in the corporate side?"

"Nathaniel is sleeping with someone else. He promised his mistress he's breaking our contract tomorrow."

"That son of a bitch. How dare he?" Victor's tone turned lethal. "Where are you right now?"

"Heading to the estate," I replied smoothly, staring out at the Manhattan skyline. "Victor, look at this as a golden opportunity. Prepare the legal team."

"Have you told Father yet?"

"This gives the Zhou empire leverage. Father won't object," I answered, my voice steady and devoid of warmth. "Nathaniel is dead set on backing out. Forcing the marriage now would just bleed both our stocks dry."

"It's much smarter to bleed him for concessions. I get a massive payout, the family gets favorable terms, and we maintain the corporate alliance without tearing the market apart."

"Understood."

I hung up and immediately dialed my father.

"Dad, I just landed back in New York. I need the entire family at the estate tonight. We're hosting a dinner with the He family. I'll personally send Nathaniel his invitation."

It was time to set the trap.

Chapter 3

"Mr. He, it's Arabella. I just landed back in the States for the break. I was hoping to treat you and Mrs. He to dinner tonight. My parents will be there too."

"Yes, I'll let Nathaniel know. Perfect. See you then."

The final move. I opened my phone and typed out a text to Nathaniel.

"Darling, 7 PM tonight. Both families are meeting for dinner at that ultra-exclusive Manhattan private club, the one that requires a billion-dollar net worth just to get past the doorman."

"Got it. I actually have something I need to discuss tonight anyway."

Calling him "darling" made bile rise in my throat. But then I thought about the brutal infidelity clause buried deep in our prenup. The second he breached the contract, I'd walk away with half of his family trust fund. I swallowed the disgust.

The dinner was a masterclass in high-society hypocrisy. Beluga caviar, forced smiles, and the looming shadow of our multi-billion dollar merger.

Across the table, Mrs. He kept nudging Nathaniel to serve me a cut of the wagyu. He sat there like a stone statue. Honestly, I preferred it that way.

But I had a role to play. Setting the stage required a touch of martyrdom.

I offered a soft, practiced smile. "It's fine, Mrs. He. Nathaniel must be exhausted from the office."

God, listen to me making excuses for him. I deserved an Oscar.

Halfway through the evening, Mrs. He pulled me toward the powder room to touch up our lipstick. On our way back down the velvet-lined corridor, my eyes locked onto someone who absolutely did not belong here. Tasha. Nathaniel's pathetic little side piece.

How amusing. I watched her darting eyes scanning the mahogany doors. She was hunting for us. An ultra-exclusive club like this didn't just let strangers wander the halls; Nathaniel must have brought her here before, bypassing the security protocols.

I should thank her. She just handed me another bulletproof piece of evidence for the infidelity file.

I kept my gaze straight ahead, raising my voice just enough to echo off the marble walls as I admired Mrs. He's diamond collar. "Mrs. He, that necklace is stunning. When did you have it commissioned?"

She patted the enormous stones, beaming. "Isn't it gorgeous? I'll have the jeweler fly in from Geneva to custom design one for you, Arabella."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly accept something so lavish."

"Nonsense," she insisted, linking her arm through mine. "You are the future Mrs. He. You deserve nothing but the absolute best."

At the corner, I cast a quick glance over my shoulder. Tasha was trailing us like a stray dog. When we re-entered our private dining suite, I deliberately let the heavy oak door remain a crack open. The show was about to start.

The moment I sank back into my leather chair, Mr. He raised his crystal glass, pivoting the conversation toward pushing our wedding date forward, seamlessly tying it into the finalization of our corporate merger.

My father swirled his bourbon, offering a diplomatic chuckle. "Let's leave the timeline to the kids. As for the merger, I've completely handed the reins over to Victor." He gestured toward my oldest brother across the table.

"Victor, why don't you fill Mr. He in on the final projections?"

Victor leaned back, his custom Tom Ford suit stretching across his broad shoulders. His voice cut through the room, loud and utterly stripped of pleasantries. "I don't think that's necessary. Whether this merger actually goes through is entirely up in the air right now."

He locked a predatory stare on his target. "Isn't that right, Nathaniel?"

The fabricated harmony instantly shattered.

The temperature in the room plummeted as every set of eyes snapped to Nathaniel, waiting for a rational explanation.

Nathaniel opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. I watched the muscle in his jaw tick frantically. Beneath the white linen tablecloth, his knuckles gripped his napkin so tight they turned ghost-white.

Victor didn't let him breathe. "What's the matter? Aren't you going to introduce us to your new girlfriend?"

I quickly leaned in, playing the perfect, oblivious fiance to the hilt. "Victor, what are you talking about? Stop teasing him. I'm right here."

"We're perfectly fine. The wedding is on track for right after my graduation"

Nathaniel's sister-in-law chimed in, desperate to smooth over the tension. "Exactly, they are rock solid. Just the other week, I saw Nathaniel finalizing a custom diamond at the Bulgari flagship. It was absolutely blinding."

"Come on, Nathaniel, show Arabella."

Chapter 4

Oh? So he and Tasha had already reached the proposal stage? They moved fast. Time to pour gas on the fire.

"Really, darling? I would love to see it."

I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hands with wide, expectant eyes. Inside, I was laughing. Take it out then, you piece of trash. You can't.

I just saw the rock flashing on Tasha's finger.

A suffocating two-minute silence smothered the table as Nathaniel's hands remained frozen on his lap. I glanced at my father. The muscle in his jaw clenched, his expression darkening, but he kept his composure.

Was he furious out of fatherly love for me? Barely. The Zhou patriarch only cared about one thing: respect. Nathaniel publicly disrespecting me meant disrespecting the Zhou empire.

My father felt humiliated by a junior executive.

Victor let out a cold scoff. "What's wrong, Nathaniel? Did you already slip that ring onto your little side piece's finger?"

"No. I I just don't have it on me."

Everyone at this table was a Wall Street shark; they smelled the blood in the water immediately. The He family's expressions completely soured. The Zhou empire held all the leverage in this merger. If we dropped them, we could easily absorb another conglomerate.

The He family needed this marriage for survival.

Still not explosive enough? Let's turn up the heat.

I feigned innocence, delivering the fatal strike. "Darling, you mentioned on the phone earlier that you had an announcement to make tonight. Is it about our wedding date?"

Nathaniel shot out of his chair. He stared at his expensive Italian loafers. "I Arabella I"

Tasha suddenly slammed open the suite's ornate French double doors. She deliberately brushed aside her hair, proudly exposing the cluster of fresh hickeys decorating her neck.

She pointed a manicured finger straight at my nose, her voice echoing shrilly across the room. "Arabella! Stop clinging to him like a pathetic loser! Didn't you know he spent last night in my bed?"

Perfect. The clown had entered the ring. Time to give her the spotlight.

I snapped my head toward Nathaniel, forcing a tremor into my voice. "Is this what you wanted to tell me? Who is she?"

Tasha lifted her chin, practically vibrating with arrogance. "I'm his wife!"

I covered my mouth, eyes wide in absolute disbelief. "That's impossible. Nathaniel and I are engaged. How could he marry you?"

Tasha thrust her right hand into the air. The massive Bulgari diamond on her ring finger caught the chandelier's light, throwing blinding, shattered reflections across the room. It flashed right in my eyes and illuminated the ashen faces of the He family executives.

I grabbed Nathaniel's forearm, digging my nails lightly into his suit jacket. "Nathaniel, what what is going on? Who is she? I need to hear it from you."

Tasha lunged forward, shoving my shoulder hard. "Back off! Keep your hands off my husband."

Mr. He slammed his palm against the mahogany table. The silverware clattered. "Shut your mouth! Nathaniel!"

"I don't care who this gold digger is, have security drag her out right now! Arabella is the only daughter-in-law recognized by this family, not this lying trash."

Frankly, his father was being too polite. I had a much simpler word for her: homewrecker.

Nathaniel met his father's murderous glare, puffing out his chest in a pathetic display of bravery. "Dad, Tasha isn't a gold digger. She is my legal wife. We we already signed the marriage certificate at City Hall."

That bombshell sucked all the oxygen out of the room.

I turned my horrified gaze to Tasha, letting out a perfectly timed gasp. "Those photos you were the one who texted them to me."

Mr. He snapped his head toward me. "What photos? Show me."

I pulled my phone from my clutch with shaking hands. "Just just some of their extremely intimate photos."

Chapter 5

Nathaniel's eyes bulged, while Tasha shrank back, dodging everyone's intense glares. As the phones were passed around the mahogany table, Victor "accidentally" let the recording of their dirty talk echo through the private suite.

The He executives stared at their plates, the silence at the table suffocating. My father slammed his napkin down and stormed out, my mother right on his heels. My older brothers immediately flanked them. Victor stayed behind, grabbing my arm to pull me away.

I forced my eyes to well with tears and let my lower lip tremble.

"Victor, wait. I don't believe Nathaniel would do this to me. I need to stay and hear his explanation. It has to be a misunderstanding."

Nathaniel finally found his voice, standing tall as if he were starring in his own romantic tragedy. "Arabella, I'm serious. Stop wasting your feelings on me. I'm sorry, but I only feel truly free when I'm with Tasha."

"I refuse to be a prisoner to our families' corporate chains anymore. Please give me my freedom. I hope you find your own happiness."

Hilarious. When he was swiping the black cards and enjoying the billionaire lifestyle his family provided, he felt perfectly fine. But the second he actually had to fulfill his corporate duty, suddenly he was a hostage crying for freedom? What a pathetic hypocrite.

I let my shoulders sag, painting a picture of absolute devastation as Victor escorted me out. The heavy oak doors clicked shut behind us. Instantly, the sounds of shattering crystal, a woman's shrieks, and an older man's furious roaring erupted from inside the suite. A waiter passed by us in the corridor.

Gotta keep up the performance.

I dabbed at my perfectly dry eyes with a silk Hermes handkerchief, burying my face into Victors shoulder. Under my breath, I let out a cold laugh. "Alert our top legal team and initiate Plan B. I want him to lose absolute control of this merger, and I want him to pay a massive settlement to keep this scandal quiet."

"We split the payout sixty-forty