RICHARD’S POVI pulled up outside Amelia’s house, feeling the remnants of the day’s chaos settle into my bones. As soon as the door swung open, Amelia’s grandmother was there, eyes wide with what I could only assume was a mixture of dread and irritation.“Amelia!” she called out, almost tripping over her own feet as she hurriedly summoned her granddaughter. I shook my head, a smirk playing on my lips. “You know, you’re the greediest woman I’ve ever met. I’m here to rescue Amelia from your clutches, not to deal with your petty schemes.”Her face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. “Richard, how dare you speak to me like that!”I met her gaze with a cold, unflinching stare. “Oh, I’m sorry if I’m interrupting your plans. But I’m not here for you. I’m here for Amelia.”Amelia appeared behind her grandmother, her eyes full of determination and a touch of relief. “What’s going on?”I turned to her, feeling a bit of the weight of the day lift. “I’m here to get that marriage certi
RICHARD’S POV The next day, Amelia and I headed to the courthouse to pick up our marriage certificate. We were joined by our families, and Amelia looked absolutely stunning. Her dress was perfect, and I couldn’t help but feel a rush of pride as I looked at her.My mother, who had been quiet but supportive throughout everything, was there too. She gave Amelia a warm hug, and I could see how much it meant to both of them. The atmosphere was light, filled with laughter and happy chatter as we finalized the paperwork.Afterward, we decided to head to the fanciest hotel I’d reserved for the occasion. I had something special planned, but I wanted it to be a surprise. Amelia was all excited about the hotel, but I was looking forward to seeing her reaction to my other surprise.When we arrived at the hotel, Amelia’s eyes widened in surprise. The place was stunning, but that wasn’t the main event. I led her and the families outside, and that’s when they saw it: a massive yacht docked by the h
RICHARD’S POV When I got the call from Chairman Dennis, I knew this conversation was coming. I just wasn’t looking forward to it. The man sounded like he was holding back anger, his voice sharp and short on the phone. So when I pulled up to his mansion and stepped inside, I could already feel the weight of what was about to go down.The butler led me to Dennis’s study. No pleasantries this time—no handshake, no smile. Just a cold stare that could’ve frozen hell itself.“Richard,” Dennis started, his voice thick with disappointment, “I trusted you. I welcomed you into my home, treated you like family. And how do you repay me?”I sighed and sat down, already exhausted by the weight of the conversation. “Dennis, I didn’t come here to betray anyone. This isn’t about trust or loyalty. It’s about—"“It’s about Cathy!” he snapped, cutting me off. “My daughter, Richard. You were supposed to marry her. You made her believe you cared.”“I do care about Cathy,” I said, keeping my tone calm. “Bu
RICHARD’S POVThe next day, my mind was buzzing with two things: Dennis’s threat and the *Ultra Billionaire System*. I’d been given another ridiculous task—spend $6 million in 24 hours. Easy for some, but even for me, it felt like a challenge when all I wanted to do was focus on how to handle this chairman nonsense. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I had to either marry Cathy or face some trumped-up jail time.I shook my head, pushing the thought away. “Forget Dennis for a second, Richard. Focus on the task.”I decided to take a tour of my father’s properties to distract myself. First stop? The mattress company my father owned. A solid business, and one I hadn’t checked in on for a while. If I was going to spend millions, I might as well take stock of what assets I had. Plus, it was a decent excuse to step out and clear my head.When I arrived, the manager was there, smiling like everything was just sunshine and rainbows. “Mr. Richard, it’s been too long! Welcom
RICHARD’S POVAs soon as I got back into the holding cell, I called my lawyer. “Seven million?” he asked, his voice incredulous. “They’re insane.”“Yeah, well, Dennis wants me buried. We both know it,” I said, rubbing my temples. “But we can handle it, right?”“Of course. I’ll get the money together and have you out by the end of the day.”“Thanks, man,” I sighed. “You’re a lifesaver.”“I’ve been called worse,” he said with a chuckle. “Hang tight. I’ll take care of everything.”I hung up and leaned back against the cold wall, staring at the ceiling. I couldn’t help but feel a burning rage settling in my chest. The judge probably thought I would not be able to afford the bail. But this wasn’t about the money—Dennis knew I could afford it. It was about wearing me down, hitting me where it hurt, again and again until I broke. But he’d have to do a lot more than that to see me fold.---Hours later, I was finally out. The moment I stepped through the doors of the courthouse, I felt like
RICHARD’S POVI showed up at Dennis’ mansion the next day, my hands in my pockets, head held high. I was done playing his twisted game. He’d underestimated me, and now it was time to face this head-on.The moment he opened the door, his face soured like he had swallowed a lemon.“Well, well. One day in jail, and you’ve already come to your senses?” He smirked like he had me where he wanted.“Hardly,” I replied, my voice calm. “I came to speak to your daughter. She’s the one I have business with.”Dennis’ smirk faded as his eyes narrowed. “We have business too, Collins. Don’t act like you can ignore me.”I clenched my fists in my pockets, forcing myself to stay calm. “Business? Is that what you call blackmail? I’ve saved Cathy’s life more times than I can count, and yet you still think I’d take advantage of her? I’ve never touched her like that, and you know it.”Dennis scoffed. “Don’t feed me that bullshit, Richard. My daughter doesn’t lie.”“Your daughter’s lying this time,” I snapp
RICHARD’S POVThe call from my lawyer came just as I was tying my shoes.“Richard,” he started, sounding almost hesitant. “About your brothers… Do you still want to set bail for them?”I leaned back, rubbing my temples. My stepbrothers. Every time their names came up, I felt a strange mix of guilt and anger.“No,” I replied firmly. “Leave them there. They deserve to rot for a while longer.”There was a pause on the other end, as if he was surprised by my decision. I wasn't in the mood to explain. They'd screwed me over too many times for me to care anymore.“Alright,” my lawyer finally said. “Just let me know if you change your mind.”I hung up without saying goodbye, slipping my phone into my pocket. Today was already shaping up to be a headache. Dealing with my father's business partners was bad enough, and now this. I shook my head and buttoned up my shirt, trying to get my mind in the game.But before I could even make it to the front door, there was a loud, sharp knock that echoe
RICHARD’S POVThe courtroom was dead silent, the kind of quiet that could make your skin crawl. My lawyer, Anderson, stood confidently, like he had the whole world in his pocket. He took a breath and addressed the jury, his voice clear and sharp. "Your Honor, members of the jury, what we have here isn’t just a case of false accusation. It’s a blatant attempt to manipulate and destroy a man who has done nothing but good for the very people accusing him. This young lady, Chairman Dennis’s daughter, Cathy, has been trying to force my client, Richard Thorne, into a marriage he never wanted."The jury's eyes flicked between me and Cathy, who sat in her chair, her face a perfect mask of anxiety. Yeah, I’m sure she didn’t see this day turning out like this.Anderson continued, pacing in front of them. "When Richard refused her advances, when he chose to stay committed to his wife, Amelia, Cathy decided to lie. She fabricated a story of abuse, hoping to ruin his life. But one thing she didn’