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’
RICHARD'S POVI pulled up outside the police station, a sense of irritation already gnawing at me. Two days since the verdict, and now here I was—about to face my brothers. The same brothers who’d tried to take everything from me. I couldn’t help but wonder how much they had really changed after spending time in a cell.As I walked in, the sight of them was… pathetic. They looked like shadows of themselves—skinny, pale, and desperate. Good. Maybe they finally understood the consequences of their actions."Richard," one of them croaked, barely able to look me in the eye. "Thank you for getting us out."I raised an eyebrow. "Thank me? You should be thanking the legal system for having loopholes. I wouldn’t have lifted a damn finger for either of you."They glanced at each other, clearly embarrassed, before turning their pleading eyes back to me. "Please," the older one, Jonathan, began. "We’re still your brothers. We share the same father, Richard."I had to laugh at that. "Oh, now you
The next day, standing at the entrance of my company’s building, I watched as Jonathan and William dragged their feet toward the restrooms. Their faces were twisted in disgust, and I had to suppress a laugh. Honestly, this was a sight I never thought I’d see—my brothers about to scrub toilets like common janitors. Life had a way of bringing things full circle. I walked over to them, the grin on my face probably giving away just how much I was enjoying this. "Morning, gentlemen," I called out cheerily. They both shot me the same death glare, but I ignored it. They weren’t in any position to intimidate me anymore. They were the ones who needed to grovel now. William was the first to speak, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You really want us to do this? Clean your precious company toilets?" I shrugged, pretending to think about it. "Well, it’s either this or I keep everything, and you two can go back to being broke. Your choice." Jonathan muttered something under his breath, proba