My Darling Ex-Wife Is Unaware I’m Rich

Chapter 2: Turning Point

Max stood outside the grand entrance of the meeting place, his heart pounding in his chest. The tall, steel gates loomed before him, a silent guardian to the unknown world inside. A sleek black car had picked him up and delivered him to this place, deep within the city’s elite district. Now, here he was, standing alone, feeling out of place in his worn-out clothes. His phone buzzed again.

“Enter,” the message read.

Max swallowed hard and pushed the gate open. The gravel crunched under his shoes as he walked up the long driveway. The mansion ahead was nothing like his in-laws’ place. It was cold, modern, with towering windows that seemed to judge him with every step he took.

He was greeted at the door by a butler dressed in a sharp black suit. The man’s expression was unreadable, his demeanor professional. “Mr. Carter, please follow me.”

Max nodded, too nervous to speak. He was led through a series of corridors, each more lavish than the last, until they reached a large study. Dark wood, leather chairs, and a massive fireplace filled the room. Behind a grand desk sat an older man with a commanding presence, the same man who had summoned him earlier.

“Max Carter,” the man said, standing up. “I’m Marcus Thorn. Please, have a seat.”

Max hesitated, then sat down across from Marcus, feeling the weight of the room pressing down on him.

“I’m not sure why I’m here,” Max admitted, his voice wavering.

Marcus steepled his fingers, his gaze piercing. “You’re here because you’ve been living a lie, Max. You’re not who you think you are.”

Max blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”

Marcus leaned back, a small smile playing on his lips. “You are the rightful heir to the largest empire in this city, the Silver Crescent Clan. Your real family’s wealth and power are beyond anything you can imagine.”

Max stared at him, disbelief written all over his face. “There must be some mistake. I’m just Max Carter, a nobody.”

Marcus shook his head. “No mistake. Your parents were part of this legacy, but they hid you away to protect you. Now, it’s time for you to take your rightful place.”

Max shook his head, the words refusing to sink in. “This… this can’t be real.”

The butler, who had been silently standing by the door, stepped forward. In his gloved hands, he held a sleek green card. He handed it to Max with a slight bow. “This card is exclusive to your family, Mr. Carter. Only you can use it. It has been prepared in anticipation of this day.”

Max stared at the card, his hand trembling as he took it. The card was heavy, luxurious, unlike anything he’d ever held. But still, doubt gnawed at him. “How do I know this isn’t some kind of trick?”

The butler smiled slightly, as if he had expected the question. “You can use the card, sir. The account linked to it has been activated with a significant amount for you. You can test it for yourself.”

Max looked from the butler to Marcus, then back at the card. Everything about this felt surreal, like he was trapped in a dream he couldn’t wake up from. But something inside him urged him to find out if this was real. He nodded slowly. “Alright. I’ll try it.”

Marcus’s smile widened. “Good. Go ahead, Max. You’ll see the truth soon enough.”

With the card clutched tightly in his hand, Max left the mansion, his mind spinning with everything he had heard. He needed to know if it was real, if this card was truly what they said it was. He needed proof.

He found himself standing in front of one of the city’s most prestigious jewelry stores, the kind of place he had never dared to enter before. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The store was immaculate, filled with glass cases showcasing glittering diamonds and gold. The salespeople, all dressed in tailored suits, eyed him suspiciously as he walked in. Max could feel their eyes on him, judging him by his appearance—his old jeans, his worn-out shoes, his unkempt hair.

A young woman with a sharp bob and a pinched expression approached him. “Can I help you?” she asked, her tone laced with disdain.

Max cleared his throat. “Yes, I’d like to buy something for my wife.”

The woman raised an eyebrow, glancing him up and down. “Are you sure you’re in the right place? We have a very exclusive collection here. Maybe you’d be more comfortable somewhere… else?”

Max felt his face flush with embarrassment. He held up the green card, trying to keep his voice steady. “I have this.”

The woman’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the card, but she quickly composed herself. “I’ll need to see some identification, sir, because I’m sure you stole this card,”

“No-No I didn’t,” Max stammered.

“I’ll need your ID and also you will need to input the password when I get back,” She looks at Max in disdain.

Max handed her his ID, his heart pounding. The woman took the card and ID, her eyes narrowing as she looked between the two. “Wait here,” she said curtly, then walked away to confer with another employee.

Max could see them talking in hushed tones, their expressions skeptical. One of them picked up the phone, dialing a number as she glanced back at him. Minutes passed, each one feeling like an eternity. Max shifted on his feet, anxiety gnawing at him. What if this was all a mistake? What if they were right to doubt him?

Finally, the woman returned, the card and ID in hand. Her expression had changed, now tinged with a hint of surprise. “I apologize for the delay, Mr. Carter. Everything seems to be in order. What would you like to purchase?”

Max exhaled, relief flooding through him. He pointed to a delicate diamond necklace in one of the cases. “I’ll take that one.”

The woman nodded, her attitude noticeably more respectful. “Excellent choice, sir. I’ll have it wrapped up for you.”

Max watched as she carefully placed the necklace in a velvet box, wrapping it in elegant paper and tying it with a satin ribbon. She handed it to him with a smile that no longer felt forced. “Thank you for your purchase, Mr. Carter. We hope to see you again.”

Max took the box, still in a daze. He had done it. The card had worked. The money was real. Everything Marcus had told him was true. He walked out of the store, the box held tightly in his hand, his mind racing with what this meant for his future.

As he made his way back home, the city lights blurred around him. He couldn’t wait to show Emma the gift, to tell her everything that had happened. Maybe, just maybe, this would change things between them. Maybe she’d finally see him as more than just a failure.

But when Max arrived home, the house was quiet. Too quiet. He frowned, his steps slowing as he approached the gazebo in the backyard. The lights were on, casting a soft glow over the neatly trimmed hedges and flowers. And there, sitting at the table, was Emma. She wasn’t alone.

Across from her sat a man Max had only seen on magazine covers and news reports. James Caldwell, one of the city’s youngest and richest CEOs. Tall, handsome, and dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, he was everything Max wasn’t. The two of them were deep in conversation, laughing softly, their voices carrying through the still night air.

Max stopped in his tracks, his heart sinking. The box in his hand suddenly felt heavy, like a weight pulling him down. He watched as Emma reached across the table, her hand resting on James’s arm, her smile bright and genuine. A smile Max hadn’t seen in years.

Max’s stomach twisted into a knot. He knew what this was. He had seen the signs, the way Emma had been growing distant, the way she looked at him with disappointment and disdain. But seeing it now, seeing her with another man, it hit him like a punch to the gut.

He wanted to turn around, to walk away and pretend he hadn’t seen anything. But his feet wouldn’t move. He stood there, frozen, as the reality of his situation crashed down on him. Even with the money, even with the power, he was still nothing to her.

Max’s phone buzzed in his pocket, jolting him out of his daze. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen. It was a message from Marcus.

“Have you confirmed the truth?”

Max stared at the words, his mind racing. Yes, he had confirmed it. The money, the card, everything was real. But standing there, watching his wife with another man, he realized that money and power couldn’t buy what he really wanted. It couldn’t make Emma love him. It couldn’t change the years of resentment and disdain she held for him.

His phone buzzed again.

“Are you ready to take your place?”

Max closed his eyes, the decision weighing heavily on him. This was his chance, his opportunity to leave behind the life that had trapped him for so long. But it meant leaving everything else behind too—his marriage, his in-laws, the only life he had known.

He opened his eyes, looking at Emma one last time. She hadn’t noticed him. She was too engrossed in her conversation with James, too caught up in the life she wanted for herself. A life that didn’t include him.

Max slipped the phone back into his pocket and turned away, the box still clutched in his hand. He walked back through the house, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallways. His heart felt heavy, but his mind was clear. He knew what he had to do.

Max walked through the front door, closing it softly behind him. He stood on the porch for a moment, the cool night air brushing against his face. The weight of the box in his hand felt insignificant compared to the burden on his shoulders. He looked down at the gift, the expensive jewelry meant to mend something long broken. It seemed foolish now, a misguided attempt to buy back a love that was already lost.

With a sigh, Max slipped the box into his pocket and started walking down the driveway. The mansion behind him faded into the distance, its lights dimming as he moved further away. He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew he couldn’t stay there anymore.

As he walked, his phone buzzed again. He pulled it out, half expecting another message from Marcus, but it wasn’t. It was from Emma’s lawyer.

“Mr. Carter, please contact me at your earliest convenience. Your wife has requested that I prepare some documents for your review.”

Max stared at the message, his breath catching in his throat. He knew exactly what those “documents” were. The divorce he had feared, the final nail in the coffin of his marriage. She had already moved on, already made her decision. The text was nothing more than a formality.