The Slumdog Billionaire

Chapter One “Divorce your wife.” Henry blinked, certain he had heard wrong. He looked at Grandmother Woods, her words dripping with venom. He felt a chill run down his spine. Did she really just say that? “Grandma, I don’t understand what you mean. You know how much I love Jasmine!” Henry’s voice trembled, the pain and confusion clear in his eyes. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Grandma Woods didn’t flinch. She folded her arms, eyes narrowing as if she were looking at something beneath her. “If you truly loved my granddaughter, you’d be more than just a failure. You wouldn’t be standing here like a pathetic beggar…. You’ve been nothing but a burden to this family. A useless, lazy son-in-law who hasn’t added a single dollar to our empire. And now, you dare ask for one million dollars? Have you completely lost your mind?” The room grew tense. Henry could feel several eyes boring into him, but none felt as sharp as Grandma Woods’ words. He glanced at Jasmine, sta

Chapter Three His sharp, cold eyes locked onto Henry, and without a word, he gestured for Henry to approach. Henry hesitated, his instincts telling him to run, but something about the man’s calm demeanour held him in place. “You’re Henry, correct?” the man asked, his voice authoritative. “Who are you?” The man didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stepped aside, motioning for Henry to get into the limousine. “Get in. We need to talk,” he said, leaving no room for argument. Henry glanced around, his heart still racing, unsure of what to do. He was desperate, and desperate men don’t have the luxury of asking too many questions. He took a deep breath and stepped inside the limousine, the door closing behind him with a soft thud. Henry sat stiffly in the back of the luxurious limousine, glancing nervously at the man in the black suit sitting across from him. The silence was thick, and Henry, still rattled from nearly being hit by the car, finally broke it. “Who are yo

Chapter Five "I’m so sorry, Henry," Jasmine whispered, her voice trembling as she touched his bruised arm. "You don’t deserve this." Henry smiled weakly and kissed her on the forehead. "Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine." That night, after the argument settled, Henry had no choice but to sleep on the cold floor, as he often did. His mother-in-law had made it clear long ago that he wasn’t allowed to share the bed with Jasmine. Early the next morning, Henry woke up before dawn, his body stiff and sore from the hard floor. Jasmine was still asleep, and he leaned down to gently kiss her forehead. She stirred slightly, smiling up at him. “I promise, Jasmine,” Henry said quietly, “I’ll work hard. I’ll make sure you live like the queen you deserve to be.” Jasmine chuckled softly, still half asleep. “Stop dreaming, Henry. We’re poor, and now I don’t even have an allowance. Grandma cut me off. They’ll never let us live in peace.” Henry hesitated, wanting to tell her about

Chapter Seven Stella’s eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth to fire back, but Stefan quickly placed a hand on her arm, squeezing it gently. “Don’t,” he whispered, his voice tight with warning. “We need this contract with Hexagon. Don’t mess this up.” Stella bit her tongue, glaring at the receptionist, but she stayed silent. Stefan continued to whisper urgently, “If we don’t get this contract, all our investments will be ruined. We’ll go bankrupt. My father assured me that Hexagon is one of his partners for electricity supply, so we should have an advantage. Don’t blow it.” Stella, still fuming, nodded reluctantly. Her bratty, spoiled nature made it hard for her to stay quiet, but she understood how high the stakes were. Without Hexagon, their entire financial future was in jeopardy. Two hours dragged by, and no one had attended to them. Stella’s patience finally snapped. She stood up abruptly and marched over to the receptionist’s desk, her face twisted with anger.

Chapter Nine “I’ve missed you,” he whispered softly, his heart full of warmth. He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, his smile widening. “I feel like something wonderful is about to happen to you, Jasmine. You’re a good and kind soul, and the world will reward you.” Jasmine’s eyes welled up with tears, and she rested her head on Henry’s chest. “You always know what to say to make me feel better.” Henry kissed the top of her head, feeling more certain than ever that their lives were about to change for the better. But for now, he would keep his secret a little while longer, knowing that soon, Jasmine would get everything she deserved and more. Grandmother Woods sat at the head of the long mahogany table in the family’s lavish dining room, her hands trembling as she gripped her teacup. The news was playing on the large TV screen in front of her, but the words seemed to echo painfully in her mind. "Hexagon Consortium announces open slots for new companies to join in