On Valentine’s Day, I accidentally opened my fiancée Seraphina’s package — inside was scandalous limited-edition lingerie. I canceled all meetings, rushed home, and waited excitedly. But she never returned. Then I saw a post from Leo, the college kid she sponsors. His caption read: “She says I’m like a book she can’t put down… one she just wants to fall into bed with.” The photo showed a woman in the same lingerie curled in his arms. Her face was blurred, but I knew her body. It was Seraphina. Furious, I called her. Leo answered, smug: “She’s not to be disturbed. Tonight she’s all mine.” “Tell her I’m her ex-fiancé,” I snarled. “She can collect her things tomorrow.” Then I called my assistant: “Wire the $100 million bailout for the Vances to Croft Enterprises instead. Tell Victoria Croft it’s a wedding gift.” 1 The phone on my desk had rung 108 times before I finally picked it up. Seraphina's voice, frayed and frantic, exploded from the speaker. “Rico Thorne, where is the hundred million? The deadline is today! Without that capital, Vance Industries is finished!” she roared. “Wire the money now! If my family’s company takes even a small hit because of this, you can forget about marrying me, even if you offer a billion-dollar dowry!” I leaned back in my chair, scrawling my signature on the approval form for the hundred-million-dollar transfer to Croft Enterprises. Only then did I leisurely lift the phone to my ear. “Fine by me,” I said, my voice ice. “You!” Seraphina fell silent, stunned. I could almost hear her forcing the fury down, her voice shifting into something softer, something that was meant to sound like an explanation. “Rico, stop fooling around,” she cooed. “I was at Leo’s university yesterday, scouting for talent. I just let him hold my phone for a bit. He’s just a kid, he likes to play games. You’re not taking him seriously, are you?” I glanced down at the investigation file my assistant had just delivered. The cold, hard facts printed in black and white finally killed the last lingering piece of my heart. I let out a bitter laugh. “A misunderstanding?” “You’re obsessed with your privacy. You never even let me touch your phone, yet he can just answer your calls whenever he pleases?” “He’s a fresh graduate, Seraphina, yet you secretly installed him as a department manager in my company. You even threatened my staff to keep it from me.” My voice started to rise, fueled by the memory of the night before. “I opened your package by mistake yesterday. I waited all night for you, my heart full of hope, only to find you wearing that for him, in his bed.” “Tell me,” I spat, my voice cracking with rage, “what part of you is still worth a hundred million dollars?” She gasped, a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. It took her a long moment to piece together a defense. “He—he answered my phone without asking. I already scolded him for it, I promise it won’t happen again,” she stammered. “And Leo graduated top of his class from a prestigious university! He’s a rare talent. I put him in your company to help you secure him, to give him a chance to grow.” “As for the lingerie… that was a genuine misunderstanding. His school was having a graduation party last night. That photo was just a joke. I already made him delete the post,” she insisted. “You’re a man of status, Rico. Why would you get worked up over a college kid?” I glanced at my CFO, who was trembling in front of my desk, and a cold sneer twisted my lips. “Do you think I’m an idiot, Seraphina?” “You said it yourself, he just graduated. Yet he’s pulling a six-figure salary meant for a senior executive.” “And you siphoned millions from my corporate accounts—without my knowledge—to set up a private company for him. A company that’s now actively bidding against mine for contracts!” The anger I’d been suppressing erupted. I slammed my fist on the desk, the sound echoing through the office. “You have three days to return every last cent. Otherwise, I’ll see you in court!” Panic finally broke through her façade, her voice pitching high and thin. “Don’t say that! We’re about to be married, to be family! What’s yours is mine, isn’t it? I was just investing in a promising venture.” “If you’re really this upset, I’ll… I’ll find a way. I’ll make him sell the company. Whatever it takes to make you happy…” I couldn’t listen to another second of her lies. I ended the call. She hadn’t even stepped foot into my family home, yet she was already treating my assets like her personal piggy bank. She had crossed a line, a fatal one. No apology, no excuse could ever fix this. Late that night, I drove aimlessly through the city streets before finally turning toward the waterfront mansion at Azure Bay. The fifty-million-dollar villa I’d bought specifically for us, our marital home. Now, it was just a monument to her betrayal. There was no reason to keep it. I planned to take a few photos and list it for sale. But when I pushed open the front door, a scene unfolded that sent fresh flames of rage licking up my spine. 2 Silk stockings were strewn across the marble floor. A pair of stiletto heels lay abandoned by the sofa. The air was thick with the cloying, sickly-sweet scent of cheap perfume and sweat. I didn’t need to guess what had happened here. My fury simmered just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over as I stalked toward the master bedroom, the door slightly ajar. Through the crack, I saw him. Leo. Dressed in my wedding tuxedo. And holding him was Seraphina, radiant and beautiful in the wedding gown I had commissioned for her. The rage exploded. I kicked the door open with a deafening crash. “What the hell are you doing?” They sprang apart, flustered. Seraphina’s lipstick was smeared, her eyes wide with guilt as she avoided my gaze. But she was the first to recover, stepping forward to break the suffocating silence. “Rico! What are you doing here?” “Don’t misunderstand,” she said quickly. “Leo felt terrible about using your money for his company. He knows you’re busy, so he just offered to help me try on the wedding outfits to make sure they fit.” I said nothing. I just stared, my eyes burning holes into her. Seeing the storm brewing in my expression, she scrambled, turning to Leo and frantically tugging at the tuxedo jacket. “Take it off! Hurry, don't get it dirty.” “Don’t bother,” I bit out. I called building security and had them take the tuxedo he’d worn. “Take this outside and burn it,” I ordered. I threw open the windows, letting a cool night breeze rush in to purge the tainted air. But it did nothing to cool the fire in my veins. My eyes, bloodshot and wild, fixed on her. “You brought him here?” I roared. “You brought him to our home, to our bed?” My shout made her flinch, and her face hardened. “What is that supposed to mean, Rico? I brought him here once. Just once! Stop being so paranoid, so suspicious. You’re making this sound so ugly.” “Besides,” she continued, her voice gaining a defiant edge, “you demanded he return the money, and we’re doing it. It just takes time to process. What more do you want from us?” Her entitled attitude was staggering. It was then that my eyes fell upon the nightstand. Our engagement photo, the one we’d placed there together, was gone. In its place was a picture of her and Leo, smiling in their wedding attire. My portrait had been cut out of the original frame, crudely colored in black and white, and tossed into a corner like a discarded death notice. “Seraphina,” I whispered, my voice dangerously low. “You’ve outdone yourself.” The veins in my temples throbbed. I snatched the heavy crystal ashtray from the nightstand and hurled it at their picture. The frame shattered, glass raining down onto the floor in a glittering cascade. Seraphina froze, shocked into silence. “Sera, look out!” Leo lunged forward, pulling her into his arms to shield her from the imaginary danger. Once he was sure she was "safe," he turned to me, his face a mask of wounded innocence. “Mr. Thorne, I was really just helping try on the clothes. Please, don’t take it out on Sera. If you’re angry, direct it at me.” He then added, a smug little smirk playing on his lips, “As for the photos, it’s just a prank. A modern wedding tradition. You’re from a different generation, so it’s not surprising you don’t get it. There’s really no need to overreact.” My vision went red. In a flash, I lunged forward and drove my foot into his chest. He stumbled backward, crashing into the pile of broken glass. Shards sliced across his precious, pretty face, leaving angry red lines in their wake. “You son of a bitch,” I seethed. “Say one more word to me like that. I dare you.” He cowered, my fury finally breaking through his arrogance. He clutched his bleeding face, his eyes wide with terror as he looked to Seraphina. “Sera…” he whimpered. That broken sound was all it took. Tears welled in her eyes. She rushed to his side, helping him up. The sight of the blood on his face made her tremble with rage. She spun on me, her voice a hysterical shriek. “Rico, have you lost your mind?” “What did he ever do to you? Why are you so obsessed with hurting him? Was it a crime to help you try on a tuxedo?” “If you’re so unhappy, if you have a problem with me, then hit me! Don’t take your anger out on an innocent boy!” “You couldn’t even deliver the hundred-million-dollar payment on time, and I didn’t say a word about it! And now you have the audacity to be angry?” She shoved her face toward mine, challenging me, confident I would never lay a hand on her. I was stunned by her ability to twist reality. I reached out, my fingers curling under her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze. A humorless smile touched my lips. “Don’t worry. I don’t hit women,” I said softly. “But don’t push me. Even a cornered dog will bite.” My words seemed to finally break through her righteous anger. A flicker of fear crossed her face. Before she could respond, I pulled out my phone and dialed my assistant. “Davis,” I said, my eyes locked on hers. “Terminate all partnerships between Thorne Industries and the Vance family. Effective immediately.” “No!” Seraphina’s composure shattered. She began to tremble uncontrollably, her face draining of all color. She knew, better than anyone, that her family’s small company only survived because it was propped up by the Thorne empire. Without the hundred million, and now without my support, Vance Industries wouldn’t last the night. Every supplier, every partner they had, was only there because of me. The moment news broke that we were finished, they would descend on her family like vultures. But her fate was no longer my concern. As she stared at me, her eyes wide with terror, I turned my back on her and walked away without a second glance. If I was right, I’d be reading about the bankruptcy of Vance Industries by morning. However, I had underestimated her. The next evening came and went with no news. I was on my way to a gala at the Grand Hyatt to sign a major deal when a video from Davis popped up on my phone. It was a live feed from the gala. Seraphina and Leo were already there, holding court. “Please, everyone, don’t misunderstand,” Seraphina was saying to a circle of reporters, her voice confident and clear. “Rico and I are perfectly fine. In fact, he adores me.” “The contracts he cancelled were minor, insignificant projects. He has promised that on our wedding day next month, he will personally present me with a one-hundred-million-dollar cash gift and sign over the contract for the Westgate development project.” She beamed, pulling Leo forward. “And this is Leo, the department manager he values most. Please, make him feel welcome.” Her words worked like a charm. The partners who had been on the verge of pulling out were pacified. Even the clients waiting on that hundred-million-dollar order stopped pressing her. They were now fawning over her and her boy toy. I felt the rage clawing its way back up my throat. I slammed on the accelerator, racing towards the hotel. If we were done, I would not let her drag my name through the mud with her lies. 3 The moment I stepped into the ballroom, every head turned. A hush fell over the crowd. Leo, looking as if he’d been expecting me, strode over with a smug grin, a glass of champagne in his hand. Before I could speak, he raised his voice for all to hear. “Mr. Thorne, you’re finally here! I was just about to close the deal for tonight’s big order. I’ll bring the contract for your review once it’s done. Why don’t you go relax in the lounge area for a bit?” His words were perfectly crafted. He was banking on the fact that I wouldn’t make a scene at such a high-profile event. He was trying to paint himself as indispensable, as my trusted right hand. He miscalculated. Badly. I plucked a glass of red wine from a passing waiter’s tray and calmly emptied it over his head. The deep crimson liquid stained his brand-new white suit, dripping onto the pristine floor. “Who the hell do you think you are?” I asked, my voice dangerously quiet. “You think you have the authority to sign deals on my behalf? You’re nothing but a parasite who climbed into my company on Seraphina’s coattails. Don’t get confused and start thinking you can give me orders.” My sharp words hung in the stunned silence. A moment later, the room erupted in whispers. The same people who had been flattering him just minutes before were now pointing and sneering. “He was using Mr. Thorne’s name to network all night. I thought he was someone important, but he’s just Miss Vance’s boy toy.” “This is rich. First, she claims Mr. Thorne is madly in love with her, and now Thorne himself shows up to put her pet in his place. This is better than a movie.” The murmurs grew louder, more vicious. Seraphina’s face flushed with humiliation. She grabbed my arm and dragged me to a secluded corner. She poked a finger into my chest. “Rico, don’t be an ungrateful bastard,” she hissed. “Leo knew you were still upset, so he came here to handle things for you. You can’t just humiliate him like this because he’s an easy target!” “If you keep this up, I’ll—” Suddenly, her phone shrilled, cutting her off. Her expression shifted as she answered it, a wave of panic washing over her face. “Fine. Have it your way,” she muttered, shooting me a nervous glance. She grabbed Leo by the arm and they scurried out of the ballroom. Watching them flee, a knot of unease tightened in my stomach. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. A few minutes later, my phone rang. It was the groundskeeper from my family’s estate. “Mr. Thorne, something terrible has happened. You need to come to the cemetery. Now.” I raced to the family plot, my heart pounding. When I arrived, I was shocked to find Seraphina and Leo there, locked in a heated argument. The old groundskeeper ran to me, his face streaked with tears. “Sir, it’s your grandfather’s grave,” he choked out. “Miss Vance… she wanted this plot. She said it had good feng shui. She wanted to buy it to rebury Leo’s father. I told her no, but she… she bribed the funeral home. They dug up the master’s grave.” “I only found out tonight. By the time I got here, the master’s ashes…” He couldn’t finish, his voice breaking with a sob. He pointed a trembling finger. I followed his gaze, and my world tilted on its axis. My grandfather's urn was shattered on the ground. His ashes—the last physical remnants of the man who raised me—were scattered in the mud, trampled and defiled. In that instant, something inside me snapped. All reason, all control, vanished. There was only a primal, killing rage. I lunged at Seraphina, my hands closing around her throat, squeezing. “Se-ra-phi-na,” I snarled, each syllable dripping with venom. “Those are my grandfather’s ashes.” She had never seen this side of me. Her face went deathly pale as she clawed at my hands, her eyes wide with terror. “No… it’s not like that… let me explain,” she wheezed. “I-I didn’t know it was your grandfather’s plot! You never told me he was buried here! The administrator only called me tonight…” The groundskeeper, seeing the life drain from her, rushed over and pulled at my arms. “Sir, calm down! She’s not worth going to prison for!” His words pierced through the red haze. I released her. Seraphina collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, the terror of near-death still etched on her face. She scrambled backward, away from me, until Leo helped her to her feet. Even then, her audacity was boundless. “Well, what’s done is done,” she said, her voice shaky but defiant. “Leo’s father is already buried here. It would be bad luck to disturb his spirit again. You should just let him have it.” “You’re rich, Rico. You can just find a better, more expensive plot for your grandfather. What’s the big…” SLAP! The sharp crack echoed through the silent cemetery. Seraphina stared at me, her hand flying to her cheek, her lips trembling in disbelief. “You… you hit me?” “You’re not even human,” I roared, my entire body shaking with a grief and fury so profound it threatened to tear me apart. “How could you say something like that?” It took every ounce of my willpower not to kill her right there. I turned away and knelt, my hands trembling as I tried to gather the soiled ashes from the dirt. “Mr. Thorne, I’m so sorry about this. Let me help you,” Leo said, his voice dripping with false sincerity. He stepped forward, and before I could react, he ground his heel into the earth, deliberately mashing my grandfather’s remains deeper into the mud, making them inseparable from the filth. “You’re dead.” The last thread of my sanity snapped. My eyes were blood-red. I grabbed a nearby shovel and swung it with all my might, straight at his head. “Rico, stop!” Seraphina screamed. She threw herself in front of him, blocking the blow. The confrontation had finally pushed her over the edge, igniting a deep-seated hatred for me. All pretense of civility was gone. “It’s just a dead man’s grave!” she shrieked. “Is that an excuse to murder Leo?” “I have had it with you! I have been patient, I have been tolerant, but you’ve worn away every last bit of my goodwill! What is this, do you not want to get married anymore?” I couldn’t believe the monstrous words coming out of her mouth. A bitter, chilling laugh escaped my lips. “You’re right,” I said, cutting her off. “We’re finished. Do you really think I’d pay a hundred million dollars to bring a monster like you into my family?” I ordered my men to exhume Leo’s father’s coffin and had my grandfather’s remains, dirt and all, reinterred. Leo clutched his father’s urn, his eyes red, refusing to let a single tear fall. Seeing his pain, Seraphina’s heart ached for him. Her face contorted with fury. As she left, she shot me a look of pure loathing. “You’ll regret this, Rico Thorne. You’ll regret disrespecting the dead. There will come a day when you’ll be on your knees, begging me!” I paid her words no mind. After repairing my grandfather’s tomb, I went home, emotionally and physically exhausted. I spent days in a daze, planning to settle the score with them once I’d regained my strength. But then Davis hammered on my door, his face pale with panic. “Mr. Thorne, it’s bad! Miss Vance used your credentials to log into your office computer. She didn’t just drain all of Thorne Industries’ liquid assets—she sold our entire portfolio of trade secrets to our biggest competitor. She’s trying to secure a new corporate partner!” “Our old partners are suing for breach of contract. We’re facing catastrophic penalties… We could lose everything. The company could go bankrupt.” Davis’s words struck me like a lightning bolt, shattering what was left of my composure. I staggered back, my heart splintering into a million pieces. For Leo, she had done this. She knew what Thorne Industries meant to me, to three generations of my family, and she had destroyed it without a second thought. I should never have trusted her. I should never have given her my password. Just then, my phone rang. It was Seraphina. “Rico,” she said, her voice smug and victorious. “Your three-day deadline passed, and you didn’t sue Leo. I knew it. You talk tough, but deep down, you still care about me.” “Consider this a small lesson. Take some time to reflect on your behavior. If you do, I might be willing to give you another chance.” “At the wedding next month, the entire city’s media will be there. I expect you to arrive with one hundred million dollars in cash. And you will bring your grandfather’s ashes with you.” “You will then get on your knees, holding those ashes, and apologize to Leo. You will keep bowing your head to the ground until he is satisfied. Only then will I agree to get in the wedding car.” I smashed the phone against the wall. So be it. She had left me no other choice.
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