An Orphaned Billionaire's Return

Episode1

Every now and then, Lyra Peters would walk from the couch to the window, continuously checking and waiting for her husband to return from work. She had prepared dinner by herself again, but had learnt her lesson. She already instructed the maid not to tell him. Damon wouldn't eat from it if he knew she was the one that prepared it.

That's how much he despised her being. His level of hatred for her was stunning, skyrocketing each day, but she endured and was going to keep enduring.

Was she crazy for saying that? Maybe.

Just maybe. But Lyra believed so badly that it was only a phase, it would soon be over. Damon would come to love her just as much as she loves him.

Looking out once more, there was no sign of him or atleast a sound of an incoming vehicle. She sighed and walked back to the dinning. His food was getting cold, but she was so sure he was done with work at the office. Chancing the clock a glance, it was 10:30pm already. Her eyes grew heavier, she was getting tired and sleepy.

Deciding to sit down and continue waiting for him, she dozed off.

She slept in the living room at the dinning till the following morning, as he never came back. Lyra woke up to stare at the clock, it was 6:56am already and he really wasn't back. This was the point she would get scared right? But sadly, no. Damon was one to stay days, even a week, away from home. Away from her rather. It was Lyra he despised, not his house. So maybe it was one of those days.

She exhaled with a sullen face. Her back ached due to the position she slept in, anyways, she sighed and stood to her feet only to notice the maid clearing the dinning already, ready to place something fresh for breakfast.

"Goodmorning ma'am", she greeted and Lyra nodded.

Almost immediately, the car honk followed. Her excitement returned, all the sadness and ache she felt flew out the window. The maid stared at her and shook her head but Lyra cared less. She just couldn't wait inside, instead, she rushed out to meet with him as the car door opened revealing his handsome self.

Damon Frost — the charming man of her dreams, alighted from his vehicle, but this time in smiles. "He's smiling", she halted, mumbling in somewhat shock.

Don't get her wrong... Lyra just had never seen Damon smile since their wedding party, which she was so sure he had to play pretend.

"He's smiling", she muttered in smiles once again, completely happy with the change even though she obviously was not the reason for his smiles. Maybe a contract at the office or so.. but her happiness was cut short the moment he went round and opened the door for a female that stepped out elegantly.

Her blood ran cold.

"Almost as I remember it", the female said smiling, as she looked around. Her eyes landed on Lyra but she looked away almost immediately as though she saw no one.

"This way", Damon smiled, holding her by the waist as he led her towards the house.

"D..Damon", Lyra tried to call but it only came out in a whisper.

She watched them breeze past her and disappear out of her sight, into the house and probably into Damon's room. A room she was never allowed into. They were married yet had separate rooms. Her head banged loudly as she couldn't grasp what just happened.

Turning, Lyra walked in like a zombie but couldn't find them. Truly they had gone up the stairs. The maid's mocking chuckle reached her ears and her feet felt wobbly. She fell onto the couch for support. A tear dropped but she wiped it off immediately.

"Damon had never loved me". She finally accepted reality. Their marriage was solely business and that was it, but she was okay with his coldness. Being neglected - that she could handle, but seeing him smile because of another woman, was just heartbreaking.

Was she not worth a chance? He had never smiled at her that way or had such affection in his eyes for her.

And the female... Melanie Brooker.

Lyra knew her. She's always been Damon's first love. The very reason he never wanted to marry Lyra, but Melanie left him. Without a word, without a trace.

"How could she just simply walk her way back into his life and he'd accept her, while I've been here, by his side for 15 months, as his wife!!!", her insides screamed in pain and betrayal.

She shook her head and tried regulating her breathing, but the rage within her was beyond suppressing. It wasn't one day. It's been piling up for months and it was about exploding.

In a flicker, she regained composure, anger filling her core as she stormed up towards his room.

"Damon!" She knocked on the door not knowing where she got such confidence or what she was going to say if he eventually opened up. "Damon!!", Lyra should have stopped but she banged even louder. The door opened immediately and her breath hitched.

"What?", Melanie's glaring face popped.

Lyra scoffed and pushed her in, walking fully into the room, Damon's scent filling her nostrils, but there was no trace of him. He must be in the bathroom. She returned her gaze to Melanie, taking slow strides towards her.

"Are you not ashamed?", she sneered, "Do you really go about wrecking people's homes?", but the witch slapped her hard across the face for a response.

"Do you have a home?", Melanie chuckled. "Ah! You were just an exchange for his inheritance. You don't have a home missy", she smirked with a derogatory stare..

It was a direct pierce to Lyra's soul. How dare she?!! She gave Melanie back a heavier measure as she couldn't hold it anymore, but unfortunately, Damon stepped out in that moment. He'd seen it all and before Lyra could speak, the witch held her cheek and broke out in tears.

"She slapped me, twice! And even called me a slut!", she cried into Damon's embrace.

What?!!! - Lyra stared agape and wide-eyed.

Swerving his neck towards his despised wife, Damon's glare alone sent chills down her spine but Lyra stood her ground. She shook her head in pain and anger with a chuckle, staring back up at him and regaining her unexplainable confidence yet again.

"I waited for you all night", her mouth suddenly spluttered.

"I beg your pardon?", Damon arched a brow...

Lyra was already surprised at her own ability to hold his gaze, but somehow, Damon's question only seemed to fuel her anger to say more. And she did... this time with a glare...

"Where did you sleep leaving your wife in this house all alone?! You didn't call, I was worried about you and you return this morning with a female and no apologies?"

Damon was visibly taken aback. Never had Lyra been this bold since he married her, but they had both pushed her to the edge.

"Have you suddenly gone crazy?!! Apologize to her now!!" He yelled and Lyra just couldn't believe the man she called her husband.

"Apologize?", Lyra scoffed..."She slapped me first!"

"Do you really believe that?" Melanie interjected, looking up at Damon, "why would i come here and start a quarrel with your wife?"

"She's not my wife!" Damon spat. "Apologize to her now else...."

"Or else what?!!!", her tears finally fell as she stared at them...

She should be the one in his arms like that!!!

She really had thought she'd found peace and love! A shoulder to lean on! Someone to carry her and care for her in difficulty...not put her in constant misery!

Was she so hard to love? Was she really disgusting to behold?!

She watched Damon - the man she exchanged vows with... the very man she accepted to be her lawfully wedded husband, call the cops on her.... And in less than three minutes, two cops were standing in their living room, cuffing and taking her away.

"D..Damon", Lyra mumbled incoherently with quavering lips.. It felt like her heart was being ripped out. But Damon walked up to her, with rage and sheer hatred glazing his eyes.

"You seem to have forgotten your place Lyra. Rest in there and gather your thoughts together", he voiced. "And never! Never ever call your disgusting self, my wife!"

"We were never married and I know you want out of this hell too. Just hang in there till my old man dies and you'll finally be gone from my sight", he spat.

They took Lyra away without her consent as she looked back to see her husband hugging and consoling another woman...

"How did my life get to this? Not like it was any better in my parents house...if they truly were my parents....They sold me off to him... I was his to ruin as much as he so desired..."

And for three days, Lyra was stuck in jail and pale as a ghost.

Damon instructed them to starve her and he didn't visit.

Not even her parents or siblings showed up. What was she thinking?

Wake up Lyra!

For 15 months, they never called or neared the house to see how she was faring, why would they come now? They were done with her and certainly, she too, she was done with them.

Lyra sat still on the cold floor, staring at nothing in particular. She was so sure she had emptied her tear glands for the day. Nothing more could flow even if she tried to cry now. They weren't letting her speak to anyone... Well she had no one to call anyways...

But who locks someone up with no reason?!!

Wealth!

Damon had that! He had money to do as he pleased! Else

She wouldn't be in here. Wealth birthed power!

"Poor thing", Lyra soon heard a chuckle and slowly, she turned in the direction to see Melanie's disgusting smirk. "For 15 months you've taken care of my baby and you end up in jail for it", Melanie laughed.

"What did you do in your previous life to be so pathetic now?" She tutted.

"I just can't help but wonder how one person can live such a pathetic life. I really would have ended it in here if I were you. There's no hope for the likes of you", she scoffed and threw in a rope.

"A kind gesture", Melanie winked and turned to leave. "Release her", she ordered and turned to Lyra one last time. "I believe you know what to do", she smiled like the witch she was and cat walked her way out.

A cop opened the bars and Lyra could barely stand on her own feet.

She was released and sent on her way. She knew going back to Damon wasn't an option... Not to be considered at all...she didn't need him anymore! She could not go back to a family that sold her either! Lyra was all alone now! She would start from the scratch but how?

She didn't have a cent on her to even grab a bite. She was so hungry and shaky, with no where to sleep or anyone to run to. Yes! Her dear self was one of the very few in the world with zero friends. But she took a step anyways. Wherever her feet would lead her, hopefully to a kind one.

Not knowing how long she had walked, Lyra just kept walking till she got to a cross road. Completely lost in thought and insane, she walked into the road without checking and a loud screech drew her to earth.... sorry... sent her flying out of Earth rather, as her body landed roughly on the hard ground.

"This was it...I didn't need a rope after all.. this was my death..."

"Ma'am??"

"Get her up!!"

All she could only hear were echoes as her eyes captured blurred images of faces hovering over her till complete darkness took over.....