He Chose Her, I Made Him Bankrupt

To marry the city's most powerful heir, I reinvented my beggar foster parents as respected academics. As a financial anchor, I used my platform to build influence for my mute husband, Lance Sterling, and help him secure control. On our wedding day, Lance pressed the villa's deed into my hands and kissed me over and over. Then I went on a business trip, and overheard him talking to his first love, Eliza Hayes. Fluent. Clear. Perfect speech. "Eliza, you're finally back. I only went through with this marriage to convince my parents. Once I expose her fake background, you can take her place." My blood ran cold. He'd never been mute. He'd known from the start that I was lying. And he'd married me for one reason: to pave the way for her. …… Tina's POV: The airport swarmed with endless crowds coming and going, but an icy chill crawled deep into my bones, freezing me solid from head to toe. Eliza clung to my husband, her voice thick with tears as she whispered, "Lance, this is all my fault. I got pregnant by accident all those years ago. That's why your parents opposed us so strongly. You pretended to be mute for all this time just to marry me... you've suffered so much." My husband, Lance Sterling, brushed a fond hand over the top of her head, his gaze soft with doting. "It wasn't any hardship. It's all worth it, for you and our son, Cole." "He's fine. He's living with my parents. Publicly he calls me brother, but he knows who his real dad is, deep down. You know how it is. I had to play along with my parents' plan to get the family fortune." His voice dropped a little as he continued, "But it's all over now. Tina already helped me take control of the company. I'll inherit everything in a few days, and after that, we'll get our happy ending. The three of us, together at last." It all made sense why Cole always looked at me like I was his worst enemy. That's why he never had a kind word to say to me. I'd always brushed it off before. I told myself he was just a kid who didn't know any better, that he was jealous I'd taken his brother away from him. But now I saw the truth clear as day. He hated me because I was stealing the spot that rightfully belonged to his mother. It felt like a long knife had just plunged straight through my chest, it carved a gaping hole straight through my heart, cold and throbbing with pain. Just then, a fake worried frown tugged at the corners of Eliza's mouth as she said, "You deliberately manipulated her into falling in love with you, and for three whole years of marriage she's worked her fingers to the bone building up your company for you. If she ever finds out the truth, she's going to be heartbroken. Can you really just throw her away so coldheartedly?" Lance's eyes flickered, then he let out a sharp, mocking snort. "Tina? She was raised by a beggar, she's a gold-digging liar through and through. How the hell is she worthy of being the Mrs. Sterling of the family? Besides, I've already given her everything she's owed. What right does she have to be heartbroken?" A lying gold-digger. That was what he really thought of me. A bitter laugh slipped out of me. All the blood drained from my already pale face, leaving it as white as a sheet. Three years of marriage, I'd used my spot as a finance streamer, swallowed my pride, and begged every contact I had to help him get ahead. I'd drunk with clients until my stomach bled, pulled all-nighters going over paperwork until I collapsed and ended up in the hospital. I never once complained. Because I really loved him. All I ever wanted was to see him happy. Every single night, he'd bring me water, rub my sore shoulders, even wash my tired feet. He'd always look at me with so much soft concern for how hard I worked running around outside. I'd been convinced his affection was real. I'd drowned in that sweetness, head over heels. But it was all a lie, every last bit of it. That party two years ago, when one of his business partners harassed me. His face had gone dark with anger, but he never stepped in to help me. I'd told myself back then he was just holding back to seal the deal, to keep the money coming. No. The truth was simple, he really believed that a gold-digger like me wasn't worth him offending anyone over. My lips trembled so hard I could barely hold them together. I clamped down on the searing pain ripping through my chest and turned to slip away. Then suddenly, Eliza's surprised voice cut through my fog of pain, right into my ears. "Tina? What a coincidence, you're here too?"