Billionaire Regrets After Divorce: Searching For Ex-Wife

Ellie woke up with a start; she rubbed her tired eyes and looked at the wall clock.

It was past ten o'clock at night.

Ellie walked into the kitchen, looked at the cold dishes on the table, and reheated each dish; her movements were skillful as if she had done it countless times. While doing so, she thought, "He's coming home late again today."

The phone rang, breaking the quiet night. Ellie stopped what she was doing and walked out to the living room. She looked at the strange number on the phone screen, frowned slightly, but still pressed the answer button.

Without waiting for her to ask, the caller spoke first, "Richard's wife, right? Come here and take him home; he's passed out drunk."

It was a girl's voice, and although she couldn't see her face, Ellie could hear her impatience through the sound.

The girl gave an address and immediately hung up, not giving Ellie a chance to refuse.

Ellie was a little suspicious; something like this had never happened before.

She and Richard got married by accident. That year, his fiancée ran away before the wedding day; he didn't want to lose face in front of everyone, so he found another girl to be the bride; Ellie was the chosen girl.

At that time, Ellie's grandmother had a traffic accident and needed urgent surgery. The cost of the surgery was an amount that a poor person like her couldn't afford. Therefore, she agreed to marry Richard.

Ellie knew this marriage was just a transaction; the two had no feelings for each other, but in her heart, she was genuinely grateful to Richard because his timely appearance brought her a ray of light.

But life was still not easy for Ellie because, in everyone's eyes, she was not worthy of Richard.

Richard Winthorpe comes from the Winthorpe family - one of the five wealthiest families in the country. Since childhood, he has shown outstanding excellence compared to all children of the same age; at the age of eleven, he was exposed to the business world; at the age of fifteen, he completed a major project and was hailed as a business genius by everyone; at the age of twenty, he was able to manage several companies skillfully, had a solid reputation in the financial world, and was a sought-after young businessman; After that, he gradually developed, bringing his name to a new height.

His identity value lies not only in his talent but also in the Winthorpe family behind him. In just a few years, he will officially inherit the family, own a fortune of hundreds of thousands of billions, and become the wealthiest billionaire in the country.

Therefore, the girl who lost her parents at the age of 6 was picked up by a poor older woman who grew up in the slums - Ellie is not worthy of him.

The two are two different worlds; one is in the sky, and the other is in the abyss.

Ellie quickly drove to the address the girl said. It was a famous four-star restaurant in the city. After telling the banquet room number, Ellie was led by the waiter.

The door opened, and inside was an ample space beautifully decorated with many balloons and flowers; the atmosphere was bustling with laughter.

Looking in the direction of the noise, Ellie immediately saw Richard being surrounded by people. They were noisy, cheering in unison: "Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her..."

At this moment, Ellie noticed that it was not only Richard who people surrounded but there was also a beautiful girl beside him.

The scene looked like a successful proposal, and the main couple was cheered by everyone to 'kiss.' Ellie would feel happy and blessed if the male character were not her husband.

It took a few seconds for Ellie to remember who the beautiful girl was. She was so surprised that she froze on the spot.

At this moment, someone in the crowd discovered Ellie standing stunned at the door and shouted: "Who are you? Why did you barge in here?"

The voice attracted everyone's attention, and they looked curiously towards Ellie.

Someone quickly recognized her and said, "Isn't this Richard's wife?"

All eyes turned towards Richard.

Richard frowned slightly; he was also surprised when Ellie appeared here; a feeling of guilt arose in his heart as if he had been caught cheating by his wife. But that feeling only appeared for a second and then disappeared because Richard did not think he was wrong; on the contrary, he felt angry because he thought Ellie was following him.

He asked in a low voice: "Why did you come here?"

The simple question carried a majestic and annoyed aura that calmed Ellie. She looked at Richard awkwardly; her panicked mind made her not know how to answer.

Everyone looked at Ellie with eyes watching a comedy; the gossip did not hide the malice aimed straight at her.

"Oh, what's going on? Richard's wife came here to fight? Does she have the right to do that?"

"How did she know Martha was back and come here? Can she compare to Martha?"

"She was afraid that Richard would return to Martha and abandon her, so she came here to cause trouble. Did she want to embarrass Martha?"

"Don't exaggerate; she is Richard's wife, after all. Aren't you afraid that Richard will be angry with us?"

"What's there to be afraid of? She's just Richard's toy. Now that Martha is back, Richard will abandon her."

"She's just Martha's substitute!"

All the gossip reached Ellie's ears, and when she saw the words on the wall behind everyone, she finally understood what was happening to her.

Martha – Richard's fiancée, who ran away 6 years ago, had returned. The people here were her and Richard's friends; they were holding a party to celebrate her return.

Ellie shouldn't have been here as a substitute, but someone deliberately played a trick on her by calling her here so that everyone would misunderstand that she wanted to disrupt the party.

This was not the first time Ellie had been trapped like this, but it was when Ellie felt the most awkward because a stuntman stood in front of the main character; it felt ridiculous.

Martha took a few steps forward, smiled gently at Ellie, and said softly: "Don't misunderstand; nothing happened between me and Richard. I came back today; he just came to congratulate me a little. Since you've come, stay and play with us."

Today, Martha was the main character, so she deliberately dressed very gorgeously, with delicate makeup, her gestures exuding the nobility of a noble lady; on the contrary, Ellie wore a loose long coat, and everyone could vaguely see that under the coat was a simple nightgown, her face was bare, her hair was messy.

Standing beside each other, the contrast was more prominent; Ellie looked more miserable.

Martha's words seemed to relieve Ellie, but in fact, it was to confirm that Ellie came here to cause trouble out of jealousy.

"No, I didn't know you were back..." Being criticized by everyone, Ellie regained her composure and blurted out an explanation; before she could finish speaking, Richard pulled her out.

The door closed, the crowd's chatter was blocked, and Richard's deep voice rang in Ellie's ears.

"You should go home!"

From the moment she arrived here, seeing Richard and Martha together, being attacked by everyone with insults, discovering that she was trapped but unable to explain, Ellie felt indignant and speechless.

At this moment, Richard showed coldness and impatience, wanting to chase her away; she knew he also believed those people's words. "Listen to me, and I didn't know you were having a party here. Someone called me..."

Once again, her explanation was interrupted by the door suddenly opening, a young man sticking his head out, urgently calling Richard: "Richard, Martha is injured."

Richard's expression immediately changed; he resolutely turned around and entered the room, leaving Ellie with a choked voice.

Looking at Richard's back until the door slammed shut, Ellie couldn't believe it; in the past 6 years, she had never seen Richard look so panicked.

Ellie left with a broken heart and a heavy mood.

Countless times, Ellie had thought about the day Martha would return and Richard would abandon her; she had mentally prepared herself to accept it, but when it came so suddenly, her heart still ached.

While driving home absent-mindedly, Ellie received a call from her mother-in-law – Minerva.

She wanted Ellie to buy her two late-night snacks.

Ellie was used to this kind of thing.

Minerva, like everyone else, hated Ellie because of her poor background. Over the past six years, Minerva had advised Richard to divorce Ellie more than a thousand times, and each time Richard refused, she resented Ellie even more, so she always found ways to torment and torment Ellie mentally.

One of Minerva's typical tricks was to make Ellie run back and forth in the middle of the night to buy something. And, of course, the places she specified were always very far from the Winthorpe mansion.

After nearly two hours, Ellie finally appeared at the Winthorpe mansion with two late-night snacks in her hands. She looked at her watch and sighed, sure that when she entered now, she would receive a fierce scolding from Minerva.

Ellie took a deep breath and entered the mansion to prepare herself for punishment.

Standing at the door, Ellie was surprised because the scene before her eyes was completely different from what she had imagined.

Minerva - who always had a harsh face when facing Ellie was smiling brightly like a gentlewoman. She held the hand of the girl sitting next to her; her eyes and voice did not hide the joy and longing; they looked like a close mother and daughter who had not seen each other for a long time.

Ellie's heart sank, standing rooted to the spot. The sound of their conversation reached her ears.

Minerva, "It's good to you back; I'm really sad without you here."

Martha's eyes were filled with tears, and she said sincerely, "Before coming here, I was very worried that you would be angry with me, but I still wanted to come and apologize to you. I've missed you so much over the years."

Minerva hugged Martha, patting her back like a gentle mother coaxing her child, "I'm not angry with you. In my heart, you're still my daughter-in-law."

Martha sobbed a little, then wiping her tears as she said regretfully, "You don't blame me; I'm so happy. If time could be turned back, I would choose to be your daughter-in-law; it's a pity I missed that wonderful thing. Don't call me daughter-in-law anymore; if Richard's wife hears it, she'll be very sad."

Mentioning Ellie, Minerva frowned, saying disgustedly, "She's just a stand-in; if she weren't Andrew's mother, she would have been kicked out of this house long ago. But now that you're back, Richard will divorce her to marry you."

Hearing Minerva's heartless words, Ellie trembled so much that she dropped the things in her hands.

The sound attracted Minerva and Martha's attention, and they turned their heads to look at her simultaneously. Minerva was startled. Martha looked panicked, but she already knew about Ellie's presence; she deliberately led the conversation so that Minerva could say cruel words to Ellie.

"When did you come back? I'm sorry; we didn't mean to talk about you. Don't be angry." Martha pretended to be embarrassed to explain, but she was delighted in her heart.

Minerva regained her composure and growled, "You dare to eavesdrop on our conversation and even dare to throw my food. Do you want to oppose me? You just came and caused trouble for me, and you're insulting. Quickly clean up that mess and leave; I don't want to see your face."

Minerva's shout echoed throughout the villa.

Ellie's body trembled; she didn't know if she was angry or sad.

"Mother, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I..." Ellie struggled to suppress her emotions and opened her mouth to explain, but Minerva interrupted her.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear any of your explanations. Go away!" Minerva shouted, angry and dignified.

The words that had yet to be said were stuck in Ellie's throat; the resentment surged like a raging wave in her heart, and she had to try hard to suppress the tears from flowing.

"What's going on?" a calm voice rang out. Richard walked down the stairs, his quiet eyes sweeping over everyone, and he felt so tired of these quarreling situations.

"Richard, take a look at your wife; today, she dared to show me an attitude; maybe later, she will dare to sit on my head," Minerva said sarcastically.

Richard looked at Ellie; her eyes were red, but her expression was still strong; this image made him a little moved and heartbroken make he wanted to protect her.

Ellie looked at Richard, wanting to explain, but the resentment had risen to her throat; if she opened her mouth now, she was afraid she would be unable to hold back and burst into tears, so she could only grit her teeth and look at him.

"Richard, let me explain to you." Martha saw that Richard's gaze towards Ellie was strange, and a sense of danger rose in her heart; she quickly grabbed Richard's arm, pulling his attention towards her.

Richard raised his hand to signal silence; he sighed and said, "It's late; let's leave everything for later."

Then he turned back to look at Ellie, his tone commanding, "You go home!"

"Richard!" Minerva gritted her teeth and cried out, she dissatisfied with Richard's handling of the matter.

Richard did not respond, still staring at Ellie, wanting her to leave quickly.

Ellie pursed her lips, carrying her wounded heart, resolutely turned around and left.

She was angry with Minerva but more disappointed with Richard. She expected him to stand by her side, to protect her, but he didn't do that; he didn't even want to know what was happening to her; he just wanted her to leave so their house could be quiet again.

...

In the following days, Ellie didn't see Richard, but still, people could tell her what he was doing and who he was with.

Those people were none other than Richard and Martha's friends. They informed her, but they weren't trying to help her but only wanted to humiliate her through that, laugh at her pain, and see how she would suffer and struggle.

As they expected, she was devastated when she saw the pictures of Richard with Martha. He went shopping with her, helped her move into the new house, fixed her light bulbs, and bought her flowers. Even with Ellie's son Andrew present, they took him to the amusement park and concerts and cooked together in Martha's new house, looking like a real family.

But no matter how heartbroken she was, Ellie did not show it to those who saw her as a joke. They hoped she would go crazy and find Richard to question him, but she kept quiet. They sent her provocative messages, insulted her, and scolded her for being a stand-in; she just read and did not respond to anything. Her life continued on its normal course, except that she no longer saw Richard.

Just like that, two weeks passed.

Today is Andrew's birthday, and like every year, Ellie makes a cake to give to her son. On the way to bring the birthday cake to Winthorpe mansion, she did not forget to stop by the toy store to buy a surprise gift for Andrew.

A little about Andrew: the boy is the result of Richard and Ellie's wedding night. That night, while drunk, Richard mistook Ellie for Martha and had sex with her. Ellie did not intentionally seduce Richard; she resisted very much, but how could a weak girl resist a strong man, 1m90 tall?

In just one night, Ellie became pregnant. She did not know if it was lucky or unlucky, but Andrew's presence caused her six-month marriage contract to be canceled. Richard did not let her take the child with his blood and leave; she could not leave her child behind, so she agreed to stay. However, when Andrew was born, Ellie was only allowed to raise him for the first month, after which Minerva forced her to leave Andrew because she thought that a lowly person like Ellie could not raise a child to adulthood.

Ellie first opposed Minerva because she wanted to get her son back, but all her efforts failed before Minerva's power. It is unknown whether Ellie's feelings for Andrew touched Richard; at that time, he helped her. However, she did not regain custody of her son but was allowed to visit him whenever she wanted. That's why Andrew stayed in the Winthorpe mansion while Ellie stayed in another house.

Andrew was still young, and the Winthorpe family wanted to protect his information, so they did not invite guests; they only held a birthday party in the family. However, the Winthorpe family's business partners sent gifts to show their respect. So, as soon as she entered the main hall, Ellie saw the gifts piled up into a small mountain.

A maid saw Ellie and quickly ran over, taking the cake and gift from her hand.

It was still early; Andrew had not returned from school yet, so Ellie joined the maids, decorating the party and cooking.

Almost everyone except for Andrew and Richard was present at seven o'clock in the evening, so the party had not started.

Ellie could not sit still; every now and then, she looked towards the door, waiting for her son.

Minerva sat on the sofa chatting with her husband; seeing Ellie fidgeting, she could not help but tease.

"Who are you showing that gloomy face to? Andrew will run away when he sees you."

Minerva's husband, Brian Winthorpe, pulled his wife's hand, meaning she should not argue.

Ellie ignored Minerva's words because Andrew's figure appeared in her sight. The boy was holding a robot dog in his arms, with a bright smile on his lips, calling out "Mommy" as he ran towards Ellie.

She spread her arms, hugging the boy. Her heart became warmer than ever.

Andrew raised his head, held up the robot dog in his hand, and said to her childishly, "Mommy, look at it! Miss Martha bought it for me. I named it Nicky. Do you think it's strong? It's also perfect, and it can do a lot of things."

Ellie was stunned because the gift Andrew held in his hand was like the one she had prepared for him. Before, she knew that Andrew wanted to raise a small dog as a friend, but Minerva didn't like animals, so she didn't allow him to raise one; she came up with the idea of giving him a toy dog, but she didn't expect her gift to be the same as Martha's.

She was confused, her eyes darting around, thinking about how to exchange for another gift, she saw Martha and Richard walking side by side.

He was tall; his dark blue suit was exquisitely tailored to hug his figure, combined with a white shirt and an elegant tie. His body reflected success and power, making everyone around him pay attention. Next to him, the girl had a delicate beauty and long, flowing hair. She wore a graceful white dress adorned with simple but sophisticated accessories, exuding a gentle and charming look. They were like an ideal companion, creating a picture full of harmony and understanding.

"Mommy, mommy!"

Andrew's call pulled Ellie's mind back. She quickly hid the disappointment that flashed through her eyes and smiled at the boy, "Nicky is so smart, just like Andrew. Andrew must cherish Nicky!"

Andrew laughed out loud, nodding vigorously, agreeing with Ellie's words. His actions showed how much he loved this gift.

Everyone was present, and the birthday party began.

All the lights in the mansion were turned off, leaving only the flickering light of the candles on Ellie's birthday cake. Andrew closed his eyes and clasped his hands in prayer; no one knew what he wished for, and then he blew out the five small candles in one breath.

When the candles went out, the lights came on, the sound of confetti cannons rang out loudly, and everyone shouted in unison: "Happy Birthday to you, Andrew."

Only on this day of the year did the mansion have such a lively and cozy atmosphere.

Next was Andrew's gift unwrapping. Ellie didn't intend to give him the same gift as Martha's, but the maid brought her gift before Andrew before she could do anything.

When the robot dog was revealed to everyone, the atmosphere was a bit stagnant; Ellie was highly embarrassed and was about to explain when Andrew excitedly said, "Wow, so I have two dogs. This one will be named Lucky!"

Andrew's innocence resolved the awkward situation; Ellie breathed a sigh of relief, feeling happy that Andrew loved her gift.

If Andrew opened everyone's gifts, it would take until tomorrow morning, so he would only open the gifts from his family; the rest would be handled by the maid and arranged in his toy room.

"I want to eat cake!" Andrew said excitedly.

"No! You have to eat dinner before you can eat cake." Ellie reminded.

Martha suddenly spoke up, "Let Andrew eat cake first; today is his birthday; you have to make him happy!"

Andrew ran towards Martha, "Miss Martha is so nice; I like you the most!"

The interaction between the two made Ellie's heartache; she pursed her lips and was about to say something when Minerva's voice rang out.

"Let Andrew eat cake! Can you be a mother and not indulge your child?"

Ellie looked at Richard. She needed someone to stand by her side and protect her, but Richard disappointed her.

He said, "It's Andrew's birthday party anyway; let him do as he pleases for a day!"

Ellie pursed her lips, suppressing her disappointment, and went to cut the cake for Andrew.

Everyone started to eat dinner, but no one noticed Andrew eating the cake until Ellie looked at him; his body had some strange signs.

Red rashes appeared on his smooth skin, it made him itch intensely.

Ellie panicked and cried out: "Andrew, what's wrong?"

Andrew also didn't know what was wrong with him; he felt itchy all over his body, and no matter how hard he scratched, the itch wouldn't go away.

It was visible to the naked eye; every part of his body started to blister, and his face became red and swollen, especially around his eyes, causing his eyes to be obscured, revealing only a panicked look.

The feeling of difficulty breathing began to appear; each breath became rapid and choked; his chest tightened, making it painful to breathe. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and his lips gradually turned purple while his tongue and throat began to swell, creating the feeling of a belt-tightening around his throat.

Andrew's whole body trembled; he felt like he was sinking into a nightmare, unable to control his body. Despair was evident in Andrew's eyes as he tried to call out his mother's name, but the sound that came out was only a heavy, wheezing sound. Everything around him gradually became blurry, and there were only panicked shouts from everyone.