Broken to billionaire: A vengeful return

"Kra kra kra!"

The sound of papers, lipstick, and other small items echoed in the room as they tumbled onto the tiled floor.

Desmond Ashford had accidentally struck the bedroom shelf with the thick broom he was using to sweep.

At the top of the shelf sat his wife's bag, its zipper wide open.

The force sent its contents falling out. Desmond bent down to pick them up, but as his fingers grazed over the scattered items, his breath hitched.

His eyes landed on something, it made his vision blur for a split second.

What?

His fingers trembled as he picked up the objects, staring in utter disbelief.

"What???" He shouted, his voice laced with shock.

He blinked. His mind raced. Was he seeing correctly?

His pulse pounded as he rushed to the bed.

"Pa pa pa!" He tapped his wife, Tatiana Lancaster, on the back of her ankle, not daring to touch her elsewhere.

She was still deep in sleep, not knowing what was happening around her.

"Pa pa!" He tapped again, more insistently.

Tatiana stirred, a faint groan escaping her lips. "Uhmm..." she sprawled lazily, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ye... yes, dear?"

She rubbed her eyes, her expression drowsy as she slowly sat up.

Her gaze dropped to the floor. Scattered all around were her personal belongings, her lipstick, documents, loose cash, and other things.

Her eyes lifted, meeting Desmond's piercing stare.

He stood there, his hands raised.

In his right hand was a sealed pack of unused condoms.

On his left were three used ones, hung between three strands of the broom.

Tatiana's heart skipped a beat.

Unused condoms in her bag were one thing.

But three used ones?

And inside her bag?

Her chest rose and fell, but her facial expression didn't care.

Desmond's hands shook.

His heart felt like it was being torn apart.

Three years of marriage.

Three years.

And today was only the second time he had touched her.

The first was thirteen years ago when he saved her life.

Intimacy was a foreign concept between the couples.

Love? It was nonexistent.

So what were the condoms for? And the used ones?

The meaning was clear, painfully, disgustingly clear.

His throat dried up. His lips quivered.

Was this real?

Was his wife truly cheating on him?

"Is this what you've become? A snitch?" Tatiana's voice suddenly cut through the silence, loud and laced with irritation.

Desmond's brows shot up in disbelief.

Snitch? Was that her thought?

Not guilt. Not panic. But anger?

"I didn't search your bag on purpose," he finally said, his voice heavy. "It fell, and I found this."

He shook the condoms again, emphasizing them, waiting for an explanation.

Something, anything, that could make this nightmare make sense.

But instead, Tatiana threw her head back and laughed.

"Ah ah ah!" Her laughter rang through the room, loud and mocking.

This wasn't the Tatiana he had met years ago.

This wasn't the girl who had once cared for him.

Something inside him cracked.

"It's good that you found what you were looking for," she sneered.

"Now, your initiative should tell you that we are not on the same level."

Desmond's mouth parted slightly. Not on the same level?

Sweat formed on his back despite the coolness of the air-conditioned room.

"I don't understand," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Is this the explanation you have for this?"

"Explanation?" she repeated mockingly.

"Explanation, my foot! Ki ki ki!"

Another round of laughter.

Desmond's ears rang.

"Even if house chores are all you know, your brain should at least tell you what condoms are used for," she added with a smirk.

"Or am I getting something wrong?"

Her words sliced through him like a blade.

"Or am I getting something wrong?"

The phrase echoed in his mind, hammering into his soul.

Does it mean she thought there was nothing wrong with what she did?

She didn't care.

At all.

"But do you realize we are married?"

Tatiana scoffed. "Oh! It must be that you cast a spell on me."

Desmond's eyes darkened.

"A spell? And you're just realizing this after three years of marriage?"

Tatiana smirked.

Without a word, she grabbed her brand-new iPhone 16 Pro Max, scrolled through her banking app, and turned the screen towards Desmond.

"Shall we count the figures together?" she said, dragging each word mockingly.

One. Two. Three... Five.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In just one account.

"Can you see now?" Tatiana continued, her voice dripping with disdain.

"A woman worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and still counting is married to a trash like you."

"Trash?" Desmond was amazed.

Desmond clenched his fist. His jaw ticked.

"Do you think you achieved all this solely on your efforts?" His voice was calm.

Tatiana raised a brow.

"And who else?" she snapped.

Desmond inhaled deeply, suppressing the urge to get angry. She never knew.

Never knew that Desmond's secret interference had helped her reach where she is today.

Never knew that he had cleaned up scandals that could have shattered her reputation.

Never knew that he had fought for her behind the scenes, ensuring her untouchable status in the business world.

Yet here she stood, acting like he was nothing.

Desmond swallowed hard.

Tatiana, meanwhile, bent down and picked up a stapled paper and a blue pen from the floor, both of which had fallen from her bag.

She slammed them onto the shelf.

"Here. Sign it."

Desmond's brows furrowed.

"What's that?" His voice was hollow.

Tatiana folded her arms. "Divorce."

Desmond felt like the ground beneath him was crumbling.

"Is this your solution to the matter?" His voice was barely steady.

Tatiana rolled her eyes.

"Since what you know how to do now is snitch on me, it's high time we cut it off."

"So this is all my fault now?"

How had everything turned against him in the blink of an eye?

His mind drifted back to thirteen years ago.

Back to the orphanage.

Back to when he saved a girl from certain death.

The girl who once cared for him.

Who smiled warmly.

Who left him a rare gold pendant as a token of gratitude.

But now, that girl... no longer existed.

Tatiana scoffed. "Can you just sign this and stop looking for what isn't lost?"

Desmond exhaled sharply.

He picked up the pen.

With one final look at the woman he once thought he knew, he signed.

It was finally over.

As Desmond packed his few belongings, he opened his small shelf, letting everything spill onto the floor.

Distress weighed on him like a heavy chain, each link forged from shattered memories.

His heart clenched at the thought of leaving the only person who had once cared for him.

Not long after, the doorknob turned, and a woman in her 40s appeared, it was Helena Lancaster, Tatiana's mother.

"How did it go? Did he accept?" Helena asked her daughter.

"Why wouldn't he? He has no choice." Tatiana smirked.

Desmond paused his packing and turned. Helena stepped toward him.

"How's the compensation my daughter gave you? That should be enough for your entire life." She sneered.

"Compensation? You knew about the divorce? You supported it? I never did anything wrong to her." Desmond's voice was laced with disbelief.

"Ki ki... What do you think a trash like you can do?" Helena scoffed.

"You've been feeding under the Lancasters' roof for years, yet you think you can do something?"

"Is this what I get as payback?" Desmond asked.

"Payback?" Helena snorted, her eyes nearly bulging.

"Ungrateful trash."

Why wouldn't Helena call him ungrateful?

Desmond had lived in the Lancaster villa for eight years, of which he was married to her daughter for three years.

Throughout all those years, his living expenses had been covered by the Lancasters.

If anything, he was the one who owed them.

"Don't mind him, Mom. He just wants to stay here so he won't starve once he leaves." Tatiana added, rolling her eyes.

"Ki ki ki." Tatiana and Helena mocked him.

"Now listen," Helena continued smugly.

"My daughter has leveled up. She's now with Alexander Zack, the eldest son of the Zack Group, who controls the entire Zack empire in Halcyon City."

"Alexander?" Desmond's eyes darkened. "So he's the reason behind this?"

"Yes, and he's nothing compared to you," Tatiana smirked.

Desmond didn't bother arguing with the two clowns.

Without another word, he stopped packing, grabbed the one bag he had already filled, and walked out of the Lancaster villa.

As he stepped onto the street, a fleet of five sleek black cars pulled up in front of him, each worth no less than three million dollars.

One by one, a swarm of men emerged, all clad in sharp purple Armani suits and polished Oxford shoes, exuding power and precision.

They moved like trained soldiers, securing the perimeter while scanning the ever-busy red-light district.

A man stepped forward; he was Nicholas Everstone.

In a deep bow, he greeted Desmond. The others followed as he did.

"Welcome, Young Successor". We are honored to finally find you." Nicholas smiled his expression one of deep respect.

Desmond, still processing the situation, was escorted into the convoy.

His life was about to change forever.

Then, a sudden spark of realization hit him. He recollected long-forgotten memories.

"Olympus Falls. The Ashfords' mansion. Thirteen years ago".

"A car explosion, his mother, Victoria Ashford, was inside, and his brother- Dominic Atticus Ashford.

Flames swallowed the vehicle. The blast sent him flying.

When he came, he was in another city, Halcyon."

Who could have planned all this?

By sheer luck, patrolling officers had found him gasping for air, barely clinging to life, he was dying.

They rushed him to a hospital. Days later, he woke up with no memory of his past.

No mother, no brother, no clue why he was there. The only thing he remembered was his name.

Yet deep inside, he felt an overwhelming emptiness.

A sorrow he couldn't explain. Since he had no known family, he was transferred to an orphanage after his recovery.

"Young Successor...?"

Desmond snapped out of his thoughts. His hands curled into fists.

He thought of who could be behind all of this.

But only one person came to his mind, his Uncle, Spencer Ashford.

Victoria Ashford was nowhere to be found.

His brother, Dominic Atticus Ashford was back at home, but now? He can't tell.

Desmond wanted to reject Nicholas, he wanted to walk away, but before he could speak, Nicholas cut in.

"You are the heir of the Ashford family. We have searched for you for years. It is time for you to take full control of the family's wealth and assets."

Nicholas pulled out a sleek black card and extended it to Desmond.

"This is a Supreme Infinity Card, one of its kind in the entire country. It holds over 200 million dollars."

He continued,

"This is also a VIP pass for first-class and private lounge access, as well as elite shopping privileges at Luxoria Ventures (LV), the most exclusive boutique in the country."

"Zenith Lux is also under your name, Sir. You're the new president of Zenith Lux."

Desmond's eyes widened in disbelief.

All of these, together with being the president of Zenith Lux?

This was too much.

Wasn't it?

In a moment, he was being called "trash" and bullied for not being rich, and in another moment, riches surfaced.

But one thing was certain, he would find out who had been behind everything all those years ago. And when he did, there would be no mercy.

"Would you please follow me, so I can hand you all the necessary documents?" Nicholas asked.

Desmond exhaled sharply.

"Okay, no problem."

Nicholas quickly opened the backseat of the SUV.

"Please, Young Successor"

Desmond hesitated for a moment before stepping in.

As the car pulled away, he thought about the one thing he hadn't picked up-the gold pendant.

But then, he realized that it didn't matter anymore. The reason he once cherished it was gone.

His wife had divorced him.

At the Lancaster villa, the conversation between Helen and Tatiana was not over yet.

"How's your relationship with Alexander?" Helena asked.

Tatiana stood in front of her massive shoe rack, sorting through an array of luxury heels, searching for the perfect match for her outfit.

She was already preparing for an outing.

"You know this is the only opportunity we have to level up the Lancasters' business group and leave the second-class family. If you could marry the eldest son of Zack, then, no doubt, we've got the riches," Helena continued, her voice mixed with a deep smile.

"I know, Mum. We met yesterday. He invited me to an event hosted by Zenith Lux today. I have to catch up with him, we'll talk better about it later."

"Good. I'll leave you to get ready." Helena smiled.

Who would have heard or known someone who partners with the powerful Zenith Lux and does not want to be friends or something more with them?

Zenith Lux is the supreme business body, with its net worth increasing every day.

Its assets are over seven hundred billion dollars at the moment.

This is where all elite and booming businesses must register and pass through before they can thrive.

It was the gateway to power, the validation of true success.

Then, Helena left the room to excuse her.

After she left, Tatiana thought of both Desmond and Alexander.

The former was nothing compared to the latter. Alexander was wealthy to a fault, and Desmond was as poor as a church rat.

Tatiana couldn't believe she had dated such a man for years. There had been many wealthy suitors lining up for her.

Is it Kingsley Wellington we should talk about?

The eldest son of a well-known millionaire family group, the Wellingtons.

The Wellingtons were one of the top wealthy families in Halcyon City, although not as wealthy as the Zacks.

Kingsley Wellington had once wanted to marry Tatiana a few years back, but with the intervention of Lord George, he insisted that Tatiana marry Desmond.

A decade and a few months ago, Lord George had decided to marry Tatiana to Desmond because he saved Tatiana from a mere death experience which she might not have survived if it were not for Desmond's very fast intervention.

He did that to appreciate Desmond for his kind action and felt his granddaughter was in safe hands.

If not for her grandfather, Tatiana would have been with a wealthy man by now.

Damn it!

As she turned to leave, her gaze dropped to the floor.

Scattered among the mess were a few of Desmond's belongings.

The things he had left behind in his rush to leave the villa. Looking at them disgusted her.

Clicking her heels against the floor, she kicked the items aside like they were garbage.

That was when she noticed a gold-carved pendant peeking out from the pile of his stuff.

"Oh my God, did he try to steal my pendant?" Her heart skipped a beat as she bent down, grabbing it for a closer look.

"Ohh... it's..."

Tatiana hurried to her jewelry box, where she always kept her pendant. It was still there, untouched, lying exactly as she had left it.

"Really?" Her brows furrowed, she was confused.

A wave of unease washed over her.

If her pendant was right where she left it, then where did Desmond get this?

Only she and her best friend, Camilla Frederick, had owned such pendants. They had gotten them together that year.

Could it be...? No, impossible.

She had never introduced Camilla to Desmond. They had never met, at least, not that she knew of.

So how could this happen?

As for Camilla, she's the eldest daughter of the Frederick Group. She looks very good and has a captivating figure. She is also from a prestigious family.

Although the Fredericks weren't one of the top wealthy families in Halcyon City, they were still well-known and highly respected for their connections and influence.

So how could she have something to do with trash like Desmond?

It must have been that Desmond had gotten the pendant through dirty means.

First, he was a snitch; next, he stole her friend's pendant.

"Gosh! Very irritating!"

Because she was curious, she ransacked through the rest of his abandoned belongings.

That was when she found something even more unusual, a golden paper envelope.

It was distinct, unlike anything she had seen before.

Carefully, she picked it up with just her thumb and index finger, as though it were contaminated.

With precise movements, she opened it, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the contents.

The letter inside bore an official letterhead-Nicholas Everstone, Olympus Falls.

Her breath hitched.

The message instructed Desmond to return home whenever he wished, to take over Zenith Lux.

Her eyes darted to the details that accompanied it.

A black card granting access to over 200 million dollars, a VIP pass for first-class travel, and private lounge access...

And then, she laughed loudly.

"Ki ki... What a joke! Clown of the year!"

This was beyond absurd.

Nicholas Everstone?

The man who stood at the apex of wealth and power? How could he possibly know "a nobody" like Desmond?

"And Zenith Lux?"

She burst into another fit of laughter, this time around, it almost made her fall, as she staggered as she laughed.

"Uhh ki ki ki"

The sheer ridiculousness of it all. It was almost impressive. A penniless nobody thought he could own something of that caliber?

Does he even deserve it?

Absolutely not.

He must have faked all of this, carefully crafting the details to live in his little dream.

The height of his delusion!

If he had dreamed of being a gatekeeper at Zenith Lux, maybe, just maybe, he could have fooled someone.

But this?

This was beyond laughable.

With a sneer, she tore the paper into pieces, shredding every last bit until it was nothing but scattered fragments in her hands.

Then, with a flick of her wrist, she tossed it into the trash.

She would sooner believe a pig turned into a prince than believe this nonsense was real.

And just like that, she erased the absurdity from her mind.

But there was still one thing that needed answers. The pendant!

She would have to ask Camilla about it later.

For now, she had somewhere to be.

Tatiana glanced at the mirror, adjusting her dress one last time, ensuring every inch of fabric hugged her in the right places.

Perfection was key, and she had mastered it.

Just then, a loud honk echoed from the gate, interrupting her thoughts.

"I'm coming!" she called out, her voice carrying through the room.

Alexander was already outside, waiting to pick her up, his usual confidence evident even from a distance.

Straightening her posture, she lightly dusted her face with her powder brush, ensuring she looked absolutely perfect for the outing ahead.

She stepped outside, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor, exuding elegance and authority.

"Hello, buddy," she greeted, her voice bright yet laced with the charm she knew worked best.

"Darling princess," Alexander grinned, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe, scrutinizing her outfit with obvious approval.

"Always looking good." He smiled.

He stepped forward and opened the car door for her, a gesture she had grown accustomed to from men of his caliber.

Without hesitation, she slid into the front seat.

With that, they drove off to the venue. A new chapter in her life awaited.