Flash Marriage: Poor Husband Is A Billionaire

"You shameless creature! You didn't care for a decent dowry so you've sold yourself cheap!"

Clothes and art supplies were thrown at Emily Smith, scattering all over the floor.

She sat in the hallway, clutching a faded white canvas bag filled with her belongings, both personal and artistic. A gust of wind rushed through, an old painting board was also tossed away, grazing Emily Smith's face before falling onto the floor, leaving a streak of blood on her visage.

Emily barely had time to cry out in pain, as she hastily gathered her belongings, her tears blurring her vision.

Meanwhile, Sophia Smith continued to chastise: "You've slept with another man, but at the very least, couldn't you have chosen someone wealthy? Who knows, you might've transformed from a lowly caterpillar into a phoenix! Now you're carrying the worthless child of an unknown man, you can't even bring yourself to abandon it, with its father working at a hotel, what future could this bastard child have?"

No sooner than her mother had finished speaking, Emily heard her stepfather David loudly proclaim: "Make her abort and marry her off to the Johnson family's son! Now with her pregnant, we don't know how much dowry we can claim!"

Emily's room had long been transformed into her younger brother, John Smith's, video game room, with only a folding bed tucked into a corner as her sleeping place.

Now, even this last tiny corner had been taken from her.

"So young and already pregnant? She deserves to be kicked out."

"That's right, I heard she was engaged to the Johnsons, who would want such an immoral person?"

The neighbors hearing the commotion opened their doors to watch, pointing fingers and gossiping about Emily.

One sympathetic observer unable to bear the sight remarked: "It's about to rain, and the hallway window is broken. She's so young, staying here overnight, she'll fall ill?"

Enduring the penetrating gazes, Emily gritted her teeth and packed all her belongings into a single suitcase.

"Bang!" The door suddenly slammed shut before her, Emily gathering some of her belongings, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her abdomen had been kicked by her stepfather David and was yet to recover, causing her vision to darken from the pain.

A few minutes later, Emily regained her composure, squatted down, picked up the crumpled medical report from the ground, stuffed it into her bag, then struggled with her luggage down the stairs.

She couldn't just sit there and await her fate.

She had to find a way to survive for herself and her unborn child.

Night had fallen, dark clouds swirling ominously overhead, signalling a heavy summer rain.

"Boom~"

A flash of lightning jolted her, sending an unexpected shiver down her spine.

Ignoring the pain in her body, she picked up her rustic luggage, walking step by step towards the Salaca Hotel.

Her mobile phone had run out of battery and shut down, the money on her had been stolen by Sophia Smith, she was left with no choice but to walk.

The Salaca Hotel was the largest seven-star hotel in the city, located on Financial Street at the heart of the city. Its 88-floor glass skyscraper was a unique landmark of the city.

Walking under the rain for almost an hour, Emily finally reached the entrance, anxiously taking shelter next to a flower bed.

Against the glaring lights in the background, she sat there, drenched and desolate, looking like a pitiful homeless person.

Because he worked there, she would wait. Eventually, he would come out, wouldn't he?

Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long. Emily spotted a tall man in a vest hurrying out of the hotel not too far away.

Emily's eyes brightened, she dropped her luggage and ran towards the man, "James Williams..."

The man, called by name, halted and looked over at her, frowning.

Emily brushed her wet hair off her face with her hand, clutching the test result in her hand, trying to muster a smile, "Do you remember me? Three months ago, we..."

"I remember, what do you want?" The man curtly interrupted her.

Emily was taken aback, seeing the man impatiently checking his watch in front of her, she hurriedly spoke, "I'm pregnant and have been kicked out of my home... The baby is yours, could I stay at your place for a few days?"

Upon hearing this, James's expression, originally cold, turned frostier still, "I'll give you the money, go have an abortion."

"An abortion?"

She opened her mouth, only for darkness to swoop in before her eyes, and then she promptly collapsed.

Upon regaining consciousness, she found herself in a small, unfamiliar room, a thin blanket covering her.

Recalling the fainting incident at the hotel, she jolted up, hastily surveying her surroundings.

The lighting in this place was poor, shrouded in dim, dusty shadows that hinted at an odor of dust and mildew.

"Creak-" a noise echoed.

The rusty iron door was pushed open, and the light from outside pierced in.

Instinctively, she glanced in that direction.

A man, dressed in a suit and shirt, stepped in.

Tall and imposing, his head almost touching the not-so-high iron door.

Despite his ruggedly handsome face, his deep-set eyes were frigid, and an aura of aloofness radiated from him, rendering her a tad jittery.

She was slightly bewildered, a mere servant with such a dominating presence?

Seeing Emily regain consciousness, the man didn't seem surprised, casually uttering: "Awake, are we?"

After a feverish night without antibiotics, her swift recovery was surprising, he thought to himself.

His voice was pleasing, deep and slightly seductive.

She instinctively nodded, observing the man approaching her, a tinge of fear prompting her to clutch the thin blanket tightly.

James noticed her small gestures, reaching out for a paper that lay on the table.

"If you're awake, let's continue discussing the child."

She bit her lip, recalling before she fainted, how he seemed to be planning an abortion for her, a flicker of fear flashed in her eyes.

"I... I want to keep the child!"

"A woman has the right to determine the child's fate, and the father, married or not, has an obligation to provide!"

James Williams, upon hearing this, furrowed his eyebrows, seemingly irritated. He fetched a cigarette from the box, put it to his lips, about to light it, but something occurred to him, and he put it back.

His inky-black eyes lifted, his tone firm, "How can I be certain that the child is mine?"

Hearing this, Emily's unease instantly turned into anger, but looking into the man's tranquil, ebony eyes, as if he was just asking a simple question, she managed to contain her fury.

Three months ago, she had drank too much at her close friend Daisy's wedding, accidentally ended up in his room, and when she woke up, she didn't know how to face him and quietly slipped away.

It was only when dressing herself that she noticed a staff badge of the Salaca hotel thrown on the floor amongst the man's clothes, leading her to conclude that he must be a hotel employee.

A one-night stand, suspicions like these were not out of place.

She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but the memory of that night brought a blush to her face.

The man's physical prowess was truly commendable...

Her voice stiffened: "You saw that night, the faint red...on the bedsheet... As for the child, if you truly have doubts, we can wait until its birth and perform a paternity test."

James, noticing her flaming red ears, seemed to be deep in thought.

Her response that night did indeed seem like her first time.

Based on his investigations, Emily didn't know his real identity, only assuming he was a humble hotel worker.

Her nature was gentle and soft, and it seemed unlikely that she had the gall to deceive anyone.

But no matter who it was, hearing the name Williams could stir small anxieties. To avoid trouble, he had chosen to conceal his identity and continue playing the "employee" with no prospects, bringing her to this dilapidated room.

Seeing his lack of response, Emily continued, "Rest assured, I won't cling to you. But right now, I've been thrown out of the house, so I hope I can stay in your room temporarily during my pregnancy."

If she were to go home, her mother and stepfather would still force her to get an abortion, arrange a marriage with the Johnsons, and demand a dowry to fulfill her younger brother's gaming coach dreams.

She had spent more than a decade under their control and didn't want the rest of her life to be defined as the "one supporting her brother," ruining her own life.

After all, who can let themselves be drowned in their own life?

As long as she had a place to stay, for everything else, she could always find a way.

James glanced at her, stood up, and in a frosty tone, stated: "You want to stay, fine, but you have to marry me."

Upon hearing this, Emily stood momentarily frozen in place.

All she had wanted was a place to live, never once contemplating dedicating half of her life to a man she barely knew.

James lowered his gaze to her disheveled state, reflecting upon the previous night's events.

Before the hotel entrance, Emily had suddenly fainted. He intended to have a subordinate take her away, but unexpectedly his grandmother had intercepted him at the hotel, coercing him into meeting Emily, revealing a piece of pregnancy news.

The old lady was now restless, weeping and compelling him to marry and procreate with Emily. In her final desperate move, she threatened him with her fifteen percent stake in the Williams estate!

This share held an immense influence over the Williams' fortune. James could not forgive himself should any issues befall the family wealth under his watch. Hence, he agreed to marry.

However, he made clear his plan to his grandmother - to take advantage of the pregnancy period to understand Emily's character better.

The matriarch was reluctantly convinced, but James' plan to pretend to be poor to test Emily wasn't a problem. Yet, a show must be played to the end. In their agreement, all his previous income and cards would be frozen. During Emily's pregnancy, he would be given a part of the money monthly, serving as their living expenses.

If not for the shares, he would not have hastily tied the knot with Emily.

The Williams didn't need a child of such uncertain background.

Watching Emily in her silence, James lost his patience, his icy voice dropping: "I refuse to have my child carry the disgrace of illegitimacy."

Emily furrowed her brows: "But..."

"Rest assured, I'll draft a marriage contract with you, after the child's birth we will divorce. During that time, you can live here openly, avoiding interrogations from your family." James cut her off before she could continue.

As long as they had the child, he could tell his grandmother that he and Emily were incompatible, and divorce would be a natural conclusion.

Her lips pursed, a sense of urgency pulling at the hem of her dress.

Indeed, he was right. Even if she escaped now, Sophia Smith would still locate her, and ultimately, she'd be forced into marrying the Johnson heir to provide the dowry.

If she married, she might be able to sever their delusions.

With determination settled in her heart, she nodded heavily: "Fine, I accept."

......

First, post-marriage, they would live in separate rooms;

Second, during the marriage, both parties would retain personal freedoms, with no interference in each other's private affairs, and assets after the divorce would remain separate;

Thirdly, after divorcing seven months later, the man will undertake half of the child-rearing responsibility until the child turns eighteen.

Staring at the stark ink-on-paper agreement, James coldly stated, "One more thing, after you give birth, and we divorce, this house will be yours."

Emily shook her head in surprise, "I don't need it."

Although she was poor, she understood the principle of not taking undue advantage.

"Seven months, can you afford a house with your income?"

The man's chilly, harsh reality rendered Emily momentarily speechless. Indeed, after their divorce, she could not allow their child to be homeless.

Emily bit her lip and declined no further, jotting down the fourth term herself.

After the divorce, the house would be the child's property, and she would contribute half the value to repay his family.

Seeing her elegant handwriting on the contract, he was taken aback.

This woman was either incredibly strong or incredibly foolish.

After reaching an agreement, signed and approved by both parties, they directly proceeded to the registry to complete the formalities.

Everything went smoothly.

Except that James couldn't muster a smile for the picture, leaving a stoic expression on their marriage certificate.

After leaving the registry, they sat in the rented old car, each holding a small red marriage booklet.

She grinned widely, her laughter glistening under the scorching sun.

On the contrary, James casually left his marriage certificate in the glove compartment, indifferent to her joy.

Faced with her radiant smile, he retorted with indifference, "Are you always this delighted to marry a stranger?"

"You wouldn't understand!"

People often say marriage is a woman's second reincarnation.

For her, it symbolized a fresh start, a departure from her family.

Then, she would leave her home entirely.

He curled his lips, his icy gaze unfathomable.

What could a marriage certificate prove? Countless couples grow to despise each other after marriage.

Like his parents, who had been married for decades, yet tormented each other in their matrimonial bonds.

"At the crossroad ahead, you can get off." The man turned his head, his voice concise and curt.

"Okay." She nodded obediently, without any objection.

In the registry, he had mentioned an upcoming meeting and asked her to take a taxi home.

Before she could step out of the car, James seemed to remember something, "Don't bother buying a separate bed, you can sleep in the master bedroom because of your pregnancy."

"And what about you?"

He swerved the car and parked it by the curb, releasing the safety lock, "I'm a man; I'm not that delicate."

She was taken aback.

This seemingly indifferent man appeared... not as bad as she thought?

Exhausted from a day's toil and slightly unwell, Emily reached home, hastily consuming a meager meal before seeking the solace of rest.

However, in this strange place, sleep evaded her. She tossed and turned, a restless captive of her unfamiliar surroundings, caught in a bitter bout of insomnia.

Furthermore, the illness, borne of exposure to a past rainfall, still clung to her, plaguing her with fever in the midnight hour. With the child burgeoning within her, she dared not reach out for random medicines, instead seeking refuge in a warm drink she brewed herself.

She dozed intermittently until dawn, but before she could sink into a restful sleep, her alarm rang, proclaiming the commencement of the work day.

Reluctantly, Emily accepted her fate, bidding goodbye to her bed. After readying herself, she noticed James' untouched shoes at the door.

Had he not returned home?

Could he possibly be at a hotel, working the night shift?

She didn't dwell on the thoughts. After all, this was her first day at her new home, and she was unfamiliar with the local routes. Emily locked the door behind her and rushed to her art studio.

Her workspace was a dedicated cultural and arts school. With its sprawling art studios, piano rooms, calligraphy sections, and more, it could well be considered a hub for extracurricular passions.

The art room was more than a space for teaching children to paint; it also trained them for art examinations. Emily herself had joined to learn painting, but her potential was soon spotted by the headmaster, who asked her to assist her colleagues in educating the students.

This was the busiest time, as several teachers were out for training. She had asked her colleagues to cover for her the previous day, but another day off would mean losing her entire monthly punctuality bonus of 500 dollars.

Emily had previously checked the bus routes on her mobile phone. Her new place wasn't too far from the art room, and there was no traffic on her way. In fact, she arrived at her destination ten minutes earlier than usual.

Upon seeing Emily, her colleague Lily greeted her with a warm smile. "You didn't seem well. Why did you take the day off yesterday?"

"I had some domestic issues to deal with. They're all sorted now. I appreciate you and Daniel for covering for me yesterday!" Emily replied, handing Lily a bag of candy as a token of her gratitude.

Lily accepted the candy enthusiastically, and together, they set about tidying up the art room, gearing up for another bustling day.

The day would be occupied with amateur adult classes, while the evening awaited the regular students, and post-school hours brought in a flood of young children.

In her spare time, Emily found herself contemplating, eventually opening the contact photo of James and sending him a message about her whereabouts, leaving him to arrange his own dinner.

Even though her husband had not come home on the first night of their marriage, she was still a guest in his house. It was only right to at least inform him about her whereabouts.

At five-thirty in the afternoon, when primary school students finish their classes, it was the peak hour at the art studio.

Having just prepared the paints, Emily had intended to wait for Lily to bring in the children. Suddenly, an unexpected visitor burst into the room.

She felt a shove from behind, staggering forward, the paints on her palette splattering onto her dress, creating an unsightly mess.

"Indeed, I had to come to your workplace to find this shameless wretch! You vile creature, daring to run off, learning your mother-in-law's habit of not picking up calls. Who gave you such audacity!" The sharp voice of Sophia Smith rang out from behind, her hand violently yanking on Emily's ear.

Pain shot through Emily, forcing her to grit her teeth. Instinctively she covered her ear, her other hand attempting to pull Sophia Smith's hand away.

But Sophia's grip tightened instead of loosening. Unable to bear the pain, Emily let out a groan.

Lily, who had been talking to the parents outside, returned to find the strange woman who had barged into the classroom. She was taken aback and shouted, "Who are you! Let go of Emily, or I will call the police."

"I am her mother!" Sophia Smith retorted harshly, glancing at Lily before kicking the easel in front of her. Her defiant manner was intimidating, forcing others to back off. "This is a family matter between this wretch and me. It's none of your business. If you dare, call the police on me. What's wrong with disciplining my own daughter?"

Lily was accompanied by several children, all of whom were frightened by this scene and began crying loudly.

Parents at the door, protective of their children, raised their voices in questioning, "What's going on? How could someone just walk in? Is this how an art school should be secured? We didn't bring our children here to be scared!"

"What's it to you if I'm disciplining my daughter?" Sophia Smith, being pointed out and criticized, rolled up her sleeves, ready to confront the crowd.

Emily hastily caught hold of her, exchanging glances with Lily.

Lily quickly closed the door to the art room, leaving Emily and Sophia Smith inside while she went out to calm down the parents and their children.

"Enough, mother!" Emily pleaded, desperation in her eyes. "I won't go back with you! Don't come to my workplace to cause trouble for me anymore."

Sophia was taken aback by her usually obedient daughter's sudden defiance. Furious, she retorted, "What do you mean? I raised you, and now you're disowning your own mother?"

The words hit Emily hard, a pang of sorrow welling up in her heart.

It was her mother who had first rejected her, valuing her far less than her brother. Perhaps it was all because she was a girl...

"I've moved out and even gotten married. Please stop planning to use me to exchange dowry with the Johnsons!" Emily tried to lift her small face, holding back the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Married?! Who have you married?"

"That's none of your business!"

Sophia Smith stood defiantly, shouting, "I don't care about you, a shameless bitch, getting married. Hmph, you wretched woman, if you don't give me the money, I'll chase all of your students out!"

She knew better than anyone how shameless her mother could be. If she didn't hand over the money, her mother was indeed capable of such a threat.

Suppressing the sob that threatened to break in her voice, Emily took out her mobile phone, opened her account balance for her mother to see, "I only have two hundred dollars. If you make a scene and cost me my job, you won't get a cent."

Upon hearing this, Sophia Smith's eyes darted around, finally slackening her grip, having verified that Emily's bank account was indeed sparse. She nodded, a satisfied smile spreading on her face, "Transfer it all."

Emily silently transferred all her money, watching her mother's departing figure with a painful heart.

Blood ties between parents and their kin could not be severed.

She felt as though she was being held in a tight grip by a massive hand, unable to escape her fate, no matter how she tried.

After Sophia Smith left, Emily stepped outside to apologize to the parents, led the children inside, and tried her best to regain her full spirits, ready to start the new lesson.

Fortunately, the children were very cooperative. Although they were frightened earlier, Lily had calmed them promptly, and they were not affected much.

At the end of the day, she voluntarily undertook the task of tidying up the art room. After all, Lily had also been affected by her issues today.

After everything was cleaned and arranged, she left the school of arts, not rushing, not dawdling, just walking away.

Outside the door, a figure watched Emily depart, silently squinting their eyes...

Emily didn't immediately head home after work, but hopped on a bus to the nearby suburb, seeking out a local supermarket.

Seven-thirty. Past the dinner rush, the shelves were filled with discounted prepared food. She meticulously picked through the offerings, loading her shopping cart before heading home with her ample haul.

What she didn't expect, however, was that as soon as she unlocked her door, a figure unexpectedly and without warning barged in from beside her.

Emily was startled and looked up to see her mother angrily staring at a man sitting on the couch, storming towards him with fury.

"So, you're the one who got Emily pregnant, huh!? Did you think that hiding from me, I wouldn't find out where the two of you were living?"

Sophia barked, pulling at his collar.

James, noticing Sophia's invasive gesture, his eyes grew cold as ice, and with a swift motion of his hand, he pushed her off, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.

The action was so unexpected, Sophia didn't have time to react. She hit her head on the coffee table and cried out in pain.

Emily hastily put her shopping aside and rushed to help her mother, "Mother, why are you here?"

Sophia, using Emily's strength to get back up, pushed her away violently.

Emily stumbled back, but thanks to his quick reflexes, James caught her around the waist to prevent her from falling.

Emily looked at him gratefully, a wave of fear washed over her and instinctively, she touched her belly.

Meanwhile, Sophia was furious, she began to curse uncontrollably: "You little bastard! How dare you lay your hands on me? This is not over!"

She gave Emily a stern glance before turning her gaze to James, "But if you marry Emily, we can consider your dowry of $600,000 settled. Otherwise, I will force Emily to sue you for rape!"

Emily's pupils dilated in shock, "Mother! Have you lost your mind?!"

"Shut up! You dare to speak up, you little bitch? Do you think you have any say here?"

A chilly smile spread across James' handsome face, "Go ahead and sue me, let's see how that goes for you."

The oppressive aura emanating from the man made Sophia flinch, her lips trembling, she didn't dare to say anything more.

The contempt on James' face and Sophia's brazen fury were like two towering mountains, stifling Emily, making her feel suffocated.

Faced with her own mother tearing her self-respect to shreds, Emily's expression grew increasingly dim, her gaze turning dull.

Not to mention that night when she herself went into James' room, now she was already married to James, and even carrying his child.

Such audacity by her mother to demand money, it was clear that she had never considered Emily's feelings, nor had she considered that Emily would have to face her soon-to-be husband and their unborn child.

Moreover, they were merely contractual husband and wife...

Emily trembled slightly, whispering an apology to him: "I'm sorry."

She then firmly held her mother: "Mom, I beg you, please leave. As soon as I have the money, I'll transfer it to you."

"What's going on? Did he sleep with you and not pay you? Got married without a dowry? It's already shameful to be pregnant before marriage, and now you want to be a free spirit? Plan to let others sleep with you for free for a lifetime?"

Sophia regained her spirit, recalling the intimidating gaze of that youngster earlier, her face changed, and her words became even more harsh!

Yet, James didn't spare her a glance, his voice cold as he said to her, "If you cannot handle your family matters, I won't hesitate to help you eliminate unwanted intruders."

His words, though offensive, were straightforward.

Her heart tensed: "Mom, this house belongs to someone else. If you don't leave, I'll call the police and report you for trespassing!"

Having said that, she took her phone and opened the dial interface.

Seeing that Emily had started to dial, Sophia was alarmed.

She was just a common citizen after all; she didn't have the gall to get involved with the police over such a matter.

She hastily snatched Emily's phone and hung up, then, with an effort, she grabbed her purse and pushed Sophia out the door.

Seeing she couldn't win over Emily, Sophia eventually gave in.

"Let me tell you this, this isn't over yet!" she spat.

Emily closed the door, then turned to meet James's indifferent gaze. She stood awkwardly in the hallway, motionless for a long time.

The man tilted his head to look at her, slightly lifting his chin, gesturing her to sit.

She took a deep breath, touched her stomach, and sat across from him. She picked up the warm cup on the table, gently took a sip, suppressing the turmoil within her.

For some reason, this James gave her a sense of pressure, as if he was an authoritative figure... Yet, clearly, he was just a servant.

"I know what you're trying to say, but my mother..."

"That's your problem. However, if your family continues to behave in this manner, once the child is born, I will take him away. I won't let my child grow up in such an environment."

Low quality, advantage, offspring as an item to be bartered. Such thoughts swirled through James' mind, his features hardening.

Emily was taken aback, a wave of immense panic welling up inside her. She shook her head instinctively, "Impossible! That's my child!"

"Do you reckon you possess the ability to provide for the child? During the ten months of your pregnancy, I will shoulder all the expenses, but if you can't handle your relationship with that woman..."

James hadn't finished his words when she cut him off, "I can!"

She absolutely couldn't bear the thought of her child being taken away!

But recalling her mother's visage, a hint of pain flickered in her eyes.

James watched her, his expression icy.

When she had faced Mrs. Sophia earlier, her fear was palpable. Even though she had managed to escape from that house, he didn't believe she had completely freed herself from them.

Those relatives, blood-suckers by the look of them, weren't easily cast aside.

When necessary, he wouldn't hesitate to disregard her wishes, satisfy his grandmother, the mere existence of the child would suffice, and who its mother was, didn't matter.