Mr. Sterling, Your Ex-wife is a Famous CEO

"Umm...Uugh.. Aaah..." The voice was breathy, urgent, and way too close.

Arabella slowly lifted her heavy eyelids and for a second, she couldn't tell if she was still dreaming.

The room was dark, the air heavy with alcohol, heat and perfume.

Then another moan broke through the haze.

A laugh. Soft. Intimate. Wrong.

Serena.

Arabella froze. The alcohol she had last night still fogged her head, and for a heartbeat she wondered if she was imagining it.

Her heart stuttered as she turned her head ever so slightly.

Adrian.

Serena.

Serena's figure went down between Adrian's thighs, the soft sheets rumpled beneath them.

Adrian groaned, hands buried in her hair, his face twisted in confused pleasure, like he was caught between sleep and waking, guiding her movements while she took him deeper.

"Adrian..." Serena's voice was soft, deliberate.

Arabella's world tilted.

The bed wasn't a mistake, but their marriage was.

If not for a drunken one-night stand, six years ago.

If not for his father's will...He would never have married her.

Now his father was dead. Their son already five years old.

Nothing was stopping him from his freedom.

Well...Except for a few signatures from her.

She gagged, covering her mouth as she slipped out from under the covers, bare feet hitting the cold marble floor.

The night air cut through her thin nightdress as she stumbled into the hallway.

She pressed her back against the wall, sliding down until she sat on the floor. Her chest heaved, but no sound came out.

Her fingers dug into the hem of her dress trying to stop them from trembling, her long blonde hair scattered over her face.

She couldn't breathe, every sound clawed at her chest.

The urge to scream rose in her throat, but she swallowed it back, tasting salt.

Five years.

Five years since she married him...

...Since she'd vowed to endure anything just to watch her child grow.

And this was what 'enduring' had become.

To think she thought she could make this marriage work. After all, she'd been in love with him long before their one night stand.

Over the years, she did everything she could.

She cooked his meals, ironed his suits, tidied his office, even waited by the door at night just to hand him a warm cup of tea, hoping he'd finally see her.

But instead of appreciating her, he'd snap at her, call her desperate, and pathetic gold digger and even accuse her of trying to gain his affection through pity. Her efforts only seemed to irritate him.

"Serena isn't like you, Arabella. I won't reduce her to a mistress by cheating on you with her while we're still married," Adrian would always say whenever he came back home dead into the nights with lipstick stains all over his shirt.

Arabella wanted to believe him. She believed him. And now this was what she got in return.

He didn't just cheat with her. He did it on their matrimonial bed...while she was sleeping on it.

"Mommy?" Axel's voice was low, unsure as he stood in front of his room.

His brown hair scattered, his eyes tired.

Arabella sniffled, quickly wiping the tears in her eyes as she walked up to him, not wanting him to get closer and hear the disgusting sound coming from her room.

"Axel, dear. Why are you not asleep?"

"I had a nightmare. I was coming to your room." He replied, still rubbing his sleepy eyes. "Mommy, were you crying?"

Arabella wiped her face once again, smiling broadly despite her heart ripping apart. "Of course not, Axel."

As she picked Axel up and took him back to bed, she whispered, "How can I cry when I have you?"

She gently tucked him back to sleep, slowly patting her back as she sang him a lullaby.

Axel shifted on the bed, looking up at his Mom, "Mom, why do I have two moms?"

Arabella swallowed, her eyes darting around the room.

When Adrian insisted Axel call Serena mom in public, she knew this question was going to come one day.

Just not in the middle of the night when he should have been sleeping.

She laid gently beside him at the edge of the bed, hands carefully wrapped around him.

"I am your only Mom, sweetheart. Aunt Serena is just someone your dad cares deeply about." She tried to explain though it didn't make sense even to her.

Axel shifted on the bed, holding his mom's gaze, "But all my friends and teachers think she's my mom."

Of course they did.

Serena was the one who stood beside Adrian at school events, smiling for photographs like she belonged there.

The one who signed permission slips.

The one who went on the school trip last week while Arabella stayed home, folding laundry in a house that barely remembered her name.

To the world, Serena Sterling already existed. Arabella was just the shadow that hadn't been erased yet.

"Sweetheart, I will talk to your Dad..."

"Can you sign the papers?" Axel suddenly interrupted, his voice small.

Arabella raised a brow, her heart skipping. "What papers, baby?"

Axel fidgeted with his blanket, not meeting her eyes. "Aunt Serena said... she said if you sign them and go away, then she can be my real mom. She said Daddy and grandma would be happy then." He paused, then added quietly, almost like a question, "Don't you want them to be happy?"

Arabella's chest tightened, her brain refusing to process the words. She bit her lip, fighting the urge to scream.

The taste of bile rose in her throat, air snatching from her lungs.

Axel loved her. He was the reason she could cope in this hellhole for so long, so those words...she refused to believe they were his.

"D–did something happen during the school trip?" she asked when her lips finally parted.

But Axel quickly turned his back against his mom, shoving her hand off. "Nothing happened. I'm sleepy."

A pause, then softer, repeating what he'd clearly been told: "Just... just leave and everything will be okay. That's what Aunt Serena said." His tiny voice cut deeper than any knife could ever.

The kid she went through humiliation and pain to birth, suffered to raise...was choosing another woman over her.

The same woman his Dad chose over her.

Arabella's voice trembled as his name echoed from mouth, "A-Axel..."

"I want to sleep, Mommy. Leave me now."

As Arabella left the room, a tremor rippled through her body, starting from her throat and ending in her knees.

She didn't know where else to go. Her husband was sleeping with another lady in their bedroom and her only son didn't want her.

Arabella covered her mouth with her palm, as she climbed down the stairs, not wanting to disturb anyone with her sobs.

The kitchen spun. Or maybe it was her, but she gripped the edge of the kitchen island hard, afraid that moving would make it real.

She slumped under the island, finally letting out the cry tearing through her throat.

Once she was the Young Miss of the mansion...adopted daughter, beloved by their father.

She had everything. Love, family and domestic staff at her beck and call. Now she was nothing. Far less than the family dog.

Even when she was sick, she worked, got hit, starved, humiliated over and over again with several scars to tell her story of resilience.

She thought that was pain. But watching the only reason she went through that pain for turn against her...that's hell on earth.

Arabella cried, sobbed, forced herself to stay strong, and eventually...dozed off.

Until...

"Hey," an exaggeratedly sweet voice called, kicking her legs.

When her eyes fluttered open, Serena's sweet smiley face was the first thing she saw.

Her long brown hair was packed in a messy bun, the sleeve of her sexy nightwear falling from her shoulder.

"Oh, Bella...you look exhausted. Did we disturb you last night?"

Arabella almost choked on her breath, her body shaking with anger.

Oh how she wished she could just scratch her sly, and annoyingly beautiful face.

Serena knelt before her, her lips curving into a smirk, "Adrian wanted us to take the guest room, but I kinda like your bed better...especially when you're on it."

A lone tear trickled down Arabella's eyes, but she quickly wiped them out, sniffling hard.

She'd cried enough through the night. Her head was splitting in pain, her body was sore, her eyes blood shot.

But she was done.

Adrian had humiliated her enough. She didn't want his love anymore. She just wanted her son.

"Now do what you are good at and prepare breakfast." Serena said as she stood up and turned away.

Arabella struggled to get feet, gripping the counter as a wave of dizziness washed over her.

Serena was almost out of the doorway, already dismissing her like she was nothing.

No.

Not this time.

"Serena Smith," Arabella called, her voice low but shaking with fury, "What did you do to my child?"

Serena halted, the smirk on her face intensifying as she slowly turned and walked back to her.

"Oh, Axel told you?"

Arabella felt her heart sank as she confirmed her suspicions.

"I only told him the truth...that the world can not know you are his mom."

Arabella's jaw tightened, "Serena!"

"What? Am I wrong?"

Arabella couldn't reply. Because Serena wasn't wrong.

Despite Adrian having to marry her to claim his inheritance, he made his stance clear.

"You're nothing but my dirty little secret, Arabella. Know your place." Adrian had insisted.

And she did.

Serena glanced over her shoulder gently, catching a glimpse of Adrian by the doorway. She had seen them coming downstairs earlier.

Her sly smirk deepened, her voice lowered so only Arabella could hear her, "The will might have made Axel a legitimate heir, but we both know he's always going to be a bastard..."

White-hot rage exploded behind Arabella's eyes.

She could take the humiliation. The cheating. The abuse. She'd swallowed it all for five years.

But her son?

Her son was innocent. Perfect. The only pure thing that had ever come from this nightmare of a marriage.

And this woman...this mistress who paraded around her house, slept in her bed, stole her husband- dared to call her child that word?

Over her dead body.

The slap rang out before Arabella even realized her hand had moved.

Serena slowly placed her hand on her cheek, her lips widening into a smile, leaving Arabella confused.

Until...

"Arabella!" Adrian's voice thundered from the doorway as he stormed into the kitchen, shoving her off, "Have you lost it."

Adrian pulled Serena into his arms inspecting her face like a trophy.

"I know you hate me, Arabella. But I care about Axel and I can't let you hurt him like that." Serena's voice was sugary sweet with small choked sobs, almost convincing even for Arabella.

Adrian shot stunned Arabella a disdainful look before quickly sweeping his gaze back to his precious treasure, "What happened, Serena?"

Serena wiped out the lone tear that found its way into her teary eyes, explaining, "Arabella wants to come to the annual party tonight. I was worried she might cause a scene and put Axel in a tough spot..."

Arabella let out a loud, humourless chuckle, intentionally cutting her short.

She'd seen Serena scheme against her for so many years but this one? It was just too childish...yet so believable.

Adrian and Serena exchanged a look, the fake fear her eyes held earlier now completely gone.

Adrian's jaw tightened with anger as he gripped Arabella's hand firmly, his eyes spitting fire, "Arabella, stop your stupid tantrum! I am not letting you step a foot into the hall..."

"Don't worry," Arabella forcefully shoved his hand off her, "Just tell your 'fiancée' to stay away from my child!"

"And who exactly are you to make such an order?" Catherine, Adrian's mom wheeled into the kitchen in her electric wheelchair.

Her grey hair was pulled back severely, making her sharp features look even harder.

Arabella dragged her palm down his face, slow and tired, "Mother, Axel is asking questions about this whole mess! I can't let my baby grow up like this."

"Oh? That bothers you?" Catherine asked, lips curving upward.

She lounged back in her chair as if the whole world amused her, "Then you should sign the damn papers and let Serena raise him without all this drama."

Arabella slumped back with a groan, head tilted toward the ceiling.

Every conversation with Catherine always ended up with the divorce reminder, even more desperate than Serena and Adrian were.

But Arabella never dared to speak back, after all, she still carried the guilt of that terrible accident that killed their father and confined Catherine to the chair.

Sometimes she still wonders how someone who once bought her her first pretty dress...gave her her first warm, motherly hug could hate her like this.

But that woman was dead. And Arabella was done mourning her.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad Father isn't to witness the trash you have raised, mother."

The room went still.

Catherine's fist tightened around the handle of her chair, her eyes burning into Arabella.

Adrian's face went blank, the kind that meant danger.

Arabella wanted to walk away, but Adrian held her back, pinning her to the counter. His voice was low, dangerous, "How dare you speak to my mother like that?"

Arabella ignored the pain shooting up her waist from the impact on the counter, "Am I wrong?"

Adrian was quiet. Too quiet.

"I know you hate me, but if you have any shame...or at least the slightest bit of respect for father, don't bring your affairs to our matrimonial bed."

"This is what all this is about? Last night?" His tone was flat, like it wasn't a big deal.

And maybe for him it wasn't.

"We were both drunk. We didn't know we ended up in our room, okay?"

But his eyes flickered with something-confusion, maybe. Like he was trying to remember something that wouldn't come into focus.

"I don't even remember going to bed," he muttered, more to himself than to her.

Arabella's rage boiled over. "You don't remember? You DON'T REMEMBER?"

Even now, he wouldn't take responsibility. Wouldn't admit what he'd done.

But Adrian's face had gone pale, his jaw working like he was trying to piece together a puzzle with missing pieces.

Arabella stared at him for a while, dumbfounded, and when she finally spoke, her voice broke, "D–did you ever love me? Even for a moment?"

Adrian's eyes seemed to soften for a heartbeat...just like his feelings always did, then it disappeared.

"As my sister? Yes." He replied, avoiding her gaze, "Serena and I have always been together, so stop acting like I cheated on you."

Arabella's breath caught.

Sister.

His father had adopted her when she was twelve. And Adrian had accepted her as his sister.

But somewhere along the line, the brotherly love blurred into something she couldn't ignore.

She became the adopted sister whose heart raced every time he held her hand or ached when she saw him with Serena.

He leaned even closer, his lips grazing her ear, "You were always the affair, Arabella. Not her."

The affair.

Something cracked inside her chest. Not her heart-that had broken long ago.

This was something deeper. The last fragile hope that maybe, somewhere buried deep, he'd cared about her even a little.

He hadn't.

His grip around her arm tightened as he warned, "So don't ever speak to my mom like that."

He turned sharply, kneeling by his mom who had angry tears in her eyes, "Mom, please go and rest in your room. Ms. Shaw will bring you breakfast."

Ms. Shaw was the elderly Housekeeper of the family. The only domestic staff that was allowed to reserve her job ever since Arabella fell from grace.

Catherine nodded gently, dabbing off her tears as she looked up at Arabella, "Arabella, I'm going to make sure you regret coming to this family."

Arabella smirked, "I already am. I think the orphanage would have been better."

Adrian shot her a cold glance, but she ignored him, walking her tired body out on them.

***

By evening, Arabella was done with her chores. The house was quiet, as everyone had gone to the company's annual charity gala which was being held in the Sterlings Hall at the west wing of the mansion.

She stared at the picture of Axel on her phone, her mind unsettled.

It wasn't the first time Axel was going out with Adrian and Serena, but she'd never been worried because as much as Adrian and his mother hated her, they adored Axel even more.

She thought Serena genuinely adored him too, but after today, she realized all that affection was just part of her scheme.

Just as she was still contemplating, her phone buzzed. A text from Adrian Sterling.

"Axel is bleeding. Come get him."

Arabella's heart skipped and without stopping to think she ran out of the house, heading straight for the hotel.

As she sat inside the cab, she wondered why Adrian didn't just call a hospital first. Or didn't even take care of things himself.

She dialed his number. It rang. Once. Twice. No response.

She shook the doubt away, "Maybe he is busy."

Soon enough, she arrived at the hotel.

Arabella dashed into the hall, breath uneven, still in the plain dress she'd been working in, her apron tied crooked at her waist.

The chandeliers glowed over polished floors and elegant guests, their champagne raised in a poised hush as Adrian spoke at the podium, his voice steady and calm.

Arabella bit back her anger, assuming he was too busy with his stupid speech to care for their son.

Everything stopped when they noticed her. A few guests pulled back, their eyes slipping over her apron and flushed face with quiet disapproval. She didn't care.

She moved through the crowd, scanning every table, every corner-heart in her throat-trying to find her little boy.

Then just by the front row, she spotted Serena squatting beside Catherine, holding what looked like a kid's suit. In front of them was Axel, his white shirt wet, stained Red.

From this distance, it looked like-

'Oh God. Blood.'

Arabella dashed forward, forcefully shoving Serena aside, dropping to her knees before her son.

"Baby, where does it hurt? Show mommy-"

But up close, the smell hit her. Sweet. Acidic.

Wine.

Her hands froze on Axel's shirt.

"Mommy?"

The words echoed through the hall like a gunshot.

Whispers erupted instantly, spreading through the crowd like wildfire.

Arabella's heart slammed against her ribs as reporters surged forward, cameras flashing like lightning, microphones thrust into her face.

"Is this child really Adrian Sterling's?"

"Did you have an affair with your brother?"

The questions came from all angles, suffocating her. She pulled Axel tighter against her chest, his small body trembling.

Her eyes found Adrian across the chaos.

He stood frozen at the podium, his face carved from stone, jaw so tight she could see the muscle jumping beneath his skin. But it wasn't concern in his eyes.

It was pure, cold fury.

At her.

Catherine sat with one hand pressed dramatically to her chest, but there was no shock on her face.

Arabella raised her head slowly to meet Serena's gaze. A sinister smile spread over her lips.

A smile only Arabella could see.

Only then did she realize she'd walked into a trap.

And Catherine was in full support of it.

Her stomach dropped. The cameras. The questions. The looks.

They'd planned this. All of it.

The crowd pressed in around her, but Arabella barely felt them.

Everything sounded distant-like she was underwater.

Cameras flashed. Voices shouted. Her name echoed again and again.

But her mind was somewhere else entirely... stuck on the thought of bringing shame to what Victor cherished most-the Sterling name.

Her fingers trembled at her sides, cold despite the heat of the crowd.

A faint ringing filled her ears. Her heart thudded unevenly, like it couldn't decide whether to keep going or give up.

For once, she wondered, "How have I ever offended Serena?"

For Adrian and Catherine, she could fathom their hatred. It came from the company shares Victor had used to force Adrian into the marriage. And subsequently, his death.

But Serena was different. Yes, Arabella had loved him first, but he'd chosen Serena. He'd always chosen Serena

So why? Why was she bent on humiliating Arabella at every chance she got?

Arabella wanted to scream. She wanted to run... to just disappear.

But she couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Couldn't even breathe.

"Please stop!" Serena's voice cut through the chaos like a sword, bringing momentary silence to the room and snapping Arabella out of her daze.

Serena locked eyes with Catherine, whispering something between them.

Then she walked up to Adrian on the podium, gently rubbing his clenched fist. "Don't worry, Adrian. I've got you," she whispered.

"On behalf of the entire Sterling Group, I apologise for the disruption," she began, her voice calm, commanding, and convincing.

"I know there have been a lot of whispers surrounding us," she paused, linking hands with Adrian, who looked like he was barely recovering from the shock. "Especially since we've never publicly talked about our child."

She swept her gaze around the room before letting it land on Arabella, who was still trembling with fear. "Adrian and I had Axel through surrogacy, and Arabella helped us carry him."

Her words sounded so certain that Arabella doubted herself for a moment.

Then a reporter asked, "So why is Ms. Arabella claiming him as her son?"

Serena looked up at Adrian, who was already looking down at her, unsure of what she was planning.

She then looked at Catherine, exchanging a slight nod, before turning back to the reporters.

"It is with utmost regret that I announce Arabella Sterling has been mentally unstable for a while now."

Blood drained from Arabella's face as she clenched her dress tightly.

She looked up at them, and their gazes were already fixed on her.

The initial shock on Adrian's face vanished the moment he caught Arabella's gaze.

One corner of Serena's mouth lifted in a mocking curl, as if daring Arabella to correct her.

Murmurs erupted within the crowd-some critical, others filled with sympathy.

Reporters immediately followed with questions.

"Is this true?"

"Mr. Sterling, can you say a word about this?"

Arabella looked up at Adrian, her eyes filled with hope.

Maybe... just maybe he would say something in her favour.

But before he could open his mouth, a feminine voice cut in.

"Serena is right."

Catherine wheeled toward Arabella, drawing everyone's attention.

"After causing such a terrible accident that destroyed our family forever, Arabella has become more and more delusional by the day."

She looked directly at Arabella as she added, "Anything to steal the inheritance from its rightful owner."

The flashes intensified, as did the questions.

Everyone knew about the accident, but the accusations that followed were wild, adding fuel to the tension in the room.

"Mrs. Sterling, what do you mean by that?"

"How did it happen?"

Serena stepped forward, positioning herself just behind Catherine's wheelchair.

"Why don't you ask the gold digger who is trying so hard to seduce her own 'brother' and marry into the family that raised her?"

"Or better still," she paused, the curl on her lips unmistakable as she glanced from Arabella to the child beside her.

Arabella's eyes widened as she immediately understood what Serena was about to do.

"No... not Axel. Don't drag him into this..." her heart pounded violently

But her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"...ask my son who his real mother is."

Camera flashes exploded as attention turned back to Arabella and Axel.

Reporters shouted over one another.

"Ms. Sterling, how long have you been ill?"

"Young Sterling, can you tell us who your mom is?"

"Are you seducing your brother?"

The questions were endless, but no one seemed to care.

Arabella pulled Axel close, shielding his face from the flashing lights.

She was lost, barely gasping for air. The only thing stopping her from breaking down was the child in her arms.

Just as she felt herself about to collapse, Axel wiggled free from her grip.

Arabella's breath went shallow, her lips trembling as she tried to hold him back, but he moved away.

His eyes were red with tears as he stood amid the crowd. This was nothing a five-year-old should have to endure, yet none of the adults around him seemed to care.

"Axie," Serena called gently, though the smile on her face was strained and brittle.

His hands curled into the sleeves of his jacket, fingers disappearing as if he wanted to hide them, before he ran to Serena and wrapped his arms around her.

"That woman is crazy. She is not my mom," he said quickly, glancing over his shoulder.

Arabella felt the words strike her chest; sharp, precise, right where it hurt most.

The murmurs around the room faded into distant noise.

For a moment, she didn't move. Didn't breathe. Her body went still the way it did when something inside her cracked and she couldn't afford to let it show.

It was one thing for him to favour Serena at home, but to denounce her in public? She never thought she would live to see this day.

"Do you have no shame?"

"Are you after the company?"

The questions were cruel, the murmurs accusatory-and she stood in the middle of it all.

The noise overwhelmed her, her legs too weak to keep her standing.

Just as she started to lose her balance, Adrian's voice cut through the chaos.

"Enough!"

And it stopped.

The questions, the noise, the flashes- all fell into silence as Adrian pushed through the crowd and stopped in front of Arabella.

A glimmer of hope sparked in her eyes.

Maybe he was going to help her. Tell everyone she wasn't crazy, that Axel was their child.

"Adrian..."

Adrian turned sharply, lifting Axel into his arms before facing the crowd.

"I do not want to see pictures of my son or..." he paused, glancing over his shoulder, "...Arabella outside of this room." His voice was sharp and commanding. "This is our family's business, which I do not wish to make public."

Gavin Bush, Adrian's personal assistant, immediately stepped forward to address the crowd, though his eyes lingered on Arabella's trembling form for a moment longer than necessary.

Adrian then walked back to Arabella, leaning in close, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"This is where it ends, Arabella."

His tone was calm, but it sent a chill down her spine.

As she watched the two most important people in her life walk away, Arabella's vision blurred.

The floor tilted.

And then she was falling.

The sound of her body hitting marble echoed through the hall.

Adrian paused mid-stride. For one brief moment, his shoulders tensed.

He glanced back.

Their eyes met.

Then he tightened his grip on Axel and walked out.

And Arabella, lying on the cold floor surrounded by strangers and cameras, finally understood.

He was never going to save her.