Papa! That Bad Man Hit My Mom!

After a seven-year relationship, my fiancé Bennett abandoned me on our marriage license day for a "marriage of convenience" with another woman. Heartbroken, I married the reclusive billionaire Damon Levy and disappeared.

Three years later, I returned, pregnant with our second child. The first person I saw was Bennett, now working as a driver, holding a sign for "Mrs. Levy."

He and his new wife didn't recognize me. They publicly humiliated me, mocking my simple dress and calling the priceless diamond bracelet from my husband a cheap fake.

At a gala, their cruelty escalated. They tripped me, stomped on my hand, and shattered my bracelet. Bennett slapped me across the face, hissing at me to stop lying.

Surrounded by their laughter, with my lip bleeding, I saw the man I once loved for the hollow, cruel person he truly was.

But then, the room went silent. My husband, Damon, walked in, holding our son. And my little boy pointed a finger straight at Bennett and shouted, "Papa! That bad man hit Mommy!"

Chapter 1

The pen hovered over the marriage license, a simple, stark document that promised a future I had dreamed of for seven years. My hand trembled, but it wasn't from excitement. It was from the chill spreading through my veins. Bennett wasn' t there. He was supposed to be, right by my side.

I looked at the empty chair beside me. The clerk cleared her throat. She had probably seen this a hundred times. A woman waiting, a man missing.

Then the office door burst open. Not Bennett. It was Jade Dunlap, her perfect blonde hair shining under the fluorescent lights, her smile a cruel slash across her face. And then I saw him. Bennett, walking in behind her, his hand resting casually on her lower back. My stomach dropped.

He didn't even look at me first. His eyes were on the clerk, a practiced charm already in place. Jade leaned in, whispering something in his ear, and they both chuckled. My lungs compressed.

"Addison," Bennett said, finally turning to me. His voice was smooth, too smooth. Like he was talking to a child, or a stranger. He didn't blink at my wide, trembling eyes. "I'm so sorry. Something urgent came up."

Urgent. This was our day. Our marriage license. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise.

"What do you mean, 'urgent'?" My voice was a thin, reedy whisper I barely recognized.

Jade stepped forward, her expensive perfume suddenly suffocating. "Oh, darling. Bennett's so dedicated. He has to secure a critical business deal for Aurelis Capital. And for my son's inheritance, of course."

She smiled at me, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "It's a temporary arrangement. A marriage of convenience. He promised me it would only last a month."

A month. My world tilted. My seven years, our shared dreams, reduced to a temporary inconvenience.

"You're marrying her?" The words were a physical pain tearing through my throat.

Bennett finally met my gaze. There was no apology, no remorse. Just a cold calculation. "It's for the firm, Addison. For our future. Just one month. I'll be back."

He honestly believed I would wait. He truly thought his "offer" to take me back was an act of charity. My vision blurred.

I glanced around the small, sterile office. The clerk looked away, embarrassed. The security guard at the door shifted uncomfortably. They knew. They saw the humiliation.

Seven years. Seven years of supporting his ambitions, cheering his small victories, comforting him through his failures. Seven years of pouring my heart into us, into him. I had sacrificed my own dreams, put my career on hold, all for the promise of "our future."

And now, "our future" was a month-long marriage to another woman.

Something inside me snapped. It wasn't a sudden explosion, but a quiet, definitive break. The Addison who loved Bennett, who believed in his promises, she ceased to exist in that moment.

"No," I said, my voice surprisingly steady. "You won't."

Bennett frowned, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Addison, don't be dramatic. This is business."

Jade linked her arm through his. "She's always been a bit much, hasn't she, darling?"

He didn't correct her. He just looked at me, waiting for me to understand, to accept.

But I saw him for what he was. A hollow man, chasing shadows of power, willing to sacrifice anything, anyone, for his own perceived gain. The man I loved was a ghost.

That night, I accepted the marriage proposal from Damon Levy. The terrifyingly powerful, reclusive tech billionaire my parents had been trying to set me up with for months. I needed an escape. I needed to disappear.

I left New York without a word, without a backward glance. The city that held so many memories, so many broken promises, faded in my rearview mirror.

Three years passed. Three years that reshaped me, rebuilt me.

Now, I was back.

The humid New York air hit me as I stepped off the private jet. My stomach fluttered, not with nerves, but with the gentle stirrings of the life growing inside me. My second child.

Damon had arranged for a private car to pick me up. He was notoriously private, and always ensured my comfort and safety. I wore a simple, elegant ivory silk dress that draped perfectly over my growing belly, and my hair was pulled back in a loose, effortless bun. My only jewelry was the custom-made diamond bracelet Damon had given me for our anniversary, its unique design shimmering subtly on my wrist. It was a piece that spoke of understated luxury, not overt flashiness.

As I walked into the bustling arrivals hall, my eyes scanned for a driver with a sign. The crowd parted around me, a natural deference to the quiet confidence I now exuded. I found the sign, clutched in the hand of a man whose face, even after three years, was instantly recognizable.

Bennett Reed.

My breath hitched. The air seemed to solidify around me. Bennett, holding a sign that read, "Mrs. Levy."

He hadn't seen me yet. His eyes darted nervously through the crowd, a forced smile on his face. He looked... older. More stressed. But the arrogance still clung to him like cheap cologne.

My gaze drifted to his wrist. A familiar gold watch gleamed there. The one I had saved for, for months, to buy him as a graduation gift. A bitter taste filled my mouth. He was still wearing it.

He finally spotted me. His eyes widened, then narrowed in confusion. He clearly didn't recognize me, not truly. He was looking for a "Mrs. Levy," someone grander, perhaps older, certainly more ostentatious than the woman standing before him.

Then his eyes landed on the diamond bracelet on my wrist. A flicker of something, curiosity perhaps, crossed his face, quickly replaced by a dismissive sneer.

"Addison?" he said, a mixture of disbelief and condescension in his voice. "Is that really you?"

I didn't answer. I just watched him, a cold, analytical gaze.

He took a step closer, his eyes raking over my simple dress. "Lost your way? Or are you here to greet someone yourself? Trying to catch a glimpse of the rich and famous, perhaps?"

His voice was low, but laced with a familiar mockery. He still thought I was the same desperate girl he'd abandoned.

"That bracelet," he scoffed, gesturing to my wrist, "trying a little too hard, aren't we? Looks like a cheap knock-off. Trying to pretend you're someone important?"

He even reached out, as if to touch it, to confirm his judgment. I pulled my hand back, a slow, deliberate movement.

"Look, Addison," he continued, oblivious to my reaction, "I know things didn't work out. But you really need to stop with this pathetic act. If you're struggling, I could maybe... put in a word for you. A junior assistant at Aurelis, perhaps? You could get half-decent clothes, stop trying to pass off fake jewelry as real."

His words landed like tiny, insignificant pebbles. I just looked at him. The man who had once been my entire world. Now, he was just... sad. And utterly, completely wrong.

The bracelet wasn't a knock-off. It was bespoke, personally designed by Damon, its diamonds flawless, its craftsmanship unparalleled. Its worth could probably buy Bennett's entire firm. But he wouldn't know that. He only saw what he wanted to see: a poor, pathetic Addison trying to be something she wasn't.

My silence seemed to fuel his arrogance. He laughed. "Still the silent type, huh? Well, no wonder you're still... like this. Life hit you hard, didn't it? After I left, I mean."

He adjusted his tie, his chest puffing out slightly. "You know, I actually wondered about you sometimes. Thought you might come crawling back. But I guess you had too much pride for that, didn't you? Pity."

My gaze hardened. He was still the same. And I was no longer the girl who would tolerate it.

"Bennett," a shrill voice cut through the air. Jade Dunlap, of course. She swept towards him, clinging to his arm. "Darling, what's taking so long? The car is waiting."

She caught sight of me then. Her eyes widened, morphing into a triumphant smirk. "Oh, look what the cat dragged in. Addison Henry. Still slumming it, I see."

Behind her, a small entourage of impeccably dressed women giggled. They were Jade's usual sycophants, always ready to echo her disdain. One of them, a woman I vaguely remembered from a charity event, pointed at my dress.

"Is that... silk?" she whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "It looks so... plain."

Another chimed in. "And that bracelet! Oh, dear. You really shouldn't try to wear such things if they're obviously fake. It just makes you look desperate."

My face remained impassive. Inside, a cold fire began to simmer.

Bennett, regaining his composure with Jade by his side, smirked. "She thinks she's important. Apparently, she's here to pick someone up too."

"Pick someone up?" Jade laughed, a harsh, brittle sound. "With that outfit? Please. More likely she's looking for a handout, or a job. Bennett, darling, remember that little offer you made? Maybe she can be the new nanny for our son. She's good with kids, always was."

The women around them snickered. My pregnancy was barely showing, but Jade's cruel offer was a deliberate jab at my past, my perceived failures.

I watched them, these people who had once been part of my life, now a grotesque parody of ambition and cruelty. Bennett, with his puffed chest and empty eyes. Jade, with her venomous smile. The pack of wolves echoing their every sneer.

They were so loud. So confident in their judgment. And so utterly, blindingly wrong.

My plain silk dress was a bespoke creation from a reclusive Italian designer, its simplicity a testament to its exorbitant cost. The "fake" bracelet was a unique masterpiece, its value surpassing anything they could ever hope to own. They saw poverty, where I saw understated wealth. They saw desperation, where I felt quiet power.

The old Addison might have crumpled. She might have cried, or tried to defend herself. But that Addison was gone. I just looked at them, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on my lips. They were so busy being cruel, so wrapped up in their own delusions, they couldn't even begin to grasp the reality of the situation. It was almost... amusing.

One of Jade's friends, a woman named Chloe who used to fawn over Bennett, stepped forward. "Oh, Addison, it's been so long! Bennett, you really should be nicer. She obviously misses you. Look at her, she's practically glowing over seeing you again."

Bennett' s smile tightened, a mix of awkwardness and renewed self-importance. "Well, Addison, you know I always had a soft spot for you. If things are really that bad, we can always discuss a... more stable arrangement. Perhaps you could be my personal assistant again. You were always good at organizing my schedule."

His condescending tone, his casual assumption of my continued devotion, scraped against the raw edge of my control. He was still the same arrogant fool, still believing he was doing me a favor.

He hadn't changed. Not one bit. And the painful truth was, I no longer cared enough to even feel angry. Just a profound, weary disgust.

"You know," Chloe continued, oblivious, her voice dripping with false sympathy, "Bennett has really moved up. He's practically running Aurelis Capital now. And Jade is so wonderful, always supporting him. You really should try to be happy for them, Addison, instead of... well, whatever this is." She gestured vaguely at my entire being.

Another woman peered at my dress. "Honestly, Addison, if you're going to try to impress people, you need better clothes. This looks like something you picked up at a thrift store."

"Or maybe," Jade interjected, her voice sharp as a knife, "she spent all her money on that gaudy fake bracelet, hoping someone important would notice her."

They all laughed, a chorus of mean-spirited mockery. They thought they were cutting me down, exposing my supposed poverty and desperation. They thought I was embarrassed.

I just watched them, the faint smile still on my lips. They had no idea. The dress was a new collection, exclusive, not yet publicly released. The bracelet, a token of a love so deep and powerful, they wouldn't understand it even if I explained.

The person I had been, the one easily wounded, easily broken, was gone. She had been replaced by a woman who knew her worth. A woman who was loved, truly loved, by a man more powerful than all of them combined.

My hand instinctively went to my belly, a silent comfort. I was bearing Damon's second child. My children were princes, their father a king. These people, these petty, cruel individuals, were nothing but fading echoes in the distance.

Bennett, misinterpreting my silence and the slight shift in my posture, leaned closer. "Don't look so forlorn, Addison. It's not a bad offer. I'm a generous man." He paused, a sneer twisting his lips. "Perhaps you're still upset about three years ago? You know, the marriage of convenience? It was for business, Addison. Purely business." He chuckled, as if sharing a private joke. "Honestly, I thought you'd have moved on by now. You know, found some mediocre man to settle down with, popped out a couple of kids. That was always your dream, wasn't it?"

My eyes, which had been distant, snapped back to his. The faint smile vanished. The cold fire within me intensified.

He had no idea. He had no idea what kind of future he had thrown away. He had no idea what kind of man he was casually dismissing. He had no idea what kind of woman he was humiliating. And most painfully, he had no idea that the "dream" he mocked had come true, far beyond anything his small, ambitious mind could comprehend.

A sudden, sharp pain flared in my hand. Not from his words, but a deep, throbbing ache. It was my bracelet. He had grabbed it, his fingers closing around the delicate metal.

"You really think this cheap thing is going to impress anyone, Addison?" he sneered, pulling at it. "It's tacky. Just like you."

"Let go," I said, my voice low, dangerous.

He ignored me, pulling harder. "Come on, let's just get rid of this trash."

The metal strained, then snapped. Diamonds scattered across the pristine airport floor, glittering like fallen stars. My breath hitched. Not for the monetary value, but for the meaning behind it. Damon. My husband.

My eyes met Bennett's, and the cold fire in me erupted into a silent, searing inferno.

That silent inferno didn't burn with rage, not anymore. It burned with a cold, clear certainty. I looked at Bennett, then at the scattered diamonds glinting on the floor. The broken bracelet was a symbol, not just of a gift, but of the connection to my husband, a connection he had so carelessly shattered.

"I need to go," I said, my voice flat, devoid of emotion. I didn't bother to argue, to explain, to defend. There was no point.

His jaw tightened. "Go? Addison, don't be ridiculous. You're not going anywhere. We're waiting for Mrs. Levy." He gestured vaguely at the empty space where a VIP would soon emerge.

Jade scoffed, and her entourage snickered. "She probably thinks she's Mrs. Levy. Poor thing. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt, is it?"

Chloe, the one who'd tried to play peacemaker, pointed at the sign Bennett still held. "Addison, do you even know who Mrs. Levy is? And Mr. Levy, for that matter?" Her tone held a patronizing pity.

I simply looked at the sign, then back at their expectant faces. Yes, I knew exactly who Mrs. Levy was.

"Oh, it's such a romantic story," Chloe gushed, turning to the other women. "Damon Levy, the reclusive billionaire. Built his empire from nothing. They say he's cold as ice to everyone but his wife. Absolutely devoted. He bought her this ridiculously expensive bracelet, a one-of-a-kind. It's meant to symbolize their unbreakable bond or something."

Jade rolled her eyes. "Please, Chloe, spare us the fairy tale. The point is, Mrs. Levy is someone important. Someone powerful. Someone real. Not a faded ex-girlfriend trying to relive her glory days."

Chloe continued, oblivious to Jade's disdain. "And they say she's the only one who can ever get him to smile. He's absolutely smitten. Apparently, she's the key to everything for him. His empire, his future, everything." She sighed dramatically. "Imagine having a man like that. Who would ever dare to cross her?"

A quiet warmth spread through me. It wasn't the kindling of a new flame, but the steady glow of a deeply cherished reality. Damon. My Damon. My stoic, formidable husband, who was indeed a dragon to the world, but a gentle, loving partner to me and our son. The way he looked at me, the way he cherished every moment, every touch, every whispered secret. They were right about one thing: he was utterly devoted. And I, in turn, was utterly devoted to him.

"It's true," another woman added, "They say he spent millions on a new private island just for her. And he always makes sure she's the first to know about anything important. He trusts her with everything."

My little smile returned. They spoke of a legend, a myth, completely unaware that the subject of their gossip was standing right in front of them, holding their hand. It was almost poetic.

Suddenly, Chloe's eyes fell on the scattered diamonds that had been my bracelet. Her gasp was sharp. "Wait... Is that... It can't be." Her voice dropped to a terrified whisper. "That's the bracelet."

The air in the terminal seemed to thicken. All eyes, which had been fixed on Jade and Bennett, now darted to the sparkling debris on the floor, then to my bare wrist. A collective hush fell over them.

Bennett, his face pale, grabbed my arm again. His fingers were cold, clammy. He stared at the diamonds, then at my wrist. "This is... no. It's a fake, right, Addison? You just said it was a fake." He looked desperately at Jade, then back at me. "Tell them it's a fake!"

I pulled my arm away, gently. My hand went to the place where the bracelet had been, a phantom weight now gone. The significance wasn't in the material value, but in the love it represented. Damon had chosen the design himself, each diamond carefully selected. It was a tangible piece of our life together.

"Addison," Bennett whispered, his voice laced with panic. "How did you get that? What is this?" He looked around, his bravado crumbling.

I met his gaze, my eyes cold. He wanted answers, but he deserved none. He had judged me, humiliated me, broken something infinitely precious. He would learn the truth, but not from me.

Jade, always quick to assert dominance, snatched a diamond from the floor. She held it up, scrutinizing it. "Oh, please. It's probably just paste. Addison always had a flair for the dramatic. Trying to make a scene, are we? Trying to trick us into thinking you're someone you're not?" She tossed the diamond back to the floor with a disdainful flick of her wrist. "Honestly, if you thought you could pass yourself off as Mrs. Levy, you're even more delusional than I thought."

Her friends tittered nervously. But Chloe looked terrified. She knew jewelry. She knew the luminescence of real diamonds, the unique cut of a Levy piece.

"You're not Mrs. Levy," Jade sneered, her eyes raking over my simple dress for emphasis. "Mrs. Levy is elegant, sophisticated. She certainly wouldn't be caught dead in a plain dress and a cheap fake. And she definitely wouldn't be standing here, humiliated, trying to cause trouble."

Another burst of laughter erupted from her group, a brittle sound that masked their growing unease.

"Remember, Addison," one of them said, her voice dripping with false concern, "you used to be Bennett's assistant. You were just his little shadow. Now look at you, trying to pretend you're some kind of lady. It's pathetic."

"Maybe she's hoping to sell that fake bracelet to get enough money for a decent meal," Jade added, her smile venomous. "Poor thing. The world can be so cruel when you're all alone."

My blood ran cold. The broken bracelet was one thing, but her words were another. Before I could even react, Bennett, his face a mask of escalating panic, did something that truly shocked me. He stepped forward, his hand swinging, a sharp, stinging slap across my face.

My head snapped back. A metallic taste filled my mouth. My lip split, and a warm trickle of blood ran down my chin.

"Shut up, Addison!" he hissed, his voice tight with fear and fury. "Stop lying! Stop trying to ruin everything!" He glanced nervously at Jade, then back at me, his eyes wide with a desperate, wild look. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? You're talking about Damon Levy! You don't know who you're messing with! He could ruin us all!"

His sycophants immediately rallied. "She's trying to sabotage Bennett's deal!" "She's just jealous!" "How dare she spread such ridiculous lies!"

"She's just a bitter ex, Bennett," Jade said, regaining her composure, though her eyes still held a flicker of unease. "Trying to drag you down. Don't let her. You're so important now. This deal with Aurelis is huge."

"She probably thinks she can get a rise out of you," Chloe added, stepping back nervously. "Doesn't she know her place? A forgotten nobody."

I gently touched my bleeding lip, then wiped the blood away with the back of my hand. My gaze, as I looked at Bennett, was calm, almost serene. But deep within me, the wolf that had been hibernating, the primal instinct for self-preservation and retribution, began to stir. It was a low growl, a promise of what was to come. They had crossed a line. And there would be no going back.

Bennett, perhaps sensing the shift in my demeanor, or simply seeing the unexpected calmness in my eyes, faltered. He looked away, his jaw working.

"Addison," he said, his voice softer now, a predatory softness. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet. A crisp, thick wad of bills emerged. He peeled off several hundreds. "For some new clothes. And maybe a better meal than whatever you're used to."

He paused, then added, "And I'll talk to Jade. Maybe that nanny position is still open. It's honest work, and it would keep you out of trouble." He smirked. "Don't be ungrateful, Addison. This is me, being charitable. For old times' sake."

His words, meant as a final humiliation, instead ignited a spark of pure, unadulterated contempt in me. He hadn't changed. He was still the same self-important, opportunistic man who saw everyone as a stepping stone, or a problem to be managed with money. He didn't see me. He never had.

I pushed his hand away. The money fluttered to the ground, unnoticed by Bennett, whose eyes were fixed on my face, expecting gratitude, expecting defeat.

Instead, I reached down, calmly picked up one of the scattered diamonds, and slipped it into my pocket. It was a small act, but a significant one. A silent declaration.

"You're wrong, Bennett," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but it cut through the noise of the terminal like a razor. "About everything."

My eyes met his, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of doubt, of fear, in their depths. Before he could respond, I turned and walked away, leaving him and his sycophants frozen in their smug ignorance.

"Addison! Where are you going?" he called out, his voice tinged with a new, unwelcome uncertainty.

I didn't turn back. But as I walked, I whispered one last thing, a promise carried on the wind. "You'll know soon enough."

Bennett's confused shout faded behind me, swallowed by the airport's hum. I didn't spare him a glance. Each step I took was a release, a shed layer of the old Addison. The humiliation still stung, but it was a fleeting sensation, replaced by a fierce resolve.

A firm yank on my arm stopped me. Bennett. He had caught up, his grip surprisingly strong.

"What do you think you're doing, Addison?" His voice was a harsh whisper, laced with a new desperation. "You can't just walk away from me. Not after making a scene. What is your game?"

I turned, my gaze level, unwavering. "My game, Bennett, is called living my life. Without you." My husband, Damon, was a fiercely private man. He guarded his personal life, and especially mine, with an intensity that bordered on possessiveness. The thought of him witnessing this crude display, or even hearing about it, made my stomach clench. He would be furious. Not at me, but at anyone who dared to disrespect his wife.

I knew he valued his privacy, and by extension, mine. Our bond was built on trust, respect, and a profound understanding. He wouldn't appreciate me lingering in the presence of someone who had caused me harm. His own possessive nature would demand a swift and clean break.

Bennett misinterpreted my stillness. Relief, then a familiar arrogance, crept back into his eyes. "Look, Addison, I know you're upset. But you're being irrational. This little stunt, trying to get my attention..." He shook his head. "It's not going to work. Not anymore."

He pulled me closer, reducing his voice to a conspiratorial murmur. "You know, there's a welcome party tonight for Mrs. Levy. A big corporate gala. Everyone important will be there. Aurelis Capital is hosting. You could come." He paused, scanning my simple, elegant dress with disdain. "Though you'd have to make yourself presentable. Get a proper outfit. Something that doesn't scream 'struggling'."

"No," I said, my voice firm. "I won't be coming."

His smile stiffened, then vanished. His grip tightened on my arm. "What do you mean, no? It's an opportunity, Addison. To see how far I've come. To maybe... get back into the social scene. On my arm, of course."

His arrogance was a thick, suffocating cloud. He truly believed he was offering me a lifeline. A path back to relevance, through him.

"I said no," I repeated, pulling my arm free with a sharp tug.

His face darkened. His body stiffened, a vein throbbing in his temple. "Fine," he snapped, his voice sharp and cold. "Be that way. Always so difficult. So cheap." He glared at my dress, then at my bare wrist where the bracelet had been. "I should have known you'd still be this pathetic."

He turned away, spotting Chloe hovering nearby. "Chloe!" he barked. "You're coming with me tonight. To the gala. As my date."

Chloe's eyes lit up, a grotesque parody of gratitude. "Oh, Bennett! Really? I'd love to! I just need to go home and change into something more... appropriate." She cast a triumphant, pitying look my way.

I felt nothing but a profound weariness. Their pathetic drama held no interest for me. My world was so far removed from theirs now, their petty squabbles and desperate ambitions seemed like a distant, irrelevant hum.

I turned to leave, but before I did, I delivered a final, quiet punch. "Oh, and Bennett," I said, without looking back, "you might want to hold onto that job at Aurelis. Who knows how long you'll have it."

His choked gasp was the only response. I walked away, feeling lighter, freer than I had in years. The airport air no longer felt stifling. It felt like possibility.

My mind drifted back three years. The pressure from my parents to marry well, to secure a future. I had been so desperate for Bennett to be that future. I had begged him.

"Bennett, please. Let' s just go to the courthouse. We can make it official. My parents are pushing so hard..."

He had agreed, reluctantly. Until the day, the very hour, we were supposed to get the license. He called.

"Addison, I can' t. Not today. Aura Capital needs me. Jade needs me. It' s a marriage of convenience. Just a month. You understand, don' t you? You' ll wait, right? For our future."

He had made it sound so simple. So logical. Like my broken heart was just a side effect, easily mended. Like his betrayal was a mere business transaction.

That day, the girl who loved Bennett died. That night, I called my parents.

"I'll marry Damon Levy," I told them, my voice flat, emotionless.

They were shocked, then ecstatic. I didn't care. I just needed out. I needed to disappear.

And Damon. He had been a revelation. Not the cold, ruthless titan the world saw. To me, he was patient, kind, fiercely protective. He had given me a sanctuary, a new beginning. He had given me Anthony, our brilliant, perceptive son.

And now, I was pregnant with our second child. My reason for returning to New York, to visit my family and share the news, was a secret joy I held close.

This unexpected reunion with Bennett, though painful, was a stark reminder of how far I had come. How much I had gained. The man I had once loved was a stranger, a ghost of a past I no longer mourned. My only regret was letting his presence taint, however briefly, the quiet joy of my return.

Three days later, I found myself walking into the Grand Ballroom of the St. Regis, the venue for the Aurelis Capital gala. I wore a simple, sleeveless black dress, a custom piece from Chanel, its elegance screaming understated wealth. My diamond bracelet, now repaired by Damon's personal jeweler, gleamed on my wrist. My hair was tied up in a chic, messy bun, and my makeup was minimal. No ostentation, just quiet confidence. I wasn't there to impress, or to make a scene. I was there because my family was here, and there were people I actually cared to see.

Bennett spotted me almost immediately. His eyes, already glazed over with alcohol, widened. A predatory smile stretched across his face. He thought I' d come back for him. He thought I was desperate.

He pushed through the crowd, a glass of champagne in his hand, his eyes gleaming with a sickening mix of triumph and lust. "Addison! You came!" he exclaimed, his voice a little too loud. "I knew you couldn't resist."

He leaned in, his breath reeking of expensive liquor. "Lost your way, did you? Thought you could make an appearance, and I'd just fall at your feet? I told you, you need to dress the part, Addison. This... this is hardly fitting for a gala." He gestured dismissively at my dress.

I tried to walk past him, to find my assigned table, but he blocked my path. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm, his fingers digging into my skin.

"Did you not hear me?" he hissed, his eyes narrowed. "I said, this isn't good enough. You're trying too hard, and failing. You're supposed to be over there." He pointed to a small, isolated table near the kitchen entrance, clearly a staff-only table. "That's where the assistants sit. Not with the guests."

I pulled my arm free, my eyes cold. "My table, Bennett," I stated, my voice calm but firm, "is over there." I pointed towards the main VIP section, a place he would never dare to assign me.

He scoffed, then his eyes followed my finger. His face, already flushed from champagne, drained of color. He saw the empty chair at the head table, right next to the reserved seat for Damon Levy. His expression twisted, a mix of disbelief and growing horror.

Then, Jade Dunlap's shrill voice cut through the air. "Bennett, darling, what are you doing with her? And look! She's wearing that hideous fake bracelet again! The audacity!" She glared at me, her face a mask of pure venom. "She's trying to crash the party, trying to make a fool of you! Get her out of here, Bennett! Before she contaminates everything!"

Her voice, amplified by the sudden silence that fell across the room, drew every eye to us. The spotlight, just as Jade intended, was suddenly on me.