Secret Marriage to a Billionaire

Z-Ford City

Lord Letters Bar

The noise in the bar was deafening, the air thick with the beat. Lights flashed in a dizzying rainbow as guys and girls packed the dance floor, moving and grinding, letting all their inhibitions go.

A figure weaved through the crowd, wearing a white T-shirt and light blue jeans, her hair tied in a simple ponytail. She looked like she was in her early twenties, more like a college student.

Her name was Renee Avery, and she was almost overwhelmed by the noise as soon as she walked in.

With an air of innocence still clinging to her, she was clearly, painfully out of place.

It was her first time in such a place, and it took her several minutes to get used to it.

Just yesterday at this time, she had used an ovulation test strip and found out she would be ovulating in the next 24-48 hours, which meant now!

Yes, she had come to this place today to have a baby.

She knew the "old man" at home certainly couldn't get her pregnant. Besides, he had left her for an entire year, so she had to find someone else to have a child.

While this pregnancy was a matter of necessity, not desire, no mother wants her child to be plain. And so, she had to look at the right target.

Renee bit her lower lip, her almond-shaped eyes scanning every man around her. Then, a man sitting at the bar caught her eye.

Because he was sitting sideways, Rene could only see his profile.

But just that profile was enough to make Rene's heart flutter!

He had a strikingly sculpted face, with a high-bridged nose and thin lips. His long eyelashes cast a faint shadow beneath his eyes, giving him an almost ethereal look. He looked like he might be of mixed heritage.

A sapphire blue earring in his left ear sparkled brilliantly under the light, captivating anyone who glanced at it.

Renee took a deep breath, feeling as if her heart might leap out of her chest. It was her first time doing something like this, and she couldn't help but feel nervous.

Mimicking the way upperclassmen at school would flirt with younger students, she lightly tapped the man's shoulder. "Hi!"

The man turned to face her. If his profile had been enough to stop her heart, seeing him head-on was simply lethal. He was handsome to an incurable degree.

And his eyes, a pair of pale blue were utterly mesmerising.

Renee was so absorbed in admiring his good looks that she momentarily froze.

"Why are you late?!" The man sounded both anxious and annoyed. He stood up abruptly, grabbed Renee's wrist, and started walking out. Renee had no idea what was happening!

All she knew was that the man's grip was incredibly strong, almost breaking under the pressure.

The man led her directly to the neighbouring hotel, seemingly well-prepared. He headed straight to the presidential suite on the third floor, swiping a key card to open the door in one smooth motion.

As soon as they entered, the man pulled off his white T-shirt, revealing his honey-toned chest.

Renee Avery gasped. This man's physique was incredible! His broad chest, perfectly defined muscles, and not an ounce of excess fat, all of it was flawless. His body was as enchanting as his face, especially with those tempting abs.

This man wasn't just a pretty face; his entire being was a work of art!

She almost had a nosebleed!

The man had taken off his T-shirt and was now unbuckling his belt. Julia Avery's eyes widened as she realised she was about to see more than she bargained for. She quickly stepped forward and grabbed his hand, stopping him from going any further. "Wait a minute!"

The man raised an eyebrow, his blue eyes looking down at her." What's the matter?"

"Isn't this a bit too fast ?" Renee's cheeks flushed as she gave an awkward smile.

"Fast? Too fast?" The man looked her over. Her delicate face was tinged with a rosy blush, and the more he looked at her, the more embarrassed she became, quickly averting her gaze.

"Oh, I forgot. We should probably start with some foreplay," the man said, dropping his hand from his belt and walking into the bedroom. "Say what you want."

He turned on the bedroom light, and Renee timidly followed him inside. It was only then, in the quiet of the room, that the man began to truly observe Renee.

She had a classic oval face, a little slender with a pointed chin and a touch of natural baby fat on her cheeks, adding to her charm. Cute, delicate, the kind of person who was simply pleasant to look at. Under her arched eyebrows were a pair of clear, limpid eyes, like polished obsidian, sparkling with an enchanting light.

Her long, fluttering eyelashes were incredibly captivating. It was just... wasn't her chest a little on the small side? It was the man's first time, too, but that hardly meant he was clueless. He'd listened to that loudmouth Lionel Gonzalez on about women often enough. He might not have direct experience, but he certainly knew the theory. He knew some of the evaluation criteria for women who were going to get involved with a man!

"That rascal Lionel Mendez, he promised to find a top-notch, but it looks like he kept the best for himself!" the man muttered.

"Huh? What did you say?" Renee hadn't caught what he mumbled.

"Never mind. Weren't you trying to flirt? Why are you just standing there? Say something! The man's voice was commanding, exuding an air of superiority.

Perhaps he had every right to be that way.

His name was Kenneth Butler.

In Yorkshire City, this name was well-known to many. He was the founder and current CEO of Obsidian Empire, a dominant figure who held immense power and influence.

The legendary Kenneth Butler was a genius gamer who built his empire from the ground up through games. The games he created almost monopolised the entire market. Later, Obsidian Empire rapidly expanded, branching out from gaming into various industries, which significantly boosted Kenneth's wealth.

At just twenty-six years old, he was one of the wealthiest individuals not only in the country but also internationally. However, he never appeared in public, and no one had ever seen him.

Renee swallowed hard. "Um, I have just one request today."

"Speak!" Kenneth Butler sounded a bit impatient.

"Don't use a condom."

Hearing this, Kenneth Butler's jaw nearly dropped to the floor! Lionel had been very clear about this: he must use a condom!

For one thing, given his special status, it would be a nightmare if an accidental pregnancy occurred. For another, you never know about the kind of women who hang around in places like this; a lot of them aren't exactly clean. Catching some kind of disease would be a disaster.

"Because..." Renee hesitated. She didn't want to reveal her plan to have a baby. She just wanted to get pregnant quietly, without any complications.

"If you don't tell me, I won't touch you today!" Kenneth Butler's gaze turned icy. Renee really didn't want to miss this opportunity. Where else could she find such good genes if she let this slip away?

She took a deep breath and decided to go for it. "Because I want to have a baby!" Kenneth Butler was stunned once again. This woman looked barely in her twenties, and she wanted to have a baby? Was she out of her mind?

"Why?"

"Don't worry! I won't bother you at all! I'll raise the child myself! It won't have anything to do with you!" Renee quickly promised, her voice full of determination.

Kenneth Butler once again questioned whether this woman might be out of her mind.

Seeing Kenneth's lingering doubt, Renee mustered her courage and sat beside him. "You can trust me. I need this child for a special purpose. After today, we can cut all ties. Even if we meet on the street, we can pretend we've never seen each other."

"Why do you want to have a child?'

"That's something I can't tell you." Renee shook her head. After a moment of silence, Renee lowered her gaze. "Also... um...this is my first time, so could you... Take the lead?"

She was a virgin?!

A flicker of excitement ignited within Kenneth. But wait, he was a virgin, too! He didn't have any experience either! The whole point of today was that Lionel had arranged for him to lose his virginity, finally!

Who would have thought that rascal Lionel would find him another virgin? This was definitely making things difficult for him. He was definitely going to make him pay for this the next day.

Renee glanced up at Kenneth, stealing a peek. "We can... start now." The word was spoken, but neither of them moved. An awkward silence hung in the air between them.

Kenneth cleared his throat. "Um, look... I can take the lead on this, but surely you can at least start the kiss, right?"

"Huh?"

"It's more fun when the woman initiates the flirting. Otherwise, where's the excitement?"

"Well... alright then."

Renee nodded, slowly shuffling closer to Kenneth's side. She lifted her eyes to meet his. Their gazes locked.

His blue eyes were dreamlike, fantastical, the stuff of every girl's fantasy of a Prince Charming. The sight of her shy, blushing expression made his throat tighten.

Slowly, Renee leaned closer to Kenneth. Two inches, one and a half inches, one inch...

She squeezed her eyes shut, steeled her resolve, and captured his lips with her own. Kenneth Butler, who had never been kissed before, was completely stunned!

Her lips were soft, carrying a moist warmth that sent a jolt through his body. In the next instant, he turned the tables, capturing her lips and assaulting them with a rough, hungry kiss of his own.

The suddenness of his response startled Renee. Her eyes flew open, and for a moment, she was at a total loss. Then, an intense, tingling sensation spread through her chest.

Unable to restrain himself, Kenneth slid his hand under her shirt. With a single, sharp tug, there was the sound of tearing fabric, and her shirt was ripped open.

He immediately pushed her down, pinning her beneath him. Although she had mentally prepared herself as much as humanly possible, when the moment finally arrived, Renee was still as tense as a startled deer.

"Again!" Kenneth demanded, still unsatisfied. He went to flip her over, only to find that she had already fallen asleep. He couldn't help but feel his good mood deflate. He was in such high spirits, and she had actually fallen asleep!

Kenneth let out a soft "tch" of disappointment. He stood at a distance, his eyes surveying the sleeping Renee, taking in her pretty body.

Her breasts might have been a little on the small side, but other than that, her body was truly flawless. Most importantly, she was a perfect fit for him.

Just then, Kenneth's phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was Lionel Mendez calling.

"Damn it, you bastard, I was just looking for you to settle the score!"

The words had barely left Kenneth's mouth when an impatient voice erupted from the other end of the line. "Dude! Weren't you the one going on and on about finally losing that twenty-six-year-old virginity of yours? I found you someone. Where the hell are you?!"

"I'm at the hotel!"

"What are you doing at the hotel? I told you to wait at the bar! The poor girl's been waiting for a solid two hours! Get over there, now!"

"What girl? Isn't she in my... " bed?

Kenneth glanced at the naked Renee on his bed!

The girl Lionel found for him was still at the bar. So who was this woman in his bed?!

"...get to the bar, now!" Lionel's voice was still rambling on in his ear. I guarantee you, the girl I found is a thousand times better than that wife of yours at home!"

Renee didn't wake up until around nine the next morning. When she did, her body was wracked with a tearing pain, as if she had been run over by something. There wasn't a single part of her that didn't ache. That man had been too rough last night! She could barely take it.

Struggling to sit up, she found her legs trembling as she got out of bed. After taking a shower, she discovered multiple bruises on her body, some from being gripped too hard, and others were kiss marks.

" Pervert!" Renee muttered as she realised her clothes had been torn by that man. She had no choice but to ask the hotel staff for help. Thankfully, this was a presidential suite, and the service was top-notch.

Borrowing clothes from a staff member, she hurried and fled the place.

Obsidian Empire, CEO Office

The office was impeccably decorated and flawlessly clean, without a single item out of place or a single imperfection to be found. Three computers were set up in front of the curved desk.

Kenneth sat at the desk, staring at the dark screens. Since this morning, he hadn't been able to focus on work.

His mind was filled with thoughts of the woman who had accidentally ended up in his bed last night.

His secretary, Dorris, walked in. "Mr Butler, you called for me."

At twenty-eight, Dorris was the head of Kenneth Butler's secretarial team. He had joined Obsidian Empire straight out of college and was, in a way, one of Kenneth's most veteran employees.

"I need you to look into someone for me," Kenneth said, opening his phone and pulling up a photo.

It was a photo of Renee Avery. In a fit of mischief the night before, Kenneth snapped a nude photo of her. The version he showed Dorris, however, was tightly cropped to just her face. After all, he would never show a naked photo of a woman he'd slept with to anyone!

Dorris walked over, took Kenneth's phone, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Th-th-that's... "

"That's what? Just investigate everything about this woman!" Kenneth ordered, frowning.

"Mr Butler," Dorris said, finally composed. Isn't that... your wife?"

Dorris had handled all the arrangements for Kenneth's marriage, so of course, he had seen Renee Avery before.

"My wife?" Kenneth looked puzzled.

"Mr Butler, have you forgotten? A year ago, you registered your marriage and arranged for your wife to stay in the villa over in Prism City."

Kenneth's hands slammed down on the table as he shot to his feet, his eyes glaring fiercely at Dorris. "Are you saying the woman in this photo is my wife?!"

Kenneth had never seen Renee before. The marriage wasn't his idea, and he had been so against it that he hadn't even shown up for the official registration. Given his status, the civil affairs office didn't dare to insist on his presence. So, until now, he had no idea what his wife looked like and had even forgotten he was married!

Dorris had no idea why Kenneth suddenly erupted in such a fury. He stiffened and took two steps back, nodding quickly. "Y-yes, sir."

Kenneth took a couple of deep breaths before sitting back down in his chair. So, his wife had been cheating on him last night! That woman! Sure, by some crazy twist of fate, he was the one she ended up sleeping with. But what if she had run into someone else? Wouldn't that have meant he'd been cheated on for sure?!

"M-Mr. Butler... you just asked for all of your wife's information. We already ran a full background check on her a year ago, when you two were married. Should I... go get that for you?"

"Then what are you waiting for?!" Kenneth roared at him.

"Yes, sir!" Dorris immediately left the office. Five minutes later, he returned with Renee Avery's file.

Thank goodness he had a habit of keeping copies of everything. Dorris thought President Butler would have blown a gasket today! It was just a single, thin sheet of A4 paper. Kenneth's eyes narrowed.

"Are you kidding me? This is it?"

Dorris bent over and kept his head low, not daring to breathe too loudly. "Yes, Mr Butler. If you recall, wasn't it because her background was so clean that you agreed to the marriage in the first place?" Kenneth had completely forgotten about that. He turned his attention to the paper.

Emily Avery, twenty-one years old, is a junior at Zenith Film Academy, majoring in acting. Father: Aidan. Mother: Penelope. Half-brother: Grady. Half-sister: Bailey. Half-brother: Bradley.

The family owns an ancestral vineyard, Avery Vineyard, which is poorly managed and on the brink of bankruptcy. The rest is just some trivial information about Emily Avery, barely filling half a page of A4 paper.

"Emily Avery..." Kenneth softly murmured the name. So, her name was Emily Avery. The information was from last year, so she should be about twenty-two now and on the verge of graduating from college. Even though last night, this woman brought immense pleasure, letting him experience the bliss of his first time, the moment he remembered her original intention, to cheat on him. He was filled with a white-hot rage.

"Where is she now?"

Kenneth lifted his head.

"Mr Butler, on your instructions, she was settled in the Prism City villa. She doesn't spend much time there; most of her time is split between school and her younger brother's place. As for right now... well, it's May, so she should be graduating soon."

Dorris answered nervously, careful not to leave out a single detail. " Has a perfectly running around but keeps running around!" Kenneth crumpled the A4 paper into a ball and tossed it into the trash can.

So, cheating on him had been her plan all along! Still, at least she hadn't succeeded. Because he knew, for a fact, that last night had been her first time. Lionel had told him that a woman bleeds her first time, and he had seen the blood on the white sheets yesterday.

"Is there anyone else at Prism City?"

"There's a maid there, a young girl in her early twenties, who's taking care of Madam."

"Go and tell her that I'm coming home tonight."

Dorris was taken aback. It had been a whole year since Kenneth had gone back, and now he suddenly wanted to return? But he didn't dare to ask more questions. After Kenneth was on the warpath. All he needed to do was to obey.

Z-Ford Film Academy

Emily Avery was about to graduate soon. It was May, and she was juggling her thesis and job hunting, feeling completely overwhelmed. She went home to rest for a bit after being worn out by that man last night. Despite her exhaustion, she dragged herself to school because she needed some materials for her research and was just about to head straight for the library.

A red Maserati screeched to a halt right in front of her, the sharp sound of its brakes turning heads all around. The car door opened. A pair of red high heels was the first to emerge, followed by a pair of long, flawless legs. And then, Emily saw her clearly.

It was her younger sister, Bailey Avery.

"Wow, it's Bailey Avery! What a gorgeous car!"

"Yeah, her boyfriend is the CEO of A&B International. She signed with A&B International early on, and it looks like she's going to become a big superstar soon!"

People around are murmuring with awe and envy. Renee didn't want to run into her and pretended not to see her, heading towards the library when a familiar voice called her out.

"Sis! Long time no see!" Bailey removed her sunglasses and waved nonchalantly at Emily. Emily shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and turned around with a big smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Yes, it has been a while. What a coincidence!"

In this school, many students would be future stars, but Bailey Avery had already become one in her sophomore year. She used to train in gymnastics and even represented the school in an International competition. Later, she took up acting, signed with A&B International.

In many people's eyes, she was a rising star! Naturally, her appearance drew a lot of attention, and people began to gather around.

"Bailey Avery has a sister?" someone from the crowd cautiously inquired.

" Yeah, I've heard Baily Avery is good at everything, but her sister is good at nothing! They're both in the drama department, but while Bailey is always the lead, her sister is just an extra!"

Hearing the surrounding whispers, Emily felt a pang of discomfort in her heart. " Sis, it's great running into you today. Nick and I are getting engaged soon, so you must come to the party."

"Oh, really? After all this time together, it's just an engagement?" Emily couldn't help but scoff, her eyes filled with disdain. The remark clearly stung Bailey. Her face darkened momentarily before she quickly regained her superior demeanour.

"Yes, the Richards Family is quite prestigious, so things like this take time. But don't worry, Sis, you'll soon be toasting at our wedding." Bailey's eyes were full of pride. She had every reason to flaunt in front of Renee.

After all, Nick Richards used to belong to Emily Avery.

Emily didn't show any bit of sadness. "Alright then, I'll be sure to drink a lot at the wedding. It would be a shame to waste all the effort my dear sister put into winning over my brother-in-law!"

Bailey knew that Emily's words had a hidden meaning. She was well aware of Emily's sharp tongue. But now, Renee was just a defeated opponent, only able to make snide remarks over her.

"Sis, I heard no company wants to sign you yet. Are you still doing bit parts? How about I talk to Nick to help you out?"

"No need. I'll find a company to sign with. If there's nothing else, I'm heading to the library." Emily shot her a glance and started to turn away.

"I know you're hurting inside! But who can you blame but yourself for not cherishing what you had back then?" Bailey had no intention of letting her go easily. Just as Emily turned, a sapphire-blue sports car zoomed up and screeched to a halt in front of them with lightning speed.

It was a LaFerrari!

Gleaming under the sun, the sapphire-blue beast looked like a predator poised for battle, its presence radiating pure, murderous intent.