The Almighty Husband

As the sun set in the horizon, the fleet that had gone on an expedition for four years finally found shore.

A young man slowly walked down the stairs that connected the large ship in the center to the port, his eyes slightly red at the corners. There were traces of regret and reluctance on his face.

Countless navy soldiers lined up on the deck of the warships behind him. They were wearing the same blue uniform.

Upon command, they raised their right hands in a unified salute. Their eyes were solemn and moist with unshed tears as they watched the young man step on land.

"Thank you for your service, General!"

"Thank you for your service, General!"

Their voices boomed all around the coast, followed by the sound of cannons firing as they sent the man off.

The deputy commander overseeing the handover procedure walked up to the young man and ushered him to the back seat of a black car.

"General, are you really leaving?" he asked.

The young man, Noah Reed, had only been in the navy for four years, but his command had led his nation to victory over three other countries. It rocked the entire world, but thanks to that, no one dared to commit any felonies in the Rainy Sea again.

Not only was he promoted to general at such a young age, but the public also dubbed him as the God of War.

"Yes, I need to return home and get some much-needed rest. I'm sure no one would be stupid enough to try anything under the navy's watch."

"Understood, sir."

......

Noah looked outside the window and watched the scenery they passed. He hadn't been in Doriland, his motherland, in so long. Emotions rushed at him wave after wave, and he sighed.

Though he would have liked to stay with his men, he was eager to come home, too. He glanced down at the wedding photo between his fingers.

His thumb gently stroked the beautiful face that stared back at him. She had exquisite features, bright eyes, a high-bridged nose, and luscious lips. She was more beautiful than most celebrities.

"Charlotte, how have you been these past few years?"

His missions were all top secret, so he was forbidden from making contact with any civilian. But now, he finally had his chance to see and catch up with all that he had been missing.

Noah swallowed the lump in his throat and continued to look at their photo. He couldn't help but look back how it all started.

Charlotte Pierce was a renowned CEO in Bayhedge City. She was young, beautiful, and brilliant with her work.

Noah, on the other hand, was a penniless vagrant who had been abandoned by his family.

Charlotte had taken him in, fed him, clothed him, and given him a job as a security guard in her company.

But during the company's anniversary event, they were drugged and had sex.

The media got wind of it, and within a matter of hours, the entire city was aware of it.

Needless to say, the scandal affected the company, decreasing its market value by more than 20%.

In an attempt to mitigate the negative impact, the matriarch of the Pierce family intervened and used her authority to let Noah marry into the family.

Their abrupt marriage was all over the news, too.

And while the company's status eventually stabilized, the same could not be said for Charlotte's reputation. She had sex and married a mere security guard, after all. Even her own relatives looked down on her for that.

Noah always felt guilty for what she had to endure. It just so happened that tension was brewing between counties at that time, and the navy was recruiting.

He ended up enlisting and going out to sea to fight.

He harbored the hope that he would be able to make something of himself, so that he would become worthy of Charlotte one day.

Now he did achieve that, and more. He was returning home in glory.

As soon as Noah was dropped off in Bayhedge, he hailed a taxi and headed over to the largest shopping mall in the city.

He hadn't seen his wife for four years. He wanted to get her a special gift.

He looked through the things he thought she might like, and couldn't help but be appalled with the prices. A small purse cost the same amount needed for a soldier to train the whole year.

Noah kept looking, weighing his options carefully as he went. He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of someone bursting into tears.

He turned around and saw a little girl crouched in a quiet corner, crying her heart out.

For some reason, he felt a twinge in his chest.

If Charlotte had been pregnant, their child would be the same age as this girl.

Another wave of emotion washed over Noah.

The girl had likely separated from her parents and was now lost. Her parents must be so worried.

How could he just stand aside and do nothing?

Noah walked up to the girl and squatted in front of her. "Little one, where are your parents? Do you want me to help you find them?" he said in the gentlest voice he could manage.

The girl said nothing. She wiped her tears and sniffed, only to get into another round of sobbing.

As the feared general of the Rainy Sea, Noah had seen his enemies quake in front of him. This time, however, he was the one at a loss, facing a little girl.

He took note of her colorful dress and neatly arranged bun, asking, "Is it your birthday today, little one?"

The only birthday he had ever celebrated was Charlotte's and she had pulled up her hair in the same style.

Still, Noah didn't think much of it. He wanted to stop the little girl from crying and calm her down.

"How did you know?" The girl raised her head. Her tearful eyes were wide with surprise. The sight melted Noah's heart.

"Because you look so beautiful in your dress. You look just like a princess." Noah smiled and reached out to wipe the rest of her tears. "What is your name?"

"My name is Gianna," the girl answered in a sweet voice. It seemed that she was no longer wary of him.

"Where are your parents? May I take you to them?"

"No! Mommy said Daddy is gone on a long trip. He never visits on my birthday. Even today, he hasn't come back to see me!"

The girl crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, fresh tears brimming in her eyes.

Feeling sorry for her, Noah gently gathered her up and carried her in his arms.

He had no choice but to take her to the reception area and ask for the staff's assistance. At this rate, he would have no time to buy Charlotte a present.

"Gianna, how about I buy you a birthday gift?"

The little girl perked up and nodded happily.

Noah took her to the nearest toy store and bought her a fluffy stuffed animal.

Then he picked her up again and went to the reception area to report her as a lost child.

He had something more important to do, so he knew he couldn't stick around and wait for Gianna to be picked up.

Noah made sure she was all settled, then waited until she was distracted by her new toy to slip away quietly.

Shortly after he left, a long-haired woman in a sleek business attire rushed into the reception lounge.

"Gianna!"

She heaved a long sigh of relief upon seeing that the little girl was safe and sound, then promptly burst into tears. She dashed over and pulled Gianna into a tight embrace.

Her daughter was her whole world.

Four years ago, not long after she got married, she found herself pregnant. But her husband suddenly disappeared.

Later, her father told her that the bastard had secretly asked for three hundred thousand and left.

In the last four years, Charlotte had put up with the rumors and the public humiliation that constantly surrounded her.

As she was pushed into the delivery room to give birth to her baby, the position of CEO was snatched away by her greedy relatives.

She had considered committing suicide several times, but the thought of her child kept her hanging on.

Her daughter was the only thing that grounded her and kept her strong all these years.

It was all that man's fault. He was the reason for every hardship she had had to endure.

She pulled back and frowned at Gianna. "Where did you go? Didn't I tell you to stay put and wait for me?"

"Mommy, I met a handsome mister. He bought me a birthday present. Look! Will Daddy also get me a present when he comes back?"

Charlotte's heart skipped a beat.

"Gianna, have you forgotten what I told you? Daddy is on a trip. He won't be back for a very, very long time. But I'm sure he will have a present for you when he does."

Charlotte stroked her daughter's hair and hugged her again, all while inwardly cursing that ruthless bastard who had left her to the wolves all by herself.

Noah didn't give too much thought to the episode about that little girl. Now, all he had in mind was to pick up an exquisite gift and then go to the Pierce family residence to see Charlotte.

Before he could do so, his phone rang. He looked at the screen and saw that it was Hudson Reynolds calling.

"Hello, Noah! Are you in Bayhedge?" Hudson's surprised and joyful voice came from the other end of the line.

"Yes, I'm back."

Something occurred to Noah. He looked at the bank card in his hand and finally remembered that it wasn't his personal bank card. Hudson had actually given it to him.

It seemed like Hudson had been waiting patiently for the day a transaction would be made with that card in Bayhedge. After all, how else would he have suspected that Noah was in town?

Years ago, Hudson was abducted by human traffickers and was almost sold. Fortunately for him, he happened to meet Noah while he was transported abroad by sea.

Noah was on a special mission at that time. When he stumbled on Hudson, he had to save him. The man was very grateful. To show his gratitude, he gave Noah his bank card.

Noah had no idea that the pitiful man he saved was now the richest in Bayhedge. Not only that, Hudson's company, Paysine Group, was one of a kind.

Hudson's joy knew no bounds. He wasn't rich enough to repay Noah's kindness at the time, but now, things were very different for him. He was currently wealthy and powerful.

"It has been four years since we last saw each other, Noah. Now that you are back in Bayhedge, we will finally have the chance to meet again. I'm so glad. But if you don't mind me asking, will you settle down in Bayhedge this time?"

Hudson had done some digging on his savior's background.

As a result, he knew about what happened between Noah and Charlotte.

Besides, it was easy to know about that because the news of the female CEO marrying a mere security guard had spread like wildfire at that time.

The Pierce family became a laughingstock amongst the elites in Bayhedge because of this issue. Hudson knew that if Noah decided to stay in the city this time, it would only be for the sake of Charlotte.

"Yes. I'll be in town for some time. I want to rest here and unwind," Noah answered briefly, looking at his watch. He was not just anybody, so he couldn't be so open to anyone. He had to keep his affairs as private as possible.

"Oh, that's great! Now that you have decided to stay, I'll support you however I can. You can count on me. Tell you what, I'll ask my butler to prepare a big gift and send it to the Pierce family residence. You should use it as your gift to Charlotte. I'm currently out of town, but I'd love to meet you when I return..."

Hudson paused and continued, "Oh, lest I forget. If you need anything, do not hesitate to contact my butler. Your wish will be my command."

Noah's first thought was to turn down this offer. But on second thought, he realized that it wasn't such a bad idea to have a backer now. He knew that the Pierce family wouldn't make things easy for him if he returned to their household now. He needed some kind of support so Charlotte wouldn't be looked down on again. He had to agree and accept Hudson's generous gift.

Hudson was thrilled when he heard Noah's agreement. However, he knew a gift, no matter how expensive, wasn't enough to repay Noah for saving his life.

He didn't beat about the bush anymore.

"I owe you my life. You came to my rescue when I was at my worst. You gave me another shot at life. The cash I got from you helped me establish what is today known as one of the biggest companies in the country, Paysine Group.

For your contribution to my success story, I have since made you the second largest shareholder of the group. I'll be retiring soon and I want to make you the CEO of the company."

The CEO position was one of the most coveted by those in the company. Many of the top senior employees and shareholders had their eyes on that seat.

Although Hudson was a man of great connections, there was no way he could have known about the military secret that Noah had been promoted to general and was now literally the God of War.

In his mind, Noah was just an ordinary officer who had retired from the army and could really use a hand settling down in the corporate world. He expected a yes from him.

But to his greatest surprise, Noah chuckled and politely refused.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'm not interested in being the CEO. I'm sorry."

Hudson immediately became confused. This was his only way of repaying Noah's kindness. Now, he had to convince him.

"Noah, the real reason you came back to Bayhedge is to be with Charlotte, right? Permit me to say that what you need is a job that won't take all of your time. The CEO position will afford you the luxury of time to do other things. You can channel your energy and time to do the things you love and also take better care of your beloved family."

The mention of family caused Noah to have a rethink. He wondered if taking a corporate job would do him greater good.

Family... Charlotte... The CEO position...

Noah had some insight about how large Paysine Group was. The shopping mall he just left was one of the subsidiaries of the company. It owned large buildings and firms scattered around the country.

He always wanted the best for Charlotte. If he became the CEO of the group, it would be of great help to her career.

More so, the Pierce family would no longer treat him like dirt. Those people valued money and status over anything else.

At the thought of this, Noah had to agree. Hudson couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Okay, okay! It's settled then."

After speaking for another minute, Noah hung up and took a taxi straight to the Pierce family residence.

As he walked in and looked around, nostalgia swept through him. He hadn't had the best of experiences here, but he was extremely excited that he would see Charlotte again.

Peals of laughter rang out of the building as he got closer.

After taking a deep breath, he reached out his hand to push the door open. But someone else opened it from inside. Time seemed to stop the second the two people set eyes on each other.

A second ago, everyone in the living room had been all smiles like they had no worries in the world.

But the moment they sighted Noah at the door, their smiles melted like ice on fire.

The eyes of Noah's parents-in-law darkened in a trice. Their faces also twisted in disgust.

"Noah?" Hazel Pierce, his mother-in-law, blinked a couple of times. Then, she pointed at him and cursed, "How dare you show up here!"

"Get the hell out! You are not welcome here! The nerve of you to come back here after so many years! Damn you, Noah! You so shameless!" Hazel stood with her hands akimbo as she blocked the way in.

Julian Pierce, Noah's father-in-law, who was standing a few feet away, echoed, "Noah, if you're sensible, you had better leave now. We're expecting a distinguished guest here today. I warn you not to create a scene here and spoil everything. Get lost before I lose my cool!"

"Yeah, get lost! Don't even dare make any trouble. Otherwise, you'll regret it." Hazel's voice became louder and sharper.

A slight frown appeared on Noah's face. He was angry, but he restrained himself from blurting out the words he had at the tip of his tongue.

The only reason why he suppressed his anger was that these two hostile people were Charlotte's parents. He had to put up with them.

However, Hazel thought that he was too spineless to defend himself or retort. His silence made her even more arrogant. She pointed at his nose and continued, "How typical! You are such a loser that you don't even know what to say. Son of a bitch, how dare you show up here uninvited? Gosh! Don't you know you are just a piece of shit?"

Just as Noah's temples began to throb and he balled his fists silently, a roar of an engine came from behind.

Everyone looked up just as a new and flashy BMW X7 pulled up in front of them. A chubby man got out of the car and looked around with his lips turned up with discontentment and arrogance.

As soon as Hazel saw him, she hurried forward to greet him, ignoring Noah.

Another person even pushed him away from the entrance like he was some pest.

"Oh, my God! Cody, you are finally here! We have been looking forward to your arrival." Hazel was all smiles again. It was as if she had changed to a different person.

"Cody, our joy has known no bounds since we were informed of your coming. Charlotte went out briefly, but she will be back soon. How about you come in and have a seat? Let's chat over a drink, okay?" Julian was bowing a little as he ushered Cody Nixon into the villa like some king.

Noah, who was standing by the door, was boiling with anger and jealousy now.

From the look of things, he could tell that they intended to make a match between Charlotte and this man.

Charlotte was still his wife!

Cody couldn't help but notice Noah. He suspected that the Pierce family didn't like this man, so he deliberately asked with a provoking smile, "Who is this gentleman?"

All attention was on Cody now. If he hadn't asked this question, they would have completely forgotten about Noah.

Hazel flipped the switch again. With a long face, she uttered, "Noah Reed! Come sign the divorce agreement!"

Julian echoed, "That's right! Sign the agreement. Charlotte's lucky that a successful man like Cody took a liking to her. You don't even have a good source of income. Do you want Charlotte to starve on the cold streets with you?"

There was a sudden burst of sneer in the room. A mocking smirk soon appeared on Cody's face.

"Oh, I was wondering who he was. It turns out he's the loser that goes by the name, Noah. He went off the grid for so many years. Something tells me he almost died of hunger and had to go somewhere to beg for food. Ha-ha!"

Cody looked down at Noah from head to toe with disdain.

"By the way, you just got back to Bayhedge, didn't you? You don't look good at all. Since you are so poor, you don't have a place to stay, right?

Anyway, there's an empty doghouse in my villa. How about you live there? You can stay for as long as you want. I need a pet. You are up to the task, aren't you?" Cody spat with disdain.

"Noah, did you hear that? Cody is far too kind to have made you such an offer. I'm sure many people want to be his pet. You'll fit in the doghouse well. It's better than living on the streets." Hazel didn't hesitate to add salt to injury. Multiple disdainful eyes were on Noah at this moment.

In the face of this humiliation, Noah just smiled and said lightly, "I must say that this is the first time I am hearing about a human being living in a doghouse. Cody, since you brought it up, you and your family must have lived in such before.

I love trying new things, but I'm a bit too self-aware to know that I don't belong in a doghouse. Anyway, I respect the odd habit of your family. It's a free world."

Cody's puffy face was red as a ripe tomato by the time Noah finished speaking.

Hazel's eyes grew wider. In her opinion, Cody was her family's savior. He was to be revered. How would he help them to become a nobler family if he got pissed off today?

"Watch your mouth, Noah! Don't create a scene here. Just sign the divorce agreement and get your stinking self out of this place. If you don't, I'll call the cops on you for trespassing!" Hazel gesticulated as she threatened in a fit of rage.

Just then, the front door swung open. Two figures appeared at the door.

Charlotte was home, holding Gianna's hand.