He Secretly Married His Mistress While Living Off My Money—So I Stripped His Wealth Overnight Chapter 02

He Secretly Married His Mistress While Living Off My Money—So I Stripped His Wealth Overnight Chapter 02

I spun toward another bedroom to gather my legal documents.

Maren trailed close behind me with the same necklace box, repeatedly shoving the jewelry into my arms.

“Don’t feel bad taking this. It’s pricey, but we’ve got more than enough money around here.”

“I just don’t care for the design, so gifting it to household help is no big deal.”

“It’s part of my wedding haul. I hope you find someone who’ll love you just as deeply someday.”

Her smile looked warm and generous, every inch the gracious new lady of the house.

All I felt was bitter sarcasm as I glanced toward the doorway.

This was the same man who once lit up just locking eyes with me and swore his whole life belonged to mine.

Brendan’s frown deepened, his mood souring fast.

He sent Maren out of the room with a quick hand gesture.

Once the front door shut behind her, he strode over and clamped his fingers tight around my wrist with brutal force.

He sighed like he was calming a spoiled kid throwing a fit.

“Sorrel, I know you’re hurting.”

“I’ve built up substantial wealth now; seeing other women isn’t such an unforgivable crime.”

His low voice dripped with patronizing coaxing.

“Maren’s pure and sweet. I chased her ages to win her heart, and after seven years together I owe her commitment.”

“You’ve always been reasonable and understanding, so you’ll see where I’m coming from, right?”

His quiet words landed like hammer blows, splitting my heart open.

I pulled my wrist free from his grip and kept my head lowered.

Not a single word passed my lips.

I grabbed my rolling suitcase to walk out.

My silence stoked Brendan’s anger instantly.

He curled his foot and kicked my luggage hard across the room.

“Sorrel Bennett, don’t push your luck!”

The case crashed into the wall, splitting open along one edge.

He loomed over me with icy, cruel eyes.

“I still keep you housed in our gated suburban estate, leave your credit lines untouched and let you drive luxury vehicles. Isn’t that enough?”

“Blame your own broken body for all of this.”

His gaze drifted down to my stomach like he was staring at worthless junk.

“Do you really expect me to spend my whole life with no biological heir?”

Every sentence sliced deep into my flesh.

I froze in place, every drop of blood turning ice cold in my veins.

Our first child had arrived unexpectedly back when Brendan had zero financial stability.

He couldn’t lock down any business deals, leaving us splitting a single fast-food combo platter for meals each day.

I picked up part-time shifts at local neighborhood mart just to cover monthly rent costs.

We couldn’t afford legal early termination care from a licensed clinic.

I settled for cheap over-the-counter medication and miscarried at home alone.

That long brutal night stretched on forever. I curled on our mattress in crippling agony, bleeding through the sheets and teetering on unconsciousness.

Brendan dropped to his knees beside the bed, eyes bloodshot and voice cracking with tears as he fed me warm sweet herbal tea.

“Sorrel, I’m so sorry.”

“I swear I’ll spend every day taking good care of you.”

“I’ll give everything I have to make sure you never suffer again.”

His old vows still echoed hot in my ears, yet the man standing before me was unrecognizable.

A crushing weariness washed over my entire body.

I’d begged my father, who’d outright opposed our relationship from the start, to give Brendan a shot to prove himself worthy of me.

I’d fought to show Dad he wasn’t a penniless deadbeat who’d abandon me down the line.

All I’d proven in the end was my own foolishness.