He Said He Could Afford Two Wives, I Showed Him He Could Afford Zero Chapter 01

He Said He Could Afford Two Wives, I Showed Him He Could Afford Zero Chapter 01

The day my fiancé Landon Cross’s company went public, I went with him to the bell-ringing ceremony.

The moment I slid into the seat beside him, his secretary Skylar Quinn shoved me aside. I frowned and raised my hand, ready to teach her a lesson.

But Landon stepped in front of her first and blocked me. “Aria, let it slide, alright? She’s young, still gets jealous.”

“And this is the bell-ringing. The optics of you in the partner’s seat? Not great.”

I froze.

The secretary looped her arm through his and raised an eyebrow at me.

Then she pulled a marriage license out of her purse and flashed it at me, triumphant. “Ms. Carrington, we just got it yesterday. Fully legal.”

Landon wrapped his arm around her waist and smiled, unhurried. “The girl loves ceremony. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Since she wants the title, she can have it.”

“Anyway, now that the company’s public, I can afford to keep two.”

Listening to him, that’s when it hit me, the dog I’d raised for ten years had finally turned around and bitten the hand that fed him.

A kept boy, and I’d given him an inch. Now he thought he could take a mile.

Did he really not get it? I was the one who lifted him up, I could just as easily take it all away.

***

After my fiancé spoke, it took me a long moment to process. “Landon, do you even hear yourself?”

Before Landon could answer, Skylar leaned in. “What, are you deaf?”

“Lan already told you, we got the marriage license. He and I. Legally.”

She pointed at the seat next to Landon, smug. “And this seat is mine. You have no right to be here. Go sit in the back row like a good girl.”

“Shut your mouth.”

I turned my gaze on her, and I laughed coldly. “What the hell are you? You think you get to tell me what to do?”

Skylar’s face flickered. She shrank behind Landon.

Landon frowned and shifted to shield her. “Aria, when did you develop such a temper?”

“She is sensitive. You’re scaring her.”

A month ago, this man had been bowing and scraping before me.

Now he was standing in front of me, protecting another woman.

I dug my nails into my palm and forced myself to stay upright. “Our wedding is a month away, and you’re telling me you married someone else?”

“What exactly am I to you?”

He arched an eyebrow and let out a soft laugh. “What else? My bride.”

“We’ve been together ten years. You wanted a wedding, and I agreed to give you one.”

“Does a piece of paper really matter?”

He paused and glanced at the girl in his arms.

Then he added, deliberate and slow, “Don’t worry. Sky is very understanding. She won’t mind you.”

Shameless didn’t even begin to cover it.

I raised my hand and slapped him hard.

Smack!

The crack echoed through the hall.

Landon’s head snapped to the side, five finger marks rising on his cheek.

Skylar shrieked and lunged at me, shoving me back. “You psycho! How dare you hit him!”

“I’m warning you, today is Lan’s big day. The company’s going public.”

“If you keep this up, I’ll have security throw you out!”

“Sky, it’s fine.” Landon caught her arm. “It’s just a slap. I can take it. Go sit down.”

Skylar shot me a venomous glare but eventually sat, unwilling.

Landon wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled at me. “There. Got it out of your system, princess?”

“Can you sit down now? The ceremony’s about to start.”

He reached for my hand.

I looked at that careless expression and suddenly felt like all my rage had hit a wall of cotton.

Like I was the one making a scene. I yanked my hand free and slapped him again, even harder.

Landon’s head stayed turned for a long moment. When he looked back, his eyes had gone cold. “Aria, I’ve put up with your little tantrums because we’ve been together five years. Any more and you’ll cross a line.”

I laughed. “Is that so? Should I thank you for your generosity?”

I stepped closer. “Landon, do you even remember how you got this company?”

“Do you believe me when I say I can take it public, and I can bankrupt it overnight?”

He blinked, then snorted. “Oh? With what?”

He folded his arms and looked down at me. “Aria, I think you still don’t see the situation clearly.”

“Ten years ago, maybe you outranked me. I’ll give you that.”

“But right now, I’m the legal owner of this company, and I’m the shareholder with over ninety-five percent controlling interest.”

He paused, and the corner of his mouth hooked upward. “Times have changed. I’m not that broke kid anymore.”

“And you, you don’t get to push me around.”

I watched him finally drop the mask, and I laughed. “There it is. Finally done pretending?”

“A dog I raised. And it turns out he’s got teeth. I really underestimated you, Landon.”

His face darkened instantly. “Aria, I always thought you were smart.”

“With my status now, plenty of women would kill to get into my bed.”

“And yet, I’m still choosing to marry you. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

He straightened his tie, slipping back into that polished armor.

“Enough. Don’t make a scene.”

“If you don’t want to be at the ceremony, go home.”

He turned to leave.

I moved to follow, but two security guards stepped in front of me. “Ma’am, we’ll escort you out.”