Chapter 5 - The Wrath of the KingHook for Facebook: My husband thought he was about to sign a multi-million dollar contract with the city's top conglomerate. He didn't know the man holding the pen was his father-in-law, and I was about to sign his ruin.
The entire ballroom went dead silent. Raymond Harrell was a mythic figure in the business world—a man who rarely appeared at public social events, yet controlled the strings of the city's entire economy.
Spencer’s corporate instincts immediately kicked in, overriding his confusion. He forgot about me for a second, stepping forward with an eager, almost desperate smile, extending his hand. “Mr. Harrell! It is an absolute honor. I am Spencer Conway, CEO of the Conway Group. We’ve been discussing the Apex contract with your board—”
Raymond didn't even look at Spencer’s extended hand. He walked right past him, stepping directly in front of me. The stern, terrifying billionaire's face melted into pure warmth.
“Are you alright, sweetheart?” Raymond asked gently, taking my hands in his.
“I’m perfect, Dad,” I said, giving him a bright, beautiful smile. “Never better.”
Dad?!
The word echoed through the silent ballroom like a thunderclap.
Spencer’s hand stayed frozen in mid-air. His face went from pale to completely green. He looked at me, then at Raymond Harrell, then back to me. The puzzle pieces were clicking together in his mind, and the picture was terrifying.
“D-Dad?” Spencer whispered, his voice cracking. “Phoebe... you’re... Raymond Harrell is your father? Why didn’t you ever tell me?!”
“Because I wanted a husband who loved me for who I was, Spencer,” I said, my voice dripping with cold disdain. “Not a parasite who wanted my family’s money. But it turns out, you couldn't even manage basic human decency.”
Paisley was shaking, backing away slowly. “No... this is a mistake. She’s a nobody! Spencer said she came from nothing!”
Raymond Harrell turned his icy gaze toward Paisley, then toward Spencer. “Mr. Conway, I hear you think my daughter is an embarrassment. I hear you believe she lacks the class to attend an event hosted by my company.”
“No! Mr. Harrell, please, it was a misunderstanding!” Spencer panicked, sweat pouring down his forehead. He fell to his knees in desperation, grabbing at the hem of my dad’s coat. “I love Phoebe! She’s my wife! I was just... I was just protecting her from the crowd! I swear!”
“Get your hands off me,” Raymond said coldly, stepping back as his bodyguards blocked Spencer. Raymond turned to the CEO of the Apex Group, who was standing by with a serious expression. “Arthur. What is the status of the Conway Group’s contract proposal?”
Arthur, the Apex CEO, bowed his head. “It was scheduled to be signed tomorrow morning, Mr. Harrell. It’s the only contract keeping the Conway Group solvent.”
“Cancel it,” Raymond commanded ruthlessly. “Blacklist the Conway Group from every subsidiary under Harrell Enterprises. Audit their current accounts. If they owe us a single dime, sue them into bankruptcy by midnight.”
“Right away, sir,” Arthur replied, immediately pulling out his phone.
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“Phoebe, please!” Spencer screamed, looking up at me with tears of absolute terror in his eyes. “You can't do this! The company will collapse! We’re married! My money is your money!”
I looked down at him, feeling absolutely nothing but pity. “We were married, Spencer. My lawyers have already filed the divorce papers. You walked out on me tonight. Now, I’m walking out on you.”
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