Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English
Synopsis
Tags: Disowned Heir Revenge, Cheating Wife, Birthday Banquet Twist, Billionaire Comeback
For decades, everyone bowed and called me Mr. Hayes. Overnight, I was branded a fake heir.
Exhausted, I dragged myself home, only to find my wife, Chloe, blocking the doorway. She hurled divorce papers right into my face.
Disgust dripped from every line of her face.
"Sign it."
"I can't believe I wasted so many years sleeping next to a fake. It makes me sick to my stomach just looking at you."
Even my five-year-old son, Leo, spat directly onto my cheek.
"Get out of our house, you filthy beggar!"
Chloe didn't scold him. Instead, she scooped him into her arms, beaming, and planted a proud kiss on his cheek.
"Good boy, Leo."
A second later, Carter Hayes walked out of the master bedroom wearing my silk bathrobe. He slipped an arm around Chloe’s waist with utter casualness. Carter was my cousin—the "real" heir who had spent years fighting me for the family crown.
"Well, well. Julian, isn't it? Guess I can't call you Mr. Hayes anymore."
"Tell you what, if you can’t find a job, I don't mind letting you clean the toilets at Hayes Enterprises. Out of old courtesy, I might even throw you a couple extra bucks an hour."
Chloe leaned up and dutifully kissed his cheek, casting a mocking, venomous glare in my direction.
In my pocket, my phone buzzed with an encrypted text.
*“Boss, the acquisition of Hayes Enterprises is complete.”*
I locked the screen, looked at the toxic pair standing in front of me, and smiled faintly.
"Sure."
My calm response caught them off guard.
Chloe’s perfectly manicured brows knitted together.
"What's with the act, Julian?"
"You're an imposter who stole twenty years of someone else's life. Do you still think you're somebody?"
Carter scoffed, pecking her lips right in front of me.
"Leave him alone, babe. Don't waste your breath on a useless bum."
Chloe giggled, pressing her body against him, her eyes dripping with malice as she glared at me.
"Pack your trash and get out of here right now."
She pointed a finger toward the front door.
"This mansion was put under my name, remember? It has nothing to do with you anymore."
"Your Porsche Panamera was transferred to me last month."
"And all the money you gave me over the years? Legally considered my separate pre-marital property now."
"You have nothing. Not a single cent."
Carter waved his hand dismissively, clearly annoyed by my presence.
"What are you standing there for, Julian? Waiting to watch us put on a show in bed?"
Chloe let out a high-pitched laugh, lightly punching Carter’s chest.
"Stop it, you're so bad."
Carter’s grin turned wicked and arrogant.
"I really should thank you for working so hard for me all these years."
"If you hadn't trusted Chloe with everything, handing over all those corporate secrets and sealed bids on a silver platter, how do you think I won every single board vote and took the throne?"
My head snapped up to stare at them.
So that was it.
All these years, Carter and I fought tooth and nail in the boardroom. Every single time, at the most critical turning point, my plans were exposed.
I thought it was bad luck. I thought I had made a miscalculation.
The whole time, the woman sleeping beside me was an insider planted by my worst enemy.
I turned my bloodshot eyes toward Chloe.
My hands clenched so hard that my fingernails cut into my palms, drawing blood. My voice cracked.
"Why?"
"Why would you do this to me?!"
Chloe didn't even flinch. Her tone was casual, laced with cold pity.
"Because Carter is the love of my life."
"Julian, did you honestly believe a girl like me could ever love a phony like you?"
"Getting close to you was Carter's plan from day one."
"You were so stupid. A few sweet words, and you handed over your entire world."
A sharp, suffocating pain tore through my chest, cutting off my breath.
Right then, something hard and sharp smashed against my forehead.
Pain flared, black spots dancing in my vision as I stumbled back two steps.
"Bad guy! Don't you dare yell at Mommy! Get out of our house!"
I blinked back the blurriness to see a small silhouette. It was Leo.
He held another toy in his hand, chest puffed out, glaring at me like I was his worst enemy.
My throat tightened with bitter sorrow. "Leo... I'm your dad."
Leo raised his arm, ready to throw the second toy.
Chloe caught his wrist with a smile.
"You're not my dad!"
The boy screamed at the top of his lungs.
"You're a loser! Carter is my real dad! He's going to buy me all the toys in the world!"
I looked down at the toy Leo had thrown at me.
It was a limited-edition collector’s Lego set. I had flown halfway across the globe to win it at a private auction just to see him smile on Christmas.
Chloe pulled Leo into her arms, grinning victoriously.
"Did you hear that, Julian? Everyone hates you. You're nothing but a pathetic failure!"
"Sign the damn papers and disappear!"
"Don't kill our vibe. Carter and I have a bottle of champagne waiting."
Looking at the boy—the child I thought was my only flesh and blood in this world—now weaponized into a little monster who hated my guts...
A wave of pure, destructive fury surged inside me, ready to tear this house apart.
No. I couldn't lose it now.
A cheap explosion wouldn't hurt them. I wanted them to lose everything until they were crawling in the dirt.
I took a few slow, deep breaths until my eyes went dead cold.
I walked over, picked up the divorce papers from the floor, and didn't even bother reading the clauses.
I flipped straight to the last page and scribbled my signature.
*Julian Vance.*Chloe snatched the papers away. She examined the signature carefully, a smug smirk spreading across her face.
"Glad you know your place."
She handed the papers to Carter and tapped her cheek playfully.
Carter planted a loud, wet kiss on her face.
Then, he turned his arrogant gaze toward me like he was tossing scraps to a stray dog.
"Get lost."
"Oh, almost forgot. Your luggage."
He snapped his fingers. A maid dragged a battered, worn-out suitcase down the stairs.
It was slammed onto the floor by my feet, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
The latch popped open, spilling its contents across the marble. They were all the cheap belongings I had brought with me from the orphanage when the Hayes family took me in at age seven.
I knelt down, slowly packing the items back into the suitcase. Seeing those faded clothes dragged me back into the shadows of my past.
I was left on the steps of an orphanage in a cardboard box as an infant.
Weak and sickly, the other kids bullied me. I went hungry, froze through winters, and never felt safe.
At seven, because of a unique birthmark on my back, the Hayes family claimed me as their late heir’s lost son.
And at thirty, a single DNA report cast me out into the cold again.
Carter’s condescending voice snapped me back to reality. He towered over me, smirking down.
"Everything in there matches your true status perfectly."
Chloe pinched her nose in theatrical disgust, violently kicking aside the items scattered near her feet.
"Carter, honey, you really have to spoil me after this. You have no idea how sick I felt pretending to love this trash for years."
My eyes snapped toward her, burning with rage.
I remembered the countless nights when I woke up trembling from orphanage nightmares, sweating cold.
She was the one who held me, whispering sweet reassurances.
I never knew that while I held her against my chest, her eyes were filled with such venom.
I looked away and continued packing. That was when I realized the thing she had kicked away was a photo album.
It fell open. The first page was our wedding portrait.
I reached out, pinched the corner of the picture, and slowly tore it in half.
Chloe shrieked.
"Julian! What the hell are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!"
Carter grabbed her shoulder with a chuckle.
"Let him throw his tantrum, babe. It's the only thing a powerless loser can do."
I didn't stop. I tore the second photo, then the third.
Our honeymoon in Maui, our anniversary dinner in Paris, her birthday celebrations...
Photo after photo, ripped to shreds until not a single trace of her remained in the album.
I snapped the book shut and tossed the torn pieces onto the floor.
Zipping up the battered suitcase, I turned around and walked out the door without looking back.
Behind me, their obnoxious laughter echoed into the hallway.
Outside the estate gates, a sleek black Bentley pulled up silently.
The rear door clicked open, revealing my executive assistant, Maya.
"Mr. Vance."
I stepped into the leather-trimmed interior, tossing my battered luggage onto the seat beside me.
"How are things with Hayes Enterprises?"
"Everything is on schedule,"
Maya handed me an encrypted tablet.
"Hayes Enterprises stock hit rock bottom today. Panic-selling across the board. Our proxy accounts have absorbed over fifty-two percent of the floating shares. We can call a hostile board meeting whenever you say the word."
I nodded slowly.
"What about Carter?"
"He just dipped into the company's emergency reserves to buy Chloe a thirty-million-dollar beachfront estate in Malibu and a brand-new yacht. The paperwork is going through right now."
A cold smirk tugged at the corner of my lips.
"Let him spend it."
"The more he spends, the sweeter the payback."The next morning, Hayes Enterprises held a major press conference.
I sat in the back of my car, watching the live broadcast playing across a giant digital billboard outside the hotel.
Carter stood before a wall of flashes and microphones, basking in the spotlight as he officially announced himself as the new CEO and chairman of the Hayes empire.
Naturally, they didn't miss the chance to drag my name through the mud.
Chloe stepped up to the podium looking frail and devastated, her shoulders trembling, tears welling in her eyes.
"I always felt Julian was hiding things from me, but I never imagined... he was an imposter who deceived the Hayes family—and lied to me, his devoted wife, for eight long years."
"When the truth came out, he tried to steal all our family funds and abandon me and little Leo..."
"Thank God for Carter. He stepped in and protected us."
"On behalf of Julian, I want to deeply apologize to the public and the board."
With that, she collapsed weakly against Carter's chest like a delicate flower.
Carter held her upright, facing the cameras with a grave, chivalrous expression.
"Don't blame yourself, Chloe. You will always be family to us. I will personally take care of you and Leo."
He looked directly into the lens, sighing with theatrical regret.
"Julian acted out of desperation because he couldn't accept the reality of his lineage. It was a foolish mistake."
"Even though he committed grave wrongs, I am willing to personally offer him a position as the head of facility maintenance at our headquarters. A salary of three thousand a month, just so he doesn't starve on the streets."
The press pool erupted in praise, applauding Carter's grace and magnanimity.
A flawless performance. They painted me as a con artist, an embezzler, and a deadbeat dad.
Meanwhile, they crowned themselves as selfless saviors bound by family duty.
It even legalized their sickening affair in the eyes of high society.
Truly Oscar-worthy.
Maya handed me a glass of warm water.
"Mr. Vance, should I cut the feed?"
I shook my head.
"No. Let them perform."
My gaze locked onto Carter's smug face on the billboard screen.
"The higher they climb, the harder they crash."
Just as the conference wrapped up, my phone rang. It was an incoming call from my so-called aunt—Carter's mother, Beatrice Hayes.
Her voice over the speaker was ice-cold, devoid of any warmth from the twenty-plus years we had lived under the same roof.
"Julian, know your place. Don't ever dare contact our family again. Having your name linked to ours is an embarrassment!"
"Aunt Beatrice," I replied smoothly, "what if one day you come begging on your knees?"
"Ha! You've lost your mind! I'd rather rot in hell than beg a beggar like you!"
I calmly hit the end button and saved the call recording before blacklisting every number tied to the Hayes family.
That recording was going to come in handy very soon.
A minute later, another unknown number buzzed my phone.
It was Chloe.
Her voice dripped with thinly veiled arrogance and gloating.
"Did you see the broadcast, Julian?"
"Carter is the official chairman now. The entire city is behind him."
"And you? You're just a stray dog shivering in the dark, watching our glory."
I stayed silent, letting her spew her venom.
"By the way, Leo's fifth birthday party is next Saturday. Carter booked the grand ballroom at the Hayes Grand Hotel. Are you coming?"
She let out a sharp, shrill giggle.
"I just think you should come see how happy I am with your own eyes. See everything you threw away."
"Also, Leo said that if you bring a gift that actually impresses him, he might consider calling you dad one last time."
Listening to her fake invitation, I actually let out a quiet laugh.
She had built the stage with her own hands and gathered every spectator in high society.
A banquet meant to humiliate me would make the perfect graveyard for them both.
"I'll be there," I said simply.
Chloe went quiet for a second, caught off guard by my easy surrender, before shrieking with delight.
"Wonderful! Don't be late!"
She hung up with triumphant glee.
I glanced down at my phone, where trending headlines about Carter Hayes were flooding social media.
A gift?
Oh, I had a gift for them.
A gift they would remember for the rest of their miserable lives.The birthday party was held at the Hayes Grand Hotel, the crown jewel of the Hayes hospitality portfolio.
I stepped out of a yellow cab dressed in a simple casual jacket and jeans, looking completely out of place among the sea of limousines and tuxedos.
At the entrance, two burly security guards blocked my path.
"Invitation, sir."
The head of security was a familiar face from the old Hayes estate.
Back then, every time he saw me, he would bow at a ninety-degree angle, groveling and calling me "Mr. Hayes."
Now, he tapped his baton against his palm, looking me up and down with sneering contempt.
"I don't have an invite," I said calmly. "Chloe asked me to come."
The guard snorted.
"Miss Chloe would invite someone like you? Who do you think you are?"
"You're an ungrateful crook. If it weren't for Miss Chloe’s kindness, you'd be behind bars by now."
"Don't cause trouble here. Beat it, or we'll throw you out on the street!"
Another younger guard chimed in, "Seriously. Look at yourself in the mirror. The red carpet you're standing on costs more than your entire life."
Several arriving guests paused their conversations, whispering and pointing at me.
"Isn't that the disgraced imposter from the Hayes family... Julian?"
"Oh God, he actually showed his face here?"
"I always knew he had beggar blood in him. Look at him now, showing his true colors."
Right then, the glass doors opened. Carter and Chloe walked out side by side.
Carter spotted me instantly and gasped with exaggerated shock.
"Julian! What's going on? Trouble getting past the door?"
The head of security immediately bent over, flashing a greasy smile.
"Mr. Hayes, this bum doesn't have an invitation and tried to force his way in. I was just about to have him removed!"
Carter waved his hand dismissively, playing the gracious billionaire.
"No, no. A guest is a guest. Besides, this is my dear cousin we're talking about."
He walked over and clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder, his grip tightening hard enough to bruise.
"Don't mind the staff, Julian. They don't know any better."
"Come on in! Today is Leo's birthday, and my celebration for taking over Hayes Enterprises. Having you here makes it so much more special."
He practically dragged my arm as we walked into the grand ballroom, loudly announcing to the crowd:
"Ladies and gentlemen, look who decided to join us! Julian Vance!"
"Even though he's fallen on hard times, blood—well, history—matters. Let's make sure he gets one last taste of real high society!"
Inside the opulent hall, every uncle, cousin, and business partner who used to brown-nose me now actively stepped away, treating me like the plague.
Carter signaled a waiter carrying a silver tray with crystal glasses.
"Try some. Vintage '82 Lafite."
He leaned in close, his voice dropping into a razor-sharp whisper meant only for me.
"Savor it, Julian. This is the only time in your pathetic life you'll ever taste wine this expensive."
I didn't reach for the glass.
Carter didn't get mad. He just shot the waiter a discreet nod.
The waiter’s hand conveniently tilted. A full glass of deep red wine dumped straight over my head.
The cold liquid drenched my hair, soaking into my collar and the front of my shirt.
Gasps rippled through the hall, followed by bursts of mocking laughter.
Carter pulled out a silk pocket square and theatrically dabbed at my face.
"What is wrong with you?!" he barked at the waiter. "Got nervous seeing your former boss? Get out of my sight!"
He turned back to me, eyes brimming with sadistic pleasure. "You're not mad, are you, Julian? Honest mistake."
Just then, Chloe strolled over, holding Leo’s hand.
"Leo," Chloe cooed softly, "look who came to see you."
Leo peeked out from behind her dress.
When he saw me soaked in red wine, disgust twisted his small features.
"Mommy, he looks gross and dirty."
"I don't want him as my dad."
Chloe stroked his hair proudly, looking at me like I was roadkill.
"Hear that, Julian? Even a five-year-old knows how repulsive you are."
She tilted her chin up. "So, where's the birthday gift you promised my son?"
I reached into my jacket pocket in silence and pulled out a small object.
It was a hand-carved wooden bird. The craftsmanship was rough, but the wood had been rubbed smooth from years of handling.
When Leo saw it, his face flushed with rage.
"What is this piece of garbage?!"
He snatched the wooden bird from my hand and slammed it violently against the marble floor.
*Crack.*
One of the wings snapped clean off.
My chest tightened violently. Without thinking, I shouted, "Stop!"
Leo flinched at my shout, but seeing the fear in my eyes, a wicked, bratty grin spread across his face. He raised his sneaker, preparing to stomp the bird into splinters.
I lunged forward to grab it.
Carter reacted faster, kicking me hard in the side of my knee.
Pain exploded in my leg. I lost my balance and crashed heavily onto the cold floor.
Carter shouted with righteous indignation, "How dare you! You trying to hit a child?!"
A ringing sound filled my ears. My vision turned red as I stared at the broken wooden bird lying inches away.
I stretched out my arm, straining every muscle to reach it.
Just an inch away.
Then, a glittering red high-heeled shoe came down hard, grinding directly onto the back of my hand.
It was Chloe.
She drove her sharp stiletto heel into my hand, twisting her weight down as a cruel, twisted smile touched her lips.
"Get on your knees, Julian."
"Smash your forehead against the floor three times and beg me. Maybe then I'll let you have your stupid little bird back."
Agony shot up my arm, but I didn't make a sound.
I slowly raised my head, looking past her sneering face to Carter standing behind her.
Carter crouched down, watching me like a cat toying with a trapped mouse.
He reached out, violently gripping my jaw, forcing my eyes to meet his.
"Don't flatter yourself, Julian."
"Today is my day. Letting you crawl on the floor and kiss my shoes is an honor for trash like you."
His voice was thick with venomous pride.
"Remember this: I am the master of Hayes Enterprises now. I own everything. And you are absolute garbage."
He leaned in, whispering the final dagger directly into my ear.
"Oh, and one more thing I forgot to mention... Leo is my biological son."
My mind went dead blank.
A bomb went off in my skull.
I glared at Carter, gathering all my strength, and threw a punch straight toward his face.
He dodged easily.
Two private security guards instantly tackled me from behind, pinning my shoulders flat against the freezing floor.
Everything made sense now.
Why Chloe betrayed me.
Why Leo looked at me with pure hatred.
The whole damn time, I was just a blind fool raising another man's wife and another man's bastard.
Once the truth clicked into place, the blinding rage vanished. I stopped struggling, letting the guards press me into the floor.
I looked up at Carter and let out a chuckle.
"Carter, do you really think you've won?"
My laughter made Carter freeze for a fraction of a second.
Then, he threw his head back and roared with laughter.
"Haven't won? Julian, have you completely lost your mind?"
"Look at yourself right now! You look just like a stray dog pinned in the dirt!"
The crowd around us laughed along, eager to please the new billionaire.
I laughed too, harder and clearer than any of them.
Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the grand ballroom swung open with a resounding bang.
A team of men and women in tailored charcoal-black suits marched in. Leading them was Maya.
Her heels clicked sharply against the marble as she cut straight through the stunned crowd, stopping right in front of us.
She held up an official legal portfolio stamped with gold foil.
"Mr. Carter Hayes. I am the legal representative for Polaris Capital."
"As of eight o'clock this morning, Polaris Capital has officially acquired controlling interest over all business assets, voting shares, and operational management of Hayes Enterprises."
"Here are the signed resolutions and stock transfer agreements from the entire board of directors."
Carter's laughter died in his throat. The color drained from his face until he looked like a corpse.
He lunged forward, ripping the papers from Maya’s hands, his voice cracking into a panicked shriek.
"Impossible! That's a lie! This is securities fraud!"
Maya gave him a look colder than ice.
"Watch your words, Mr. Hayes. Every step of this acquisition was executed under strict regulatory compliance. If you have objections, feel free to file a lawsuit."
She paused, casting a contemptuous glance across the chaotic scene.
"Though, I highly doubt Hayes Enterprises can afford a white-collar defense team anymore."
Her eyes finally fell upon me, and the two security guards pinning my shoulders.
"Now, gentlemen," Maya’s voice dropped to a razor-sharp command, "would you mind taking your hands off the Chairman and CEO of Polaris Capital?"
Chloe's lips trembled violently. She whipped her head around, staring down at me on the floor in utter horror.
"The Chairman... is *him*?"
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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