Banished and Bitter: I Married My Ex's Uncle

sixth year Ethan Pei and I were together.
His assistant, Sarah, saw her chance. She urged him:
“This is perfect, Ethan. Let Amelia learn what hardship is. A spoiled princess like her needs toughening up if she’s The year my family went bankrupt was the ever going to be a proper Mrs. Pei.”
Ethan listened to her. Ignoring my pleas, he shipped me off overseas for three years.
The first year, riots broke out where I was living. I sent him countless frantic messages, begging for help. He blocked me everywhere – phone, social media, everything.
The second year, I worked my ass off, saving enough for a plane ticket home. But at the airport, Ethan’s guys intercepted me, grabbed me, and sent me right back.
The third year, I married the man who saved me from… well, let's just call them insurgents.
I didn't tell anyone.
When the three years were finally up, Ethan himself was there at the airport to “welcome me home.”
“Three years eating dirt should’ve taught even a stray dog some obedience,” he sneered, leaning against his Maybach, sunglasses hiding his eyes. “From now on, you listen to me. Your husband’s word is law. Got it?”
I just lowered my eyes, silently holding up my left hand, showing him the wedding band on my ring finger.
He refused to believe it. He dragged me into a private lounge, ready to tear into me.
In the midst of the chaos, my husband—the Special Forces operator supposedly still on a peacekeeping deployment—burst in and decked him.
“You goddamn bastard!” Caleb roared. “How many lives you got, laying hands on your Aunt Amelia?”
…
Stepping off the plane, I greedily inhaled the air.
Three years away. I’d almost forgotten the scent of home.
Honestly, if Caleb Pei’s mother hadn't taken a turn for the worse, constantly asking to see him one last time, I probably would never have set foot back in the States.
But right before we were due to leave, Caleb got called away on a classified mission, so I had to come back alone first.
I traveled light, just a small carry-on.
Before I could even spot the driver Caleb had arranged, Ethan blocked my path.
“Amelia Sutcliffe, I’m here to take you home.”
He leaned against the gleaming black Maybach, sunglasses perched just so, trying to look cool and in control.
But ever since my family went bankrupt three years ago, since my parents, seeing no way out, took their own lives… I haven’t had a home.
I sidestepped him. “Don’t need it. I’m not here for you.”
He blinked, taken aback. “What crazy talk is that? Who else do you even have in the States besides me?”
A bitter, ironic smile touched my lips.
Right. Even he knew I had no one else to rely on here.
Yet, when my family’s world collapsed, he not only stood by and watched, he listened to his little assistant and shipped me off to some unstable, war-torn corner of the world to fend for myself.
“That’s none of your business. My life has nothing to do with you anymore.”
Maybe he expected three years of hardship overseas to have broken my spirit, smoothed out my edges. Instead, I felt colder, harder, more defiant than ever.
Anger flared in Ethan’s eyes.
“Amelia, you really haven’t learned a damn thing. Still got that same princess attitude.”
“Or have you forgotten? The Sutcliffes are finished! You’re nothing now! A stray dog without a home! Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that?”
He leaned closer, his voice dropping menacingly. “Maybe three years wasn't enough? You want to go back for a few more?”
Watching his mouth twist with that familiar cruelty, spitting out those callous words… the face I’d loved for six years felt utterly alien.
He wasn't always like this.
He was New York royalty, the Pei heir apparent. I was the LA debutante, the Sutcliffe heiress. We met in college, fell head over heels. Everyone said we were the perfect couple, destined for each other.
I won’t deny it, I was spoiled rotten growing up. I had a temper. But back then, Ethan adored it. He indulged my every whim. Anything I merely glanced at twice would magically appear before me within hours. Every casual word I uttered, he seemed to carve into his memory.
How could I not fall for a man like that?
But everything changed after Sarah Miller became his assistant.
Sarah was the classic ‘poor girl makes good,’ all wide-eyed innocence and soft-spoken sympathy, always looking at Ethan with those big, sad doe eyes.
At first, I dismissed her. Just an assistant.
But gradually, Ethan started getting impatient with me. He accused me of being demanding, selfish, saying I wasn't “understanding” and “considerate” like Sarah.
Then, the Sutcliffe empire crumbled. My family went bankrupt.
I begged Ethan for help, a lifeline, anything. He just watched, cold and detached, as everything we had slipped away.
And then, on Sarah’s suggestion, he sent me away.
Said it was to “smooth out my rough edges,” make me a “more suitable, dignified Mrs. Pei” for the future.
But where he sent me… it was chaos. Riots, violence, instability. I stared death in the face more times than I can count. If Caleb hadn’t found me during one of his operations, pulled me out of that mess… I wouldn't be here. I would have died, over and over again.
Whatever love I had left for Ethan, whatever remained of those six years, died somewhere in the dust and fear and desperation of those three years.
Before coming back, I made one resolution:
For the rest of my life, I was Caleb Pei's wife.
I would have absolutely nothing more to do with Ethan Pei.
Chapter 2
My silence only fueled Ethan’s anger.
“Amelia, didn’t you hear me?” His voice rose, sharp and loud, drawing curious glances from passersby.
I rolled my eyes internally. I hated people who made scenes in public. Zero class.
Taking a deep breath, I forced down my rising irritation and spoke coldly, “Ethan, have you had enough? This is an airport, not your personal stage to throw a tantrum.”
He acted like he hadn’t heard me. He stepped directly in front of me again, blocking my path.
“Getting bold, huh? Talking back to me now? Get in the car. We’re going home, and I’m going to teach you some damn manners!”
He reached out to grab my arm.
I frowned, stepping back sharply. Before I could say anything else, Sarah Miller slid out of the passenger seat.
She put on her concerned face, her voice soft and gentle.
“Amelia, Ethan’s just worried about you. He came all this way to pick you up. It’s not safe for a woman to be out here all alone.”
So sweet, so caring. As if she wasn’t the one who whispered in Ethan’s ear three years ago, suggesting he throw me to the wolves overseas.
I shot her a freezing glance, then turned back to Ethan, deciding to cut through the crap.
“Forget it, Ethan. I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m here to see my husband’s family.”
Hearing the word “husband,” both Ethan and Sarah froze, their faces masks of stunned disbelief.
Ethan gaped for a second, then burst out laughing as if I’d told the world’s funniest joke.
“Husband? Amelia, you’re really something else. Still spinning tales? What husband?” He leaned in, his voice dripping with contempt. “You think anyone would actually marry you now? After what happened over there? The videos of you getting grabbed by those thugs are all over the internet back home. You think anyone decent would want you after that? Only I’m willing to overlook it, take you back, because of our history.”
He gestured dismissively. “Seriously, if you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. Who else would possibly want you now?”

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