Funding the Unworthy

Before my father-in-law's company, Vertex Corp., went public, it needed to raise capital.

I secretly injected fifty million dollars, just for Chloe's sake, becoming their biggest backer.

At the celebration dinner, after a few drinks, Robert turned on me in front of the whole family.

Now that we have a publicly listed company, do you truly believe you're still worthy of my daughter?

Chloe quietly chided him, "Dad, what are you talking about?"

But Robert sneered, "Since you married him, what has he ever done to help our family?"

I cracked a smile. "Without me, Vertex Corp. would have had a tough time going public."

I was just stating a fact, but the room suddenly went silent.

Everyone stared at me with strange expressions, wondering if I was trying to be funny.

Robert froze for two seconds, then sneered.

"My company going public, what does that have to do with you? Let's be honest, aren't you just a freeloader I've been supporting?"

As soon as he said that, everyone else laughed.

I could see the disdain in their smiles.

Even if they didn't say it directly, I could guess.

They probably thought I was a shameless kept man.

I wasn't angry. I turned to Chloe, who was sitting next to me.

"As long as you don't mind me."

I was about to take her hand, but she instinctively pulled away.

Chloe's face was cold, and her eyes held a hint of disgust.

"You're always like this, boasting for no reason, making us a laughingstock."

It was the first time in three years she'd rejected me.

And it was on the very night her family's company officially went public.

I withdrew my hand and smiled back at her. "I'm telling the truth. Don't you even believe me?"

"Believe what?"

Chloe stared at me indifferently. "Believe you're some kind of good luck charm?"

I had invested fifty million dollars to help their family go public, hoping it would strengthen our marriage.

Instead, it just showed me how selfish this family truly was.

Chloe's younger sister, Megan, suddenly mocked me too:

"Chloe's right. Some people do nothing but think they're hot stuff. Anyone else would have died of embarrassment."

I glanced at her, asking with a smile, "When did our adult conversations become your business?"

"I'm 22, are you asking for a fight?!" Megan instantly blew up.

Everyone else looked at me in surprise at her words.

After all, in their eyes, I was the outsider.

Even Chloe thought I was in the wrong and told me to apologize to Megan.

Eleanor said I was a jerk for daring to bully her youngest daughter.

I shot back, "So it's fine for your whole family to gang up and bully me, is that it?"

"Liam, are you drunk and making a scene today?!"

Facing Chloe's anger, I picked up the glass in front of me and smiled.

"I'm driving today, haven't touched a drop."

"Then why are you acting crazy? Dad's had too much to drink, he didn't mean any of this!"

Robert had a dark expression the whole time.

He told everyone he wasn't drunk today.

He simply wanted to use this dinner to formally announce that I was out of the Sterling family.

He even called me a parasite and said I shouldn't be sitting there.

I calmly looked at Chloe. "And you? What are you thinking?"

Chloe opened her mouth, then hesitated.

She first looked at her father, who was sitting at the head of the table, then at her mother.

She sighed, unable to meet my eyes when she spoke.

"Liam, maybe we're... we're really not a good fit..."

"My work will get even busier, and I'll have to attend high-end business galas frequently."

"Even... even there might not be time to have children."

"Staying together would only hold you back."

I nodded subtly. "Understood. Then, as you wish, we'll get a divorce."

Chloe's family had expected me to make a scene.

My reaction, however, completely took them by surprise.

Especially Chloe, who for a moment wondered if she'd misheard me.

I looked at her astonished expression and asked, "Anything else you want to say? No? Then I'm leaving."

Seeing no one spoke, I picked up my jacket from the back of my chair and turned to leave.

Before I walked out, I told her.

"Actually, for these past three years, my love for you never changed."

"At least, not until just now."

Megan scoffed, "What good is your love? Can it put food on the table?"

"If you're talking about being compliant and obedient, a servant could do that too."

I didn't bother to reply, turning and walking away.

Chloe wanted to say something, but in the end, she just let out a soft sigh.

After getting home, I started packing.

I neatly organized all my belongings into boxes.

Just as I opened the door, I saw Chloe standing there.

She calmly asked me, "Can you sit down and talk with me? Will it take too much of your time?"

I said it was fine and turned to sit on the couch.

The atmosphere was tense.

She asked me a lot about my future plans.

Like how I intended to live after the divorce, where I'd stay, and about work.

"Liam, I can keep a position for you at the company."

"Just like before, you wouldn't need to do anything, just get your salary at the end of the month."

"But I can't guarantee a very high base pay."

I looked at her calmly. "Are you doing this out of guilt?"

"Forget it. I'm afraid your family would cause trouble for me if they found out."

Chloe's face gradually turned cold.

She frowned, reminding me she was looking out for me and that I shouldn't worry about my pride.

"Pride? In these three years, when have you ever seen me care about pride?"

Looking back over three years, every time I visited her family, it was a bad experience.

It was either enduring their cold stares or being constantly mocked.

If it weren't for her, if I hadn't cared so much about her.

Who the hell would want to suffer through that?

"Then why don't you try to act better? Can you stop slacking off?"

"They all see how lazy and gluttonous you are!"

"Lazy and gluttonous" made me chuckle.

I asked her in return, "When we first met in college, what was your family doing?"

"If I recall correctly, it was just a small storefront on the street, right?"

"After we started dating, your family opened a chain of stores."

"The year we got engaged, you founded a company."

"On our wedding day, its market value was tens of millions."

"And now?"

Chloe, however, seemed utterly dismissive.

She casually raised an eyebrow and replied, "And then what? Are you going to repeat that nonsense from dinner?"

"Say you're a good luck charm? That our family only prospered because of you?"

"And just dismiss all our family's hard work over the years?"

"Please, Liam, don't flatter yourself."

I chuckled noncommittally. "Indeed, your family worked hard, but it just wasn't very effective, was it?"

"You!"

Chloe glared at me in annoyance.

But she quickly reined in her temper, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Someone like you doesn't deserve any sympathy."

She took a bank card from her purse, placed it on the coffee table, and told me, "There's fifty thousand dollars in here, for your companionship these past three years."

"You can sleep in the living room tonight. Tomorrow morning, after we divorce, you can leave."

After saying that, she went into the bedroom and locked the door.

Fifty thousand dollars to buy me out?

A smile was on my face, but my heart was bleeding.

When did she change?

And when did my worth become so cheap?

Chloe woke up early and saw me sitting on the couch all night.

She paused slightly, then coolly reminded me, "Once you're ready, we'll go to the registry office to file for divorce."

"Divorce is fine, but when are you going to pay back what your family owes me?"

"Owes you what? Didn't I just give you fifty thousand dollars?"

Seeing Chloe's furrowed brow, I shook my head.

I indicated that fifty thousand dollars wasn't even enough for the interest.

She looked at me in disbelief. "Do you know what you're saying?"

"You've been getting paid every month without doing anything at our company."

"Now I'm giving you an extra fifty thousand dollars, and you're still not satisfied?"

I reached out and pushed the bank card back toward her.

"That's right, it's not enough."

Chloe looked like she wanted to lose her temper, but she held it in.

She took a deep breath and asked how much more I wanted.

She reached for her phone, ready to transfer money, and I held up two fingers.

"Two hundred million. To buy me out."

This two hundred million was just the principal I invested in their fundraising.

As for my previous investments, I'd consider them feeding a stray dog.

Chloe's hand, holding her phone, suddenly froze. For a long moment, she couldn't say a word.

She stared at me silently, then laughed.

"My parents used to say you were useless, just a freeloader."

"I would argue with them and speak well of you."

"Now it seems, I was blind."

She thought I was making an outrageous demand, unaware that I was trying to help her.

If she didn't pay me, I would still be Vertex Corp.'s largest backer.

Any significant decision in the future would require my consent.

And right now, all I wanted was to cut ties with them.

"I can only give you twenty thousand dollars more at most. If you keep causing trouble, my dad won't let you get away with it."

Her tone sounded almost like a threat.

"Are you divorcing or not?"

Seeing how anxious she was, I spoke unhurriedly.

"I already said, I can divorce, but your family must give me two hundred million. It's that simple."

Chloe finally lost her patience. "Are you sick?"

"We've supported you for three years; have we spoiled you rotten?"

"Right now, it's just you and me. We can still talk this through reasonably."

"If you really blow things up, it won't be good for you!"

Yes, I had genuinely intended to divorce last night.

And I hadn't planned on asking for those two hundred million; I figured we'd just go our separate ways since her family looked down on me.

But then, in the middle of the night, when my secretary informed me of a certain truth.

My mind completely changed.

Seeing her look so helpless, I pulled out my phone and pointed to the man in the photo.

"Who is he?"

My secretary told me the Sterling family was preparing for an arranged marriage.

The match was Chloe and the man in the photo.

Only I had been like a fool, kept in the dark.

Chloe's expression shifted slightly. She said she didn't know him.

But I could see the guilt in her eyes.

"Fine. When you 'get to know him,' we can talk about the divorce again."

I stood up, pulling my suitcase, but she blocked my way.

After a brief struggle, she explained plainly.

"His name is Brandon Sterling, son of the chairman of Crossroads Holdings."

"Then what's your relationship with him?"

She gave up trying to argue. "We haven't officially established a relationship, but we're trying to date."

"Liam, can you please stop this? We're really not suitable anymore, and this alliance is crucial for Vertex Corp.'s future."

"Please, I'm begging you, just let me go, okay?"

It was the first time I'd seen her beg me, and with such sincerity.

It was ironic that it was for another man.

I went with her to the registry office and successfully completed the divorce papers.

As we came out, Chloe handed me the bank card.

"Take it. From now on, we owe each other nothing."

"Owe each other nothing," what a joke.

I didn't take it. I pulled my suitcase and walked away without looking back.

That night, Robert, learning of his daughter's divorce, hosted a grand celebration dinner.

He even decided to hold a magnificent engagement ceremony three days later, inviting all the prominent figures from both industries.

To outsiders, it was a wedding of the century.

Vertex Corp. was a rising star, newly listed after successful fundraising.

Crossroads Holdings was an established conglomerate with deep roots.

But to me, it was merely a farce for my amusement.

The engagement banquet was ultimately decided to be held at The Grand Royale Hotel, the city's premier luxury hotel.

It was in their most lavish ballroom, with a minimum spend of over a million dollars.

I heard that most of the cost was covered by the groom's family; the Sterling family only needed to show up.

During this time, the Sterling family was busy preparing.

They sent out invitations to countless celebrities and wealthy individuals, and naturally, that included me, Vertex Corp.'s biggest backer.

When I received the invitation, I scoffed to myself.

Attending my ex-wife's engagement to her current fianc, that was certainly a unique feeling.

That evening, countless luxury cars were parked outside the hotel.

The guests who arrived were, at the very least, million-dollar business owners.

Before I arrived at the hotel, I received a notification from my secretary.

She said the hotel owner had been invited to give a speech at the engagement banquet.

It was meant to be a witness to Chloe Sterling and Brandon Sterling's impending marriage.

As for that owner, it was me.

My secretary asked, "Young Master, do you need me to decline this for you?"

"After all, with your status, doing something like this isn't appropriate."

I chuckled and replied, "No, don't. This is a joyous occasion. Tell them I have all the time in the world."

My secretary pondered for a moment, then nodded, understanding.

The ballroom was decorated lavishly.

It was bustling with people, with prominent business owners chatting everywhere.

I found a corner and sat down.

Crossing my legs, I waited for the engagement banquet to begin.

My secretary quickly replied to my message.

[Young Master, everything is arranged.]

I put away my phone and saw many familiar faces in the room.

Chloe's parents, her sister.

And almost all of their relatives were there.

I remembered how this group of people had humiliated and mocked me back then.

"Liam? What are you doing here?!"

Megan was holding a glass of wine, chatting with acquaintances.

Her gaze inadvertently fell on me in the corner, and she suddenly froze.

Then, clacking her heels, she rushed over angrily to question me.

"Coming to Chloe's engagement party, is that a problem?"

At my words, she sneered. "You're not serious, are you? Coming to Chloe's engagement party?"

"How can there be such a pathetic man in this world?!"

"Good, let me show you what a true match is."

She seemed to have misunderstood something.

She thought I couldn't let go and had come secretly to get a glimpse.

She then warned me, "You'd better behave yourself and not cause any trouble for our family."

"Otherwise, I'll call security and have them throw you out!"

Just then, the bride and groom-to-be entered the ballroom.

Chloe, in a pristine white dress, with light makeup, made a stunning appearance in slender high heels.

My secretary came to my side and whispered, "The one walking out hand-in-hand with Chloe Sterling is Brandon Sterling, the young heir of Crossroads Holdings."

I nodded, indicating I understood.

After the emcee enthusiastically delivered his lines, he continued,

"Next, let's warmly invite the Chairman of The Grand Royale Hotel to give a speech for this golden couple!"

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted.

And I stood up, buttoned my jacket, and headed towards the stage.