From Bankruptcy to a New Bride

The day before my wedding, my company went bankrupt.

Before I even made it home, I received photos of my fiance Tillman in bed with her uncle Harveycheating on me in my own bedroom.

I immediately made a FaceTime call.

Did Harvey go bankrupt too? So broke you can only have your affair in my bedroom? Couldn't afford a hotel?

Tillman covered the red marks on her chest and said impatiently:

"You and I are just a business arrangement. I'm giving Harvey a massagedon't get in the way!"

Harvey wore my bathrobe, his mocking laughter particularly grating.

"Does he still think he's some CEO?"

I almost laughed in anger and posted the wedding venue location on Ins.

"Looking for a new bride. Anyone interested?"

On the wedding day, Tillman called me 33 times:

"Steve, where did you run off to? My whole family is waiting for you to pick me up!"

I looked at the row of heiress daughters in front of me, all wearing haute couture wedding gowns.

"I'm getting married. Don't get in the way!"

"Steve, don't think you can pressure me with Grandpa Phillips. Sure, he arranged our engagement, but how many years does he have left anyway?"

On the video call, Tillman's fingertips traced across the large water stains on the red sheets as she spoke lazily.

Harvey deliberately exposed the scratch marks on his chest and laughed mockingly.

"Phillips has terrible judgment. Steve's already bankrupt and still putting on airs. Tillman's still willing to marry himhe should be grateful."

A ball of fire burned in my chest. I gripped my phone tightly:

"Tillman, you were the one who came to me with that marriage contract begging for help for your family."

"Now you don't want to get marriedfine, there are a hundred ways to do it, but you chose the most disgusting one!"

Tillman wrapped her arms around Harvey's neck, laughing so hard she doubled over.

"Who said I don't want to marry you? If I didn't marry you, how could I get revenge? I can't marry the love of my life Harvey anyway, so marrying you is perfect for venting my anger!"

My heart sank.

"Tillman, you're going to regret this!"

Harvey spat at me arrogantly.

"Still daring to threaten Tillman? Can't read the situation at all. From now on, you'll be the one on your knees begging my family."

Tillman nodded in agreement, lifting her chin at me.

"Bring back a box of condoms. Got it?"

With that, she hung up decisively.

I slammed my fist into the steering wheel.

Did she really think I had no choice but her?

Even without SSS Group, there were still plenty of women who wanted to marry me.

I pulled out my phone and posted the wedding venue on Ins.

"Looking for a new bride. Who's interested?"

As soon as I opened the car door, I ran into Tillman's parents, their faces dark.

"SSS Group is about to collapse, and instead of being busy at the company, you're wandering around here doing what?"

"Don't even think about getting back those millions you invested in Phillips Group. It's all clearly stated in the contract."

Tillman's mother Judy looked at me with complete wariness, a far cry from when she used to call me her good son-in-law.

I laughed coldly and handed over my phone. "What am I doing? Catching cheaters."

Seeing the photo of Harvey and Tillman lying in the same bed, their expressions instantly turned awkward.

Although Harvey was only adopted by the Phillips family and had no blood relation to Tillman.

Judy was the first to react, blocking my path.

"Just lying in the same bed doesn't mean anything. It's all because you have no charmotherwise why would Tillman still be entangled with Harvey?"

Tillman's father Marcus handed me a still-warm prenuptial agreement, saying shamelessly:

"Steve, if you hadn't made poor decisions and gone bankrupt, Tillman wouldn't be like this."

"But our family keeps our word. The wedding won't change, but you need to sign the prenuptial property agreement."

I stared at their calculating faces and flung the prenuptial agreement into the air. Papers scattered down.

"A month ago, when SSS Group's legal team suggested signing a prenuptial agreement, you two made every excuse to refuse."

"Get out of my way! I'm done being your son-in-law."

Marcus pulled back Judy who was blocking me, his expression dark.

"Let him go!"

"If he doesn't want SSS Group to collapse even faster, he should understandright now he needs this marriage alliance more than we do."

Hearing this, Judy gained confidence and snorted coldly.

My steps paused slightly. These past few years, for Tillman's sake, I'd been too nice to them.

They'd long forgotten that without that marriage contract, they wouldn't even have a chance to meet me!

At my doorstep, the beach wedding photos Tillman and I had taken in the Maldives last month lay on the ground, my face in the photo marked with several shoe prints.

Voices came from inside the house.

"Tillman, he's not even worthy of carrying your shoes now. Even after you marry him, don't let him touch you."

"Of course not. I've been saving myself for you all along."

My temples throbbed.

We'd been together for three years, and Tillman had always played the innocent role.

She said she was a traditional woman, and that sort of thing had to wait until the wedding night.

Yet here she was, playing quite wildly with Harvey in my wedding suite.

I pressed my thumb on the touchscreen, but the door didn't open. The password had been changed.

I pulled out my phone and called the police directly.

"Hello, I need to report a crime. There are people in my house engaged in illegal trespassing and prostitution services."

I gave the operator my exact location, word by word.

As soon as I hung up, messages popped up from Tillman's bridesmaids group chat.

They were fawning over a series of intimate photos Harvey had posted.

Then came a string of messages @-ing me.

"The day before the wedding still counts as being single. It's not like Tillman's messing around with someone elseshe's just comforting Harvey. Don't take it to heart."

Someone forwarded news of SSS Group's bankruptcy to the group.

"He's just a bankrupt old man who doesn't deserve Tillman at all. She's still staying loyalhe should cherish that!"

"By the way, bachelorette party tonight!"

I gripped my phone, trembling with anger.

Back when I was trying to please Tillman, when they were shopping sprees with my black card, they sure didn't act like this.

At that moment, Harvey sent a voice message, his tone extremely arrogant.

"Steve, stop pretending. If you really cared about Tillman, you would've called off the engagement yourself after going bankrupt. The only reason you're not breaking it off is because you're greedy for the Phillips family's power."

The bridesmaids all cheered in approval.

Tillman also sent a voice message, her tone brazen.

"I know you can't bear to let go of my family's wealth. That floor where my office is needs cleaningfrom now on, you can come work at Phillips Group and clean toilets for me."

The Phillips family wealth? What wealth from a family that had always relied on my support?

A month ago, when SSS Group was in turmoil, I had assured Tillman it wouldn't affect our future quality of life at all.

Because at that time, the butler of New Jersey's richest man, Johnny, had found me with a DNA test report.

I wasn't sure what Johnny's attitude toward me would be, so I hadn't revealed everything.

But she hadn't listened to a word I said...

As I threw that wedding photo into the apartment complex's dumpster, the wail of police sirens reached the complex.

Even as they were dragged downstairs by police and property security guards, disheveled and half-dressed, Tillman was still shrieking: "How dare you touch me! I'm the heir to the Phillips family!"

Downstairs, the previously unshakeable Marcus and Judy's expressions changed as they rushed up to explain for the two.

Tillman's friends who had just arrived for the bachelorette party looked extremely shocked.

I raised my phone and captured this wonderful scene.

My phone buzzed with a new message.

Shakira: I'll marry you.

I was somewhat surprised.

Last week, when I went to New Jersey to meet my birth family at Johnny's house, this woman had suddenly given me a hard time, scaring me into returning to Atlanta overnight.

Later, when she learned I was getting married soon, she seemed relieved and flew over on a private jet early in the morning to apologize and congratulate me.

I typed suspiciously: Shakira, can you mess with someone else, please?

Almost instantly, she sent over a share transfer agreement.

"I'm serious. Look, I bought all the shares of SSS Group."

My jaw dropped.

I wasn't even planning to keep the empty shell of SSS Group. Anyone with eyes could see these were junk stocks. She was truly foolish enough.

But how could the heir to the Tony family, which rivaled the Johnny family, be a fool?

I gradually believed she was serious.

"Come to the wedding venue tomorrow. We'll get married."

As soon as I sent the message, a hand slapped my phone away.

The phone hit the ground, the screen shattering into pieces.

"Steve, are you sick? You actually called the cops on me!"

Tillman glared at me furiously, her chest heaving violently.

Harvey looked at me with venomous eyes.

"Tillman, don't get upset."

"He has no money or power anymore. This is the only way he can force you to come back."

I looked up at him and suddenly noticed the new watch on his wrist looked very familiar.

It was the family heirloom watch that Johnny had given me when I met my birth family.

I laughed coldly. "Harvey, you talk down about me constantly, but why do you have to steal even a watch from me?"

Harvey choked.

But in Tillman's eyes, this scene only made her feel sorry for him.

"Harvey, I won't let him bully you."

She turned, her fury directed at me:

"Which watch of yours haven't I seen? You're bankruptstop trying to make yourself look good!"

"Now, apologize to Harvey immediately!"

Her bridesmaids held up their phones filming me, their faces full of contempt.

"Tillman's already giving you a way outhurry up and take it!"

"This guy becomes so troublesome when he turns into a pauper. Only Tillman is beautiful and kind-hearted enough to still honor the engagement with you."

"Steve, kneel down and apologize to Harvey!"

I looked at Tillman, my eyes ice cold.

Three years ago, when the Phillips family was on the verge of bankruptcy, she came to me with a marriage contract.

Considering the old generation's friendship, I had helped her family.

She had tearfully sworn to me that she would never betray me in this lifetime.

During our three years together, I had never stopped supporting Phillips Group.

In the past, forget about just one of my watcheseven the outfits I wore to various events were all personally coordinated by her.

But a month ago, when Harvey returned from abroad, she changed.

She started frequently not coming home because of Harvey.

I thought they were just close, but I never imagined they'd end up in the same bed.

"Me apologize? Ridiculous."

"You don't understand the value of this watch or what it represents."

"The police just left, but they can come back. I'll have them determine whether he's a thief or not."

I bent down to pick up my phone from the ground. Tillman kicked it away.

"I know you resent that I fell in love with Harvey."

"But Harvey is innocent. I won't allow you to slander Harvey as a thief!"

With that, she raised her hand to slap my face.

I grabbed her wrist and backhanded her with a slap.

"Tillman, if you want to debase yourself, don't drag me into it."

The crisp "smack" shocked everyone.

Tillman froze for a second, covering her face in disbelief:

"You... you dare hit me?"

"For what you've done, don't you deserve to be hit?"

I knew what she was thinking. I had promised I would protect her for life.

But she was the one who broke that vow first.

She tried to rush at me again, but when she met my icy gaze, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Since I mentioned the watch's extraordinary value, Harvey had been continuously fidgeting with it.

He grabbed Tillman's hand, indignant with righteousness:

"Tillman, his brain's been damaged since going bankrupt. He's insisting my watch is his. I won't hold it against him."

"But he dared to lay hands on you todayyou can't marry a domestic abuser! Three years ago, this is exactly how he schemed against our family!"

I laughed coldly:

"My unconditional investment of millions is called scheming against your family?"

Tillman paused but still raised her chin.

"Isn't it? When you invested in our family, weren't you betting that we'd make a comeback and become industry leaders?"

I looked at her in shock.

Tillman and Harvey held hands even tighter. She stared at me.

"Steve, I don't care that you've been using me all these years, but I absolutely won't let Harvey suffer even the slightest grievance."

"If you won't apologize, our wedding is off!"

At that moment, my heart turned completely cold.

I was using her? She actually had the nerve to say that.

The Phillips familythese ungrateful wolvesbelonged in the trash.

My gaze swept over Tillman and Harvey who was putting on quite a performance beside her.

"Cancel it then. I don't want to marry you anyway."

Tillman froze, probably not expecting me to agree so readily.

She wanted to say something, but was interrupted by a shout.

"No! The engagement can't be cancelled."

Marcus and Judy, having just seen off the police, returned and grabbed Tillman's arm excitedly.

"SSS Group's plummeting stock has started rising!"

Harvey snatched the phone, his expression looking like he'd eaten shit.

I immediately understoodit was because of Shakira acquiring SSS Group shares.

Tillman also glanced at the phone, her eyes widening, but stubbornly said:

"It's just showing an upward trend. It's been falling for a whole month."

Watching the stock continue to climb, Marcus and Judy panicked, desperately giving her meaningful looks.

Tillman bit her lip, her expression changing repeatedly, then forced out a smile for me.

"Alright, Steve, I was just joking with you."

"Those photos were just me and Harvey fooling around. Don't be angry."

She playfully scolded me and reached out to grab my arm.

"You had a backup plan for SSS Group all along. Why didn't you say so earlier?"

I coldly avoided her. Tillman's smile froze.

Harvey's expression also changed. He put on an innocent smile.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm an elderhow could there be anything real between Tillman and me?"

Afraid I wouldn't believe him, he took off the watch and offered it to me like a treasure.

"If Steve likes this watch of mine, I'll give it to you."

I almost laughed at his shamelessness.

"Steal my watch and then give it back to me? Are you even speaking human language?"

Harvey's hand froze in mid-air. Tillman's anger flared up again.

"Enough!"

"I haven't even blamed you, and you're still calling Harvey a thief!"

Tillman's bridesmaids pointed and gossiped about me.

"Harvey is so magnanimous, unlike someone whose true colors show after going bankrupt!"

"The stock stopped moving anyway. Don't get cocky."

Hearing this, Harvey shot me a venomous look and viciously smashed the watch on the ground.

"Oops, my hand slipped."

"This was a gift Johnny gave me!"

My eyes blazed with fury. I instinctively moved to pick it up, but Tillman's stiletto heel stomped down on it.

She gritted her teeth, seeming very annoyed about the stock's brief rise, and announced the cancellation of our engagement on Twitter right then and there.

"Steve, unless you kneel and apologize, don't even think about marrying me!"

I stared at the shattered watch, stunned for a full two seconds. When I raised my head again, my eyes were ice cold.

"I already told youI'm not planning to marry you. Also, you're all dead."

With that, I strode away, ignoring the mockery behind me.

"Hilarious, running away with his tail between his legs."

"Just wait and see. Tomorrow he'll be on his knees begging to marry Tillman."

The next day, at the wedding venue.

Johnny sent a message saying he'd prepared a surprise for me.

I didn't think much of it until Johnny's butler helped me push open the church doors.

In an instant, a row of brides looked at me with shining eyes.

The butler whispered in my ear,

"Mr. Johnny knows about you and Tillman breaking off the engagement. He spread the word that you're looking for a new bride."

"Rest assured, these young ladies all volunteered to marry you. You can choose one for a marriage alliance."

"A surprise? This is a shock!"

I steeled myself and searched for Shakira but couldn't find her.

"Also, Johnny didn't need to go to all this trouble. The one I want to marry is Shakira."

The butler opened his mouth somewhat awkwardly.

"So you already knew about the childhood engagement between you and Miss Shakira, but everyone knows Miss Shakira swore never to marry because of her lifesaver."

"Never to marry?"

Shakira had agreed so readily yesterdaywas she playing me?

In my uncertainty, I accidentally answered Tillman's call that had been ringing non-stop.

I held the phone away from my ear. Angry shouting came from the other end.

"Steve, what are you trying to do by not coming to pick me up? My whole family is waiting for you!"

Harvey fanned the flames on the side.

"Tillman, if this bastard really doesn't want to marry, he should cancel the wedding. But I heard all the notable people in the city were invited."

Tillman sneered. "Steve, I'm waiting for you to beg me."

My gaze swept over the row of heiress daughters in haute couture wedding gowns, and I smirked.

"Tillman, who said you were my bride?"

I hung up the phone.

When Tillman arrived at the wedding venue with her entourage, ready to demand an explanation, she found rows upon rows of luxury cars with New Jersey license plates parked on the lawn.

The bride who stepped out of the last luxury car glanced at her disdainfully.

"Another one. What poor family's daughter is this? If you want to marry Harvey, get in line at the back!"