My Wife and Her Other Family

On a school holiday, as I drove into a mountain resort with my daughter, a hypercar crossed the solid line and hit us from behind.
The driver stormed out, furious. Do you even know how to drive? This car costs more than your life!
I was about to argue when I recognized the car—it was the hypercar my mother gave me when I took over the family business. Even the license plate matched.
My wife had claimed it was at the service center for engine failure.
I asked calmly, "Is this car really yours?"
He hesitated, then boasted, "A gift from my wife! Limited edition! You owe me a million dollars—start selling your house." He threatened, "Don’t try anything. My wife is the CEO of Vanguard Enterprises. She’s on her way here."
I laughed coldly. So this was the "business dinner" Miranda skipped our daughter’s holiday for—to be with her lover and his son?

1
The first day of the school holidays, and we hadn't even parked. I was driving my daughter to a mountain resort when a hypercar illegally crossed the line and slammed into my rear bumper.
The man who emerged was a storm of fury. "Do you even know how to drive? Do you have any idea how much this car is worth? I could sell you for parts and it wouldn't cover a scratch!"
I frowned, pointing at the unbroken white line on the road. "Sir, you crossed the solid line, which caused the collision. This is clearly your fault—"
He cut me off impatiently. "It's your fault! When you see a multi-million-dollar car like this, you're supposed to get out of the way! You deserve to pay!"
I almost laughed. I was dealing with a lunatic. I pulled out my phone to call the police.
But the man, Leo, shot me a disdainful look and snatched the phone from my hand.
"Calling the cops won't help you," he sneered. "My wife has connections. I want one million dollars, right now. Start calling your family to sell your house, or I'll make sure you lose everything you own!"
It was utterly insane. He was the one at fault, and he was the one making threats.
A crowd of onlookers had started to gather.
"Wow," someone breathed. "I've seen that car on TV. It's one of only fifty in the world. Worth at least five million dollars! We're looking at a serious tycoon here!"
"That poor guy in the electric sedan is screwed," another person commented. "He's going to be bankrupted."
A third person sighed sympathetically. "Just bad luck. Anyone who can afford a five-million-dollar car has the power to make black look white. Even if it was the rich guy's fault, the other driver is going to be the one who pays."
Leo swelled with pride under their gazes. "You hear that? Be smart about this. Right now, it's just a million dollars. If you push it..."
"Is this car yours?" I interrupted, my voice cutting through his tirade.
The hypercar had seemed familiar from the moment I saw it. Then it hit me. This was the gift my mother gave me the year I became Chairman of Vanguard Enterprises. The last four digits of the license plate were my birthday.
I clearly remembered my wife, Miranda, telling me the engine had seized and she'd sent it to the dealership for repairs. We had so many cars that I didn't always keep track, which is why I hadn't recognized it instantly. I’d chosen to drive our high-end electric sedan today precisely to be low-key.
Leo's face hardened. "What's that supposed to mean? My wife gave it to me, so it's mine!" Then, as if remembering his trump card, a smug, arrogant grin spread across his face. "My wife is a big deal. She runs Vanguard Enterprises, the biggest conglomerate in Haven City. She's not someone a peasant like you can afford to cross!"
My eyes narrowed. "Vanguard Enterprises?" I repeated slowly.
He nodded, his chin held high. "That's right. Scared now? Call your family and get the money. Or you'll be doing it from a jail cell!"
A part of me had wondered if this was a misunderstanding—maybe a mechanic from the dealership had taken the car for a joyride. But now it was clear. Miranda was cheating on me.
Seeing my silence, Leo assumed I was intimidated. He shot me a contemptuous look. "Let me warn you, my wife is almost here. If you ruin our family's holiday, she'll have you blacklisted from every industry in the city. I don't care what you do for a living—you'll be finished!"
A cold fury simmered within me. "You've got a lot of nerve!"
An older woman in the crowd stepped forward. "Son, you can't fight people like this. Just apologize, admit you were wrong. Maybe you can negotiate a smaller payment."
A frosty smile touched my lips. "Oh, someone is definitely going to pay today," I said. "Someone's going to lose everything they have. But it won't be me."
What was the penalty for stealing a five-million-dollar hypercar, I wondered?
The woman just shook her head. "You're not listening. In Haven City, everyone knows what the name Vanguard Enterprises means."
"So naive," someone else sneered. "Thinks the world is fair. He's going to learn the hard way."
My defiance enraged Leo. "You low-life! You want to do this the hard way? Fine! Just you wait until my wife gets here. You'll regret this!"
I lowered my eyes, hiding the murderous glint in them. "She's coming, is she?"
Perfect. I had a few questions for Miranda myself. Starting with why, when she had everything, she was so determined to throw it all away.

2
As Leo and I argued, a commotion erupted from my car. A boy of about eight or nine darted out and ran to Leo's side, holding up a small, silver locket.
My daughter, Diane, scrambled out after him, her hair a mess, her eyes red and swollen. "Daddy," she cried, "he got in our car and started going through our things! He stole the locket with our family photo inside!"
Before I could react, Leo exploded.
"I knew it! You two disgusting parasites! I thought it was too much of a coincidence, running into you here. You hit my car and act all tough because this was your plan all along—to seduce my wife!"
He clenched his fist around the locket and swung at my face.
The sheer audacity was breathtaking. I blocked his punch easily, my eyes glacial. "You know damn well who the homewrecker is here."
He snarled, trying to lunge at me again, but I held him fast. My years of boxing weren't just for show. With a quick twist, I used his own momentum to send him sprawling to the ground. He instantly changed his tune, crying out to the crowd.
"Everyone, look! Can you believe the nerve of this homewrecker? First, he crashes into my car, and now he's trying to steal my wife in broad daylight!"
He was just getting warmed up. As more people gathered, they started pointing and whispering at me and my daughter.
"Oh my God, and I actually felt sorry for him! I thought he was just a regular guy being bullied by the rich. Turns out he's the scumbag!"
"How disgusting. What a great example he's setting for his daughter!"
I pulled Diane into my arms, shielding her face in my chest. My own chest was heaving with rage. This was beyond belief. I took out my phone, pulled up a photo of my marriage certificate, and held it high.
"Everyone, look closely!" I said, my voice ringing with authority. "I am the legal husband of the CEO of Vanguard Enterprises. This man is the one who interfered in our marriage. And as for Miranda, she's no better!"
Someone leaned in for a closer look. "He's right! I've seen her on the financial news. That's Miranda Vaughn!"
"Wait, so we got it wrong?"
The crowd's gaze shifted to Leo, now filled with doubt.
Leo shot me a venomous look and pulled out his own phone. "Don't be fooled by him! Anyone can photoshop a picture. My wife and I just celebrated our tenth anniversary. I have a video to prove it!"
On his screen, he and Miranda were on a beach in Hawaii, holding hands, kissing, feeding each other strawberries—an display so intimate it made some of the onlookers blush.
My head spun. A month ago, while my mother was on her deathbed, Miranda had insisted she had to fly overseas for a massive deal. She had gone against my express wishes.
My fists clenched, my nails digging into my palms. She had abandoned my dying mother to be with her lover. The rage of betrayal coursed through me like poison.
The crowd immediately switched sides again. "He's right, a picture can be faked, but a video can't!"
"His marriage certificate is probably a fake! I bet he knew Ms. Vaughn would be here today and staged the whole thing. What a disgusting way to try and break up a family!"
Leo's son, Max, picked up a rock and threw it at us. "Get away from my mom, you jerks!" he screamed. "I'll kill you for hurting my dad!"
I shielded Diane, dodging the rock. Over the boy's head, I met Leo's eyes. They were filled with undisguised triumph. He subtly gave me the finger.
A humorless, chilling laugh escaped me. This was interesting. I was done trying to prove myself.
In one swift motion, I put Diane back in our car and slammed the door. The engine roared to life. I spun the car around and floored the accelerator, heading straight for Leo and his son.
The crowd gasped. "What is he doing?!"
A piercing scream cut through the air.
I slammed on the brakes. The car skidded to a halt, the front bumper barely a hand's breadth from them. Through the windshield, I saw the pure, undiluted terror in Leo's eyes. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the pavement.
I offered him a sarcastic smile. Scared already? We're just getting started.
Just then, a sleek Maybach sped towards us. I glanced at the license plate. Miranda had arrived.

3
Miranda leaped out of the car and rushed to Leo and her son. Max immediately started sobbing. "Mommy, that man tried to run us over!"
Leo put on a show of righteous anger. "It's all your fault, Miranda! I don't know where you picked up this psycho, but he's trying to kill me and my son just to get to you!"
Miranda cooed at them, her voice full of concern. "Don't say that. You and Max are my whole world. Whoever hurt you, I'll make them pay. Anything you want, it's done."
I watched this tender scene from my car, then opened the door and stepped out. "That would be me, Miranda," I said, my voice cold as stone.
The anger on Miranda's face froze. Her color drained. Leo wrapped his arm around her possessively, pointing at me. "That's him! Miranda, you have to stand up for us! Have him blacklisted! Ruin him!"
I took a step closer, forcing her to meet my gaze. "Miranda. Don't you have something to explain?"
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Someone in the crowd yelled, "Ms. Vaughn, that's the low-life who claimed to be your husband! He even showed a fake marriage certificate! You can't let him get away with it!"
"Yeah, trying to worm his way into your life! Anyone can see how much you and Mr. Vance love each other. He's a disgusting homewrecker!"
"Don't worry, with Ms. Vaughn's power, she'll crush this nobody! He'll get what he deserves!"
Spurred on by the crowd, Miranda steeled herself. She took the locket from Leo, threw it to the ground, and ground it under her heel until the family photo inside was completely destroyed.
"Sir," she said, her voice low and sharp, "do you have any idea that using someone's image without their permission is illegal? I don't know who you are, and I'd appreciate it if you stopped spreading these rumors. You're making my husband and everyone else uncomfortable."
She paused, then added, "And as for your assault on my husband today, I will not let it slide. I demand that you apologize to him, right here, in front of everyone."
A cold smile twisted my lips. The woman whose entire career I had funded was defending her lover like this? Fine. I would give them exactly what they wanted.
Just as I was about to speak, Diane bolted from the car. She saw the shattered locket at Miranda's feet.
"Mommy?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "That was our family picture. It was my favorite one. Why did you break it?"
Max glared at her. "Who are you calling Mommy, you little witch?"
The crowd's murmurs turned venomous again. "Like father, like daughter. Ms. Vaughn already said she doesn't know them, and the little girl is still calling her 'Mommy.' No shame at all."
Diane's eyes welled with tears, but she stood her ground. "She is my mommy! Mommy, look at me!"
Miranda finally turned to her own daughter, her voice like ice. "I don't know you. Little girl, don't let your father corrupt you. It's wrong to call strangers 'Mommy.'"
I pulled Diane to my side, gently patting her back. I scanned the crowd and noticed several people were live-streaming the entire event on their phones.
I smirked and raised my voice. "I'd like everyone here to be a witness. This woman, Ms. Vaughn, just stated that she does not know me or my daughter. Is that correct?"
The crowd, though confused, nodded. "Is this guy crazy? One minute he's forcing her to admit she's his wife, now this?"
"He's lost his mind!"
My gaze locked onto Miranda's. "Then I hope you have some integrity, Ms. Vaughn. Because you'll be held to every word you've just said."
Miranda scoffed. Leo looked smug, basking in the crowd's support. The murmurs against me grew louder.
"What is wrong with this guy?"
"Is he trying to act crazy to avoid the consequences? Everyone in Haven City knows how ruthless the Vanguard legal team is. He can't escape!"
"Come on, everyone, get a good look at the most disgusting homewrecker in history, right here on my stream!"
The insults kept coming. Just then, the sound of police sirens cut through the noise. A group of officers arrived.
"Who called this in?" one of them shouted. "We received a report of a stolen hypercar worth five million dollars."

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