His Billionaire Lies

When I was seven months pregnant, I went to the baby boutique to pick out some supplies for my unborn child.

Peering through the shelves, I froze. My husband, Frank, was leaning over, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from a strange woman's forehead.

Do you know Mr. and Mrs. Byres too?

The sales assistant asked casually, her head down as she scanned my items.

"Honestly, everyone envies Mrs. Byres. Theyve been married for three years, and Mr. Byres has never had a single scandal."

"They were high school sweethearts, and now they have a son and a daughter. Theyre the ultimate power couple."

I gripped the edge of the counter, my knuckles turning white.

A son and a daughter? A power couple?

But the "Mr. Byres" she was talking about was my husbandthe man who told me he was an orphan!

Seeing my pale face, the sales assistant asked suspiciously, "Do you actually know Frank Byres?"

She looked me up and down, her eyes lingering on my cheap, oversized maternity dress. A flash of contempt crossed her face.

"If you have any dirty ideas about him, I suggest you forget them."

"Mr. Byres is a devoted family man. He wouldn't even look at a woman like you."

She shoved the shopping cart forward, pushing me back. I instinctively covered my belly, trembling.

Then, I heard her whisper sneeringly to another cashier:

"Look at her. Her eyes are practically glued to Mr. Byres. She probably wants to be his side chick."

"With that cheap look, who knows if she even knows who her baby's real father is."

A side chick?

I stood there, paralyzed, unable to speak.

Just this morning, before Frank left, he had kissed me gently on the forehead.

He told me his company was swamped and asked me to rest at home.

But could two people in this world really look so identical? Down to the exact same scar at the corner of his left eye?

Frank told me he got that scar from a fall when he was a kid.

If he already had a family, a wife, and children...

Why did he marry me? Why did he tell me he loved me?

He had turned me into a disgusting, cheap mistress in everyone else's eyes.

I wanted to run over and demand answers.

I had told him my story. My mother took her own life after being abandoned as a rich man's mistress.

I, Audrey, would rather marry a beggar than ever become someones side piece.

Why did he lie to me?

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit me. My foot slipped, and I almost fell to the floor.

Hearing the commotion, Frank turned around. His eyes widened when he saw me, and he rushed over.

"Audrey! Oh my god, are you okay? Why are you so careless?"

Panic was written all over his face. He held me tight, trying to soothe me.

But the expensive, tailored black suit he was wearing was definitely not the cheap work uniform he wore when he left this morning.

"It's okay, it's okay. Im taking you to the hospital right now."

I grabbed his wrist, my voice cracking.

"Frank, are you hiding something from me?"

At my words, panic flashed through his eyes.

"What are you talking about, babe?"

"Did you misunderstand something?"

His eyes darted away, but he quickly recovered his composure.

"That woman, Mrs. Byres, is just a client. We ran into each other and chatted for a bit."

"I didn't expect you to see us. Its my fault. I shouldnt have let you misunderstand."

"I promise this will never happen again."

Frank looked so sincere, his voice so steady.

I looked past his shoulder. The elegant "Mrs. Byres" stood there quietly, showing no intention of arguing.

If they were really husband and wife, she wouldn't just stand there in silence, right?

Before I could think further, Frank lifted me in his arms and rushed toward the hospital.

Dazed, I remembered that he had held me just like this when we first met.

Back then, my mother had just committed suicide. My greedy uncle was trying to force me to marry a creepy sixty-year-old man to pay off his debts.

I did everything I could to escape.

Frank was the one who rescued me from the rain, paid my hospital bills, and gave me a place to stay.

He told me his parents were dead, his relatives had stolen his inheritance, and he was working hard to build a life from scratch.

We fell in love in a tiny, cramped rental apartment.

Even though he was broke, he was polite and intelligent, and he eventually got a decent job at a firm.

I had my doubts, but I never pushed him.

Until the day he knelt down with a ring.

"I swear to God, Audrey, I will cherish you forever."

He privately arranged our marriage license and took care of all the paperwork.

After we got married, he handed his entire salary over to me.

Every time he came home, he brought me little giftschocolates, pastries, or a single rose.

He loved me so deeply. How could it all be a lie?

At the hospital, the doctor looked at my ultrasound and wrote a prescription.

Then, he smiled at the anxious Frank.

"Both mother and baby are fine. She just needs bed rest."

Frank let out a long, ragged breath and gently touched my swollen belly.

"Thank God you guys are okay."

He crouched down, pressing his face against my stomach, whispering softly:

"Hey, little one, be good. Don't stress your mommy out."

I saw tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.

Frank had been nothing but good to me. He was my savior.

I thought to myself, maybe the store clerk was wrong. Maybe she just saw Frank standing next to Mrs. Byres and assumed they were married.

I shouldn't doubt him.

Relieved, I went home to rest.

But the next morning, right after Frank left, our front door was violently kicked open.

I rushed to the living room and saw yesterday's "Mrs. Byres" walking in with a group of burly men.

Faced with these aggressive strangers, I panicked.

The nanny Frank hired to take care of me was so terrified she shrank behind my back.

I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Mrs. Byres, we don't know each other. What is the meaning of this?"

The elegant woman from yesterday was gone. Today, her eyes were filled with pure disgust.

She sneered, and one of her guards stepped forward, pointing at my face.

"You shameless bitch, you have the nerve to ask?"

"Our gracious Mrs. Byres is here to take you to the estate so you can have your baby there."

I didn't understand what she meant. I refused politely.

"Thank you, but we are strangers. I cannot accept your invitation."

"Besides, I'm heavily pregnant and it's not safe for me to move. Please leave."

The moment the words left my mouth, the guard slapped me across the face.

Smack!

"You trashy little mistress!" the guard spat.

"Using your pregnancy to guilt-trip us? Are you trying to make Mrs. Byres look bad?"

"Mrs. Byres is the only legal wife of the Byres family. Your kid is just a bastard. Don't think you can compete with her."

I stumbled back, clutching my burning cheek. The nanny caught me before I hit the floor.

Nyla Adler smiled mockingly at my misery.

She walked over slowly, tilting my chin up with her manicured finger. "How pathetic. Frank hasn't told you the truth, has he?"

"Let me tell you. I am Frank's real wife."

She told me Frank was the sole heir of the billionaire Byres empire.

And she was Nyla, the youngest daughter of the powerful Adler family.

Their families had arranged their marriage when they were kids.

They were a match made in heaven.

Nyla spoke so casually, but my heart sank into a dark abyss.

Suddenly, all of Frank's weird behavior made sense.

But no matter what, I couldn't go with her.

I, Audrey, had my pride.

If Frank really lied to me, I would rather get an abortion and run away again than stay and be humiliated as a rich man's plaything.

I yelled, "I don't believe you! I want to ask him myself!"

"If you're his real wife, why are you afraid of letting me talk to him?"

Nyla's face tightened.

A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, and she barked, "Tie her up and throw her in the car! Now!"

Seeing the guards close in, I screamed at the neighbors who were watching from the hallway.

"Help me! Please! I don't know these people!"

"Call the police! Or call Frank! Please!"

But the neighbors who usually smiled and helped me carry groceries now just watched with cold, mocking eyes.

They gossiped in hushed, disgusted tones.

"I knew she was too pretty to be decent. Turns out she's just a rich man's side chick."

"And here I was, helping her with her trash because she's pregnant. How disgusting."

"Mrs. Byres is too nice. If I were her, I'd have beaten this homewrecker to death already."

The guards slammed me onto the floor, pinning my arms behind my back.

Hearing the neighbors' cruel words, a wave of intense shame washed over me.

I screamed desperately at them, "You all saw us! We had a small wedding in the backyard! You were there!"

"Frank is an orphan! How could he be some billionaire heir?"

But nobody listened.

"Please! What kind of real wedding has no guests and no priest?"

"We all knew Frank looked too noble to be a regular guy."

"You lived with him and never noticed? You were just a kept woman, sweetie. Stop lying to yourself."

My body went cold. Every sweet memory of Frank turned into a mockery.

Was everything a lie?

In my despair, I saw a familiar figure walking down the street below.

It was Beasley, Frank's colleague.

He had been to our apartment for drinks. He could prove my innocence!

I struggled with all my might, screaming out of the window: "Beasley! Beasley! Help me!"

Beasley looked up, shocked.

"Audrey? What's going on? Who are these people?"

He rushed up the stairs, yelling at the guards holding me, "Let her go!"

"What do you think you're doing to her in broad daylight?"

A wave of relief washed over me. I almost cried.

"Beasley knows me. He can prove who I am!"

I glared at Nyla. "Even if you're a Byres, you have no right to kidnap me!"

"I am not a mistress! Tell your men to let me go!"

But Nyla didn't panic. She smiled at Beasley. "Beasley, what did you just call her?"

"I didn't know you were so brave, defending my husband's little toy."

Beasley's face went pale. The anger on his face instantly vanished, replaced by sheer terror.

"Mrs. Byres... I didn't know you were here..."

He stepped closer to Nyla, lowering his voice. "Please, don't lower yourself to her level."

My heart froze. I felt like I was plunging into an icy lake.

Frank... Oh, Frank. Did you have terrible friends, or was this a giant trap from the very beginning?

Beasley whispered to Nyla, trying to please her: "She's just a bird Frank kept in a cage. Why bother coming here yourself?"

"If Frank actually cared about her, he wouldn't let her live in this crappy apartment without any security, right?"

He pointed at the terrified nanny.

"If you just turn a blind eye, Frank will appreciate your generosity. Theres no need to ruin your reputation over a girl like her."

I ignored his insults and asked in a trembling voice, "Is Frank... Frank Byres?"

"Is he really married?"

Beasley avoided my eyes and nodded slowly.

Nyla laughed triumphantly. "Now do you see who you are?"

"A cheap mistress trying to raise her voice at me. How pathetic."

I was never a submissive girl. If I were, I wouldn't have escaped my uncle's house.

I struggled like a wild animal, completely ignoring the pain in my stomach.

"I won't be a mistress! Even if he is a billionaire, I don't want him!"

"I want to hear it from him! If he lied to me, I will leave! I won't get in your way!"

Nyla sneered. "Do you think Im stupid? You're just playing hard to get."

"Like it or not, you are coming to the Byres estate today. If you don't walk, my men will drag you."

The guards lunged at me again.

Beasley tried to stop them gently. "Easy on her, she's carrying Frank's baby."

A trace of annoyance flashed in Nyla's eyes, but she waved her hand. The guards gagged me, tied my hands, and threw me into the back of a black SUV.

My tears flowed silently. My heart was completely shattered.

The bumpy ride made my stomach hurt.

"She doesn't know her place. Mrs. Byres came personally to fetch her, and she still put on a show," a maid in the front seat complained.

Another maid chimed in, "Once she's in the estate, she'll have to serve Mrs. Byres. Once the baby is born, she'll be kicked out anyway."

"She's ambitious, though. Claiming she doesn't want to be a mistress? She's probably dreaming of Frank divorcing his wife for her."

"Please! She's just a temporary toy for Mr. Byres."

Hearing their twisted words, my chest tightened, and I could barely breathe.

I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall.

I don't know how long passed before the SUV stopped. I was dragged out and pushed into the grand lobby of the massive Byres estate.

When I looked up, I saw another familiar face.

Frank's sister.

She was here too.

Everything became crystal clear.

Louise Byres stared at me, frozen in shock.

Just last week, she had visited my small apartment, bringing a pile of baby toys.

She had patiently explained all the pregnancy do's and don'ts, saying Frank had asked her to look after me.

Back then, Frank told me he was worried because it was my first pregnancy, so he asked his "married friend Louise" to help.

Now, all that kindness turned into a knife stabbing my chest.

Louise finally snapped out of it. She pulled Nyla aside and whispered angrily:

"Why did you bring her here?"

"If she stays outside, her baby is just an illegitimate bastard. You have two kids; she's no threat to you."

"If Frank finds out, he'll be furious! Send her back!"

She was planning for Nyla's sake.

I clenched my fists, hoping she would convince Nyla to let me go.

"You misunderstand, Louise," Nyla said smoothly. "No matter what, she's carrying Frank's blood. He belongs in this house."

"If Frank really loves this baby, I can just adopt it and raise it as my own."

Nyla's words silenced Louise instantly.

Louise could only turn to the guards and say weakly, "Audrey is pregnant. Tell them to be gentle with her."

How hilarious. Just like Beasley, she only cared about the baby, but she wouldn't actually help me.

One was his sister, the other his best friend. They had both played me like a fool.

I shook with anger. I wanted to rip their hypocritical faces off.

Nyla squeezed my chin, her voice cold. "Hear that? I'm doing you a favor."

"Now, let's go greet Mother."

She ordered the guards to drag me into the main parlor.

Frank had lied to me so deeply. He probably wouldn't save me anyway.

Or maybe, this was his plan all along.

He knew I would never agree to be a mistress, so he let Nyla do the dirty work to force me into submission.

Once I gave up, he would show up, play the loving husband, and beg for my forgiveness.

The thought made me lose my mind. I struggled wildly.

I bit Nyla's hand, slammed my head into a guard's chest, and kicked randomly.

"Stop this! What is this chaos?!"

A stern, commanding voice rang out, instantly silencing Nyla and Louise.

"Mother," Nyla murmured.

A tiny spark of hope flared in my chest. I fell to my knees before the older woman.

"Please help me! They kidnapped me!"

The woman standing before me was Frank's mother, Hillary Byres. She looked elegant, wearing a massive pink diamond ring.

"I know who you are," Hillary said, looking down at me with utter disdain. "Frank's little plaything."

Her words crushed my last bit of hope.

"You seduced my son, keeping him away from his home and his legal wife."

"Nyla was kind enough to bring you here to care for you, and yet you are so ungrateful."

She snorted, and the maids immediately pinned me to the floor.

My knees hit the hard marble.

"Audrey, I looked into your past. You are the daughter of a mistress. No wonder you have such natural talent for ruining families."

"Normally, you wouldn't even be allowed in my presence."

"But Nyla is merciful. She felt pity for the bastard in your womb. Do you understand?"

Hillary looked at me like I was a piece of trash.

I laughed, a sound filled with pure despair. "Do you think I want to be in your disgusting family? I don't!"

"Frank lied to me with a fake identity! You failed to raise your son properly! Your family ruined my life!"

"Shut her mouth!" Hillary screamed, slamming her hand on the armrest.

"How dare you! Slap her!"

Louise jumped in, "Mother, she's pregnant with Frank's child!"

But Hillary cut her off coldly:

"Nyla gave us a son and a daughter. The Byres family does not need a bastard from a trashy street girl!"

A heavy slap landed on my face.

The maid didn't stop. The slaps kept coming, burning my skin.

Nyla smiled triumphantly. Louise turned her face away.

My ears buzzed. I could barely hear anything.

Through the haze, someone forced a cup of scalding tea into my hands.

"Apologize to Mrs. Byres right now!"

The burning pain in my hands brought me back. I sneered and threw the boiling tea straight at Hillary.

Hillary screamed as the hot water splashed on her designer clothes. The room fell into chaos.

Nyla's eyes flashed with rage. "You bitch! How dare you attack Hillary!"

"Beat her!"

The guards grabbed me, but suddenly, one of them froze.

"Mrs. Byres... She's... she's bleeding."

A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my abdomen. Warm liquid flowed down my legs.

My baby... was leaving me?

Maybe it was for the best. Without the baby, I would have no ties to this cursed family.

"Hillary said it herself! We don't need this bastard!" Nyla snapped. "She dared to attack the matriarch. If we don't teach her a lesson, she'll think she owns this place!"

Just then, the double doors were kicked open.

"Stop! Touch her and I'll kill you!"

Frank had finally arrived.