He Broke My Hands, So I Married His Billionaire Investor

Three years into our marriage, I lost the use of my hand for him, and my grandmother sold her jewelry to fund his dreams.

But in the end, for the sake of his so-called savior's sister, he gave away our marital home for free and drained the blood from my grandmother, who had just been released from the ICU, just for her.

I finally saw him for who he really is. I unilaterally ended the marriage and bought a one-way ticket to London. But after the divorce, he went crazy trying to win me back...

#### Chapter 1: Iris's POV

In the third year of our marriage, I walked into the bank to close our joint safety deposit box.

The teller looked at the name on the screen and gave me a polite, professional smile. "Mrs. Hale, to close a joint safety deposit box, we need a co-signature from your husband, Ethan Hale."

I pulled back my ID card, my face completely expressionless. "There's no need. Im no longer Mrs. Hale. My name is Iris. Im single."

Just an hour ago, I had watched Ethan sign the equity transfer papers with my own eyes. He had given ten percent of Hale Techs founding shares to Chloecompletely free of charge. Chloe was the younger sister of his late best friend, Marcus.

Seven years ago, when Ethan had absolutely nothing, my Gran sold her antique family jewelry just so he could buy his first high-end CNC machine.

Five years ago, when he couldn't afford the down payment for his precision laboratory, I hid it from him and risked my life in an illegal, rain-soaked street race to win him two hundred thousand dollars. That night, my left wrist was shattered, leaving me with permanent nerve damage.

Three years ago, when Ethans company was on the brink of bankruptcy, I worked as a tactical defense driver in a war-torn overseas crisis zone. I drove through active gunfire to rescue Arthur Sterling, the billionaire patriarch of the Sterling Group. In return, Arthur poured hundreds of millions into Ethan's company.

But for the past five years, all Chloe had to do was wiggle her finger, and Ethan would abandon me. He missed my doctor appointments, stood me up on anniversaries, and even gave her our first house. His excuse was always the same: *Marcus died saving my life. I have to take care of Chloe forever.*

I tolerated it for five years.

But today, seeing that equity transfer sheet, the last spark of love inside me died.

I pushed open the heavy glass doors of the bank and walked straight out into the freezing drizzle.

Before I could even reach the curb, my phone began to vibrate violently. It was a security alert from the bank's automated system, warning me of an unauthorized attempt to access our joint assets.

Two minutes later, a sleek black Maybach screeched to a halt right in front of me, splashing dirty water onto my jeans.

The door flew open. Ethan stepped out, radiating a freezing aura. He marched over and grabbed my arm so hard I could hear my bones protest.

"Iris! Have you lost your mind?!"

Ethans brows were furrowed, his eyes a mix of irritation and panic. "You haven't come home for a week. You won't answer my calls. Now you're at the bank trying to drain our joint assets? Do you have any idea that the security alert went straight to my phone? What the hell are you playing at?"

I looked down at his hand gripping my left wristthe scarred wrist that still throbbed with a dull, numb ache.

"Let go of me," I said, my voice completely flat.

Ethan hated this side of me the most. When I was calm, he felt like he was losing control.

He took a deep breath, trying to hide his guilt with his usual commanding tone. "I know you're mad about the car I bought Chloe. But Chloe is Marcuss only sister! Marcus died for me! Whats wrong with me looking out for her? Do you really have to overreact like this and throw away our seven years together over a stupid car?"

Before he could finish, the phone in his pocket rang loudly. The caller ID flashed: *Chloe*.

Ethan swiped to answer. Chloes soft, sobbing voice echoed through the speaker. "Ethan... my car broke down on the highway. People are honking at me, and Im so scared... my stomach ulcer is flaring up again..."

The moment he heard "stomach ulcer," Ethans face changed completely. He forgot all about interrogating me. "Chloe, don't panic. Lock the doors and stay in the car. Im coming to get you right now!"

He hung up, shoved me aside, and rushed back to his car. "Iris, stop acting out. Chloe is fragile, and shes sick. I have to go. Well talk when I get back!"

The Maybach roared away, leaving behind a cloud of exhaust and dirty puddles in the rain.

I stood in the cold wind and slowly let out a breath.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a heavily encrypted number.

"Miss Iris, hello," the voice on the other end was formal and precise. It was the coordinator from the Federal Security Agency's Tactical Driving Division. "Regarding your application for high-risk overseas deployment, you have passed the initial screening. Since the deployment zone is near an active conflict area, the danger level is extreme. Are you sure you want to accept this assignment?"

I looked at the empty corner where the Maybach had vanished. "I'm sure."

"Understood. Given the classified nature of your mission, our agency has the authority to grant you immediate family isolation privileges. This includes using a federal security channel to bypass the standard waiting period and execute a single-party annulment of your marriage. Do you wish to activate this?"

"Yes," I replied, tracing the ugly scar on my left wrist. "Please finalize the divorce before my departure in two weeks."

"Understood. The expedited annulment process has been initiated. It will take effect in exactly fifteen days."

I hung up, put my phone away, and walked into the rain.

***

#### Chapter 2: Iris's POV

Three years later, Ethans assistant practically dragged me to Hale Techs massive product launch event.

"Iris, please," the assistant pleaded. "Today's launch determines whether the Sterling Group will provide our next round of funding. Julian Sterling himself is sitting in the VIP section."

In the backstage corridor, Ethan was adjusting his designer suit. He gripped my shoulders, his tone a mix of coercion and fake sweetness. "Just sit quietly in the audience, Iris. Let the media get some photos of us looking happy. I cannot have any negative rumors about my marriage right now, got it?"

I stood quietly in the shadows. I didn't even bother to nod.

But when the staff led me into the venue, I realized there was no seat for me in the front row.

In the VIP section, right next to Ethan's reserved seat, sat Chloe.

She was wearing a stunning white haute couture gown, gracefully chatting with the investors around her.

I was led all the way to the very back, in the dim corner reserved for low-tier media.

"Hey, what are you doing sitting here?" a young female employee walked over, tapping my desk arrogantly. "These rows are for the press. Don't block the cameras. If you knock over this equipment, you won't be able to afford the damages."

I looked at her, chose not to explain, and quietly stood up. I walked out and stood in the dark exit hallway.

The launch began. The applause was deafening.

When it came time for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Chloe walked onto the stage under the spotlight, naturally standing right next to Ethan.

They held the golden scissors together. The camera flashes made the stage look as bright as day. In the crowd, a business partner joked aloud, "Mr. Hale, Chloe's white dress is so beautiful. If I didn't know better, Id think this was a wedding!"

The crowd erupted into knowing laughter.

On stage, Ethan froze for a fraction of a second.

His eyes darted anxiously across the front rows, trying to find me. But the seat he thought I was in was empty.

Under the watchful eye of Julian Sterling, Ethan swallowed his explanation.

He simply offered a vague, charming smile, letting the crowd speculate, while Chloe leaned a little closer to his side.

Standing in the dark corridor, I watched the entire display.

The very last ember of feeling in my heart went cold.

I unlocked my phone and logged into the airline's internal booking system.

Because the federal security agency had already processed my annulment request, my legal status in the database had already been updated to "Single."

Without a second thought, I purchased a one-way ticket to London for fifteen days from now.

Just as the booking confirmation popped up, the event ended.

I turned to leave, but Ethan blocked me at the corner of the corridor.

His tie was slightly messy, and his eyes were filled with panic and irritation.

He stared at my phone screen, which hadn't gone dark yet. "Who were you texting? Is it those street racer thugs again? I told you a thousand times, you are not allowed to contact those people!"

He reached out aggressively, trying to grab my phone.

I casually slipped it into my pocket and looked at him coldly.

"None of your business."

I pushed his hand away, walked past him, and headed for the exit.

Ethan stood frozen in the hallway, a cold wave of helplessness washing over him.

***

#### Chapter 3: Iris's POV

By the time I left the venue, the rain had turned into a downpour.

I hailed a cab.

Instead of going back to the luxury penthouse Ethan had bought, I went straight back to the old garage in Brooklyn.

This was where we had started.

Five years ago, Ethan was just a broke kid working out of this dusty garage, and I was his only helper.

But now, the place was filled with rusted parts, dust, and a single flickering lightbulb.

I sat under the dim light, rolled up my sleeve, and pressed a warm, damp towel against my left wrist, massaging it gently.

Ethan's rough grip in the hallway had agitated my old injury, and it was throbbing again.

The garage was quiet. Too quiet.

I looked at the small plastic medicine cup on the desk, and my eyes stung.

Grans Alzheimers had gotten worse, and she rarely recognized anyone anymore.

Last month, she underwent major heart surgery and was now staying at a private care facility on the outskirts of the city.

Years ago, when Ethan needed money for his startup, Gran had secretly pawned her cherished family heirlooms to give him cash.

Back then, Ethan had held her hand with tears in his eyes, promising to treat her like his own flesh and blood.

But once Hale Tech took off, his visits to the care facility dwindled to zero. The sweet "Gran" he used to call her became a cold, formal "Mrs. Ruth."

Before the towel on my wrist could even cool down, the wooden door of the garage was pushed open.

Ethan walked in. His expensive designer suit looked incredibly out of place in this dusty, rusted space.

"Iris, why did you leave without saying anything? You left me standing in the hallway like an idiot," Ethan sat on a wooden stool, his patience wearing thin.

I turned away and didn't answer, continuing to apply pressure to my wrist.

Ethan sighed, his tone softening slightly. "Once the Sterling Group's investment clears, I'll buy you a luxury penthouse overlooking Central Park. You won't have to stay in this damp, depressing dump anymore."

I looked at him calmly. "Are you done?"

"You're always like this. You can't even say one nice thing," Ethan muttered, shaking his head. "I'm having a demolition crew come tomorrow to tear this garage down. Chloe's new car keeps getting scratched in the public parking lot, and shes complained to me several times. I'm going to build a private garage for her here. It's not like we use this space anyway."

Tear down the garage.

Tear down the place where we built everything, just to give Chloe a private parking space.

I didn't argue.

I stood up, walked to the old desk, pulled open the bottom drawer, and took out the deed to the property.

I walked back and threw it on the table in front of him.

"Take it," I said, looking at the paper. "Tell them they can tear it down tomorrow."

Ethan stared at the deed, a flash of panic crossing his eyes.

My absolute willingness to let it go made him feel like he was losing his grip on me.

To hide his unease, his voice turned cold. "Iris, everything I do is for our future, and yet you're throwing a tantrum over this old garage. If you leave me, how do you expect to survive on your own?"

Building a parking spot for another woman was "for our future"?

The excuse was so ridiculous it was almost funny.

I didn't say a word. I didn't need to defend myself.

I didn't care about his opinion anymore.

Suddenly, Ethans phone rang. It was Chloe again.

He answered, and Chloe's hysterical crying filled the quiet garage. "Ethan... someone trashed my car! The windows are shattered and the paint is completely ruined right outside the old street... I'm so scared, please come..."

Ethan's expression changed instantly. He glared at me, his eyes sharp.

He snatched the deed from the table, stood up, and rushed out. "I have to go. We'll finish this later!"

The door slammed shut.

The rain outside grew heavier, pounding against the old glass windows.

Twenty minutes later, the door was kicked open with a deafening bang.

Ethan stormed back in, soaked to the skin, his suit dripping rainwater onto the floor. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me, his voice shaking with rage. "Iris! How could you be so disgusting?!"

***

#### Chapter 4: Iris's POV

"Chloe's car is completely destroyed, and the security footage shows your Gran was at the scene!"

Ethan roared, grabbing my collar and slamming me hard against the metal shelving. "I get that you hate Chloe, but using a sick old lady who just had heart surgery? You actually manipulated her into going out in a storm to trash Chloe's car?!"

My back hit the metal shelf hard, sending a sharp, clattering sound through the garage.

My mind went completely blank.

Gran... she had suffered an episode. She must have wandered out of the care facility in her hospital gown, walking all the way back to the old garage in the pouring rain.

As Ethan shoved me, I instinctively used my left hand to shield myself. My wrist joint popped with a sickening crack, and a wave of agony washed over me, making me gasp for air.

Cold sweat broke out on my forehead. My face turned pale as my fingers trembled, but I didn't make a sound.

Ethan glanced at my shaking wrist, his brow furrowing, but his voice remained accusatory. "Stop acting. I'm sick of your guilt trips. You are going to apologize to Chloe today, or else!"

I squeezed my throbbing wrist, barely able to breathe through the pain.

At that exact second, my phone buzzed in my hand. It was an urgent text from Gran's nurse at the care facility: *[Miss Iris! It's terrible! A group of men just showed up and dragged your Gran out of her room! They said she destroyed private property and took her to confront the owner!]*

Before I could even process the pain in my wrist, I shoved Ethan aside and sprinted out of the garage.

The rain was blinding.

When I finally reached the private car wash Chloe had specified, I could hear the loud hum of a pressure washer from a distance, accompanied by Chloe's soft, cruel laughter. "Spray some more cold water. Let's see if that wakes the old woman up. Breaking someone's car and not even apologizing... how pathetic."

Inside the damp, concrete car wash, Gran was shivering in her thin hospital gown, pinned down onto a metal chair by two of Ethan's security guards.

The high-pressure cold water hose was pointed directly at her fragile face.

The poor old woman was shaking violently, her lips blue, barely able to breathe as she whimpered in pain.

"Stop it!"

I lost my mind and charged forward. But before I could reach her, an arm blocked me.

Ethan stood firmly in front of Chloe, his face tense. "Iris, calm down! Chloe was just upset. Your Gran was the one who trashed the car. Chloe deserves an explanation. Once this is sorted, I'll have someone take her back."

Rain and sweat mixed on my face. I ignored Ethan and looked past his shoulder at the shivering old woman.

"An explanation?" My voice was so hoarse it barely sounded human.

I stared at Ethan, my eyes filled with absolute despair. "Ethan, when you were broke and crying in her arms, what did you call her? You called her Gran. And now you call her 'the old woman'?"

Ethan flinched, a deep wave of shame crossing his eyes.

Chloe hid behind Ethan, pulling at his sleeve, crying like a victim. "Ethan... I didn't want to hurt her. She used her cane to scratch my car first... I just wanted to ask her why..."

Under everyone's shocked gazes, I walked forward, ripped the pressure hose from the guard's hand, and threw it to the ground.

I pulled my semi-conscious Gran into my arms. Her body felt like ice. I wrapped her in my heavy coat, hoisted her onto my back, and walked out into the storm.

There were no cabs in sight in the midnight storm.

My Grans body temperature was dropping rapidly, and the shattered bones in my left wrist ground against each other with every step I took. Every step felt like walking on broken glass.

I fell several times, scraping my knees until they bled, but I held onto her with everything I had.

When I finally stumbled through the doors of the emergency room, I collapsed onto the cold tile floor.

I used my good right hand to grab a nurses scrubs, begging, "Please... save my grandmother... please..."

The harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital blurred in my vision, and my left arm hung limply by my side, swollen and turning an angry shade of purple.

***

#### Chapter 5: Iris's POV

The hospital room was dead silent.

I leaned weakly against the glass window of the ICU, my eyes locked on the fragile old woman hooked up to countless machines.

The doctor had just pulled me aside. Gran was suffering from severe hypothermia, which had triggered acute heart failure alongside a severe lung infection.

Even with ICU care, she was on life support.

My swollen right hand gently held my deformed left wrist, which was throbbing with excruciating pain.

But I couldn't feel it. The pain inside my chest was far worse.

"Iris, enough is enough. I had to call the care facility just to find you here."

At the end of the hallway, Ethan appeared, holding a basket of expensive fruits and imported ginseng.

"Chloe was just emotional. Shes young and reckless, and I already scolded her. I had my assistant pay for the hospital bills and the future recovery fees. Lets drop this. Stop holding a grudge and come home with me."

I didn't even turn around. I kept staring at Gran through the glass, my voice barely a whisper. "Okay."

I didn't even bother to explain myself. I knew that the federal annulment would take effect in exactly ten days.

Right now, all I wanted was for Gran to stabilize so I could take her to London and leave this toxic city forever.

Ethan assumed I was submitting to him like I always did. He smiled in relief and reached out to pat my head. "That's my girl. Once I'm done with the Sterling project, we'll bring Gran home together."

I flinched away from his touch, closing my eyes.

Seeing that I was unresponsive, Ethan muttered a few words and left.

But I had underestimated how truly evil those two could be. They had no bottom line.

Two days later, I was walking back from the pharmacy with a new prescription.

When I reached the ICU, the hallway was in total chaos. Several doctors and security guards were wheeling Grans bed toward the elevator.

My heart stopped. I ran forward, blocking the bed. "What are you doing?! She's in critical condition! She can't be moved!"

The nurse looked away guiltily, her eyes red. "Miss Iris, I'm so sorry... Mr. Hale gave the order. We have to take her to the VIP wing. Miss Chloe had a boating accident and is suffering from severe internal bleeding. The blood bank is out of her rare blood type, and your grandmother is the only match in the database..."

It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck my skull.

"She just came out of cardiac arrest! If you draw her blood now, you'll kill her!" I screamed, using my body to shield the bed.

Just then, Ethans heavy footsteps echoed from the elevator.

He walked over with a cold, hardened expression and shoved me aside.

"Iris, stop throwing a fit!" Ethans voice was filled with annoyance. "Marcus only has one sister left. I cannot let her die! Your Gran is just donating a little blood. It won't kill her. I asked the doctorsas long as we control the amount, she'll be fine. If anything happens, I'll take full responsibility!"

"Responsibility? How can you possibly take responsibility?!" I grabbed his sleeve, my eyes bloodshot. "Ethan, look into your heart! How did my Gran treat you when you had nothing?!"

"Iris, we don't have time for this!" Ethans face darkened completely.

He waved his hand to the guards and doctors, his voice cold and final. "Take the old lady up. Move the cardiology team to the VIP wing to assist with Chloes surgery!"

"Ethan!!"

My scream echoed down the corridor, but my shattered left hand had no strength. I could only watch as they wheeled Gran into the elevator.

Ethan didn't even look back as he disappeared into the VIP wing with the medical team.

The ICU hallway fell into a terrifying silence.

Every single on-duty doctor and nurse had been pulled away by Ethan's orders.

An hour later, the heart monitor inside the ICU emitted a long, flat, piercing tone.

*BEEEP*

That sound felt like a cold blade slicing through my chest.

I burst into the ICU room like a madwoman.

No doctors. No nurses.

The sterile room was empty, save for the cold machine screaming its flatline tone.

I stumbled to the bedside and collapsed to my knees.

"Gran..."

I reached out with my trembling right hand, grabbing her frail, cold hand.

The hand that had held mine as I grew up was rapidly losing its warmth, turning stiff.

Gran's right arm was covered in horrific, dark purple bruising from the aggressive, excessive blood draw.

The needle mark still had a trace of dried, dark red blood.

"Gran... open your eyes and look at me... we're going to London... we're leaving..."

Tears poured down my face, splashing onto her lifeless cheek.

I pressed my forehead against hers, trying to warm her cold skin with my own body, but there was only the chill of death.

The grief trapped in my throat turned into silent, suffocating sobs.

The only person in this world who had loved me unconditionally was deadabandoned in an empty room without a single doctor.

And the man who had drained her blood was the very same man I had supported with seven years of my youth.

In the suffocating silence, the phone in my pocket lit up.

I unlocked it with numb fingers.

It was a photo from Ethan.

He was sitting by Chloes luxurious VIP bed, holding her hand with absolute tenderness.

Beneath the photo, there was a text: *[Iris, Chloe is out of danger. Ive sent the best organic supplements to your Grans room. Once I'm done here, we'll bring her to our new home.]*

I stared at the screen, my tears mixing with the blood on my hands, dripping onto the sterile white sheets.

A broken, hollow laugh escaped my throat.

"Haha... Hahaha..."

Ethan, our debts are settled.