The CEO’s Allowance

I accidentally used the shared bank card linked to my husband, Ryan Newman. Before I could even leave the store, two officers pinned me to the ground and accused me of embezzling company funds. Right then, Ryan’s new secretary, Georgia Hawkins, called me. "Mrs. Newman, I was the one who reported you! Do you have any idea how hard Mr. Newman works for his money? "He works himself to the bone every day. You can’t keep spending so recklessly anymore! Starting today, I’ll be managing all your expenses. Every purchase needs my approval first! "Oh, and your monthly spending limit is now $500. You already spent $499 today, so don’t even think about spending another cent this month." Listening to her smug little lecture, I laughed. Georgia had only been at the company for a month. Just because Ryan treated her politely at work, she’d started acting like she ran his entire life. Little did she know, the company belonged to me. Every dollar in Ryan's bank account came from me, including her paycheck. As for the Mr. Newman she worshiped so much? He was just the man who married into my family. So what gave her the right to manage my money? Chapter 1 The officers stared at the message on my phone while Georgia Hawkins’s voice rang through the call. Then they looked at the payment notification showing I’d only spent a few dollars after using a discount coupon. Every single one of them went pale. They immediately apologized and promised they would report the false police report to Sterling & Co. Holdings, my husband's company. Apparently, one of their employees had deliberately lied to the authorities. However, I barely heard them. Clutching the counter, I bent over in pain, my face drained of color. "My stomach hurts so bad..." I gasped. "I think... I think I might be going into labor... Please take me to the hospital." Everyone panicked instantly. They rushed me into the car and sped toward the hospital. By the time we arrived, the pain had become unbearable. At registration, the nurse asked for payment. Fighting through the contractions, I pulled several bank cards from my wallet and handed them over. A few minutes later, the nurse returned with an awkward expression. "Ms. Langley, your cards have all been declined." A chill took over my body. "That’s impossible." My voice trembled. "There should be millions in those accounts. How could there be no money?" Then Georgia’s words suddenly flashed through my mind. "Your spending has been restricted." A chill crawled down my spine. She’d transferred the money out of my accounts. I immediately grabbed my phone and called Ryan. The call connected after a few rings. "Ryan, I—" Before I could finish, Georgia’s impatient voice cut in from the other side. "Seriously, Ms. Langley? Are you done yet? It’s just a limit on your spending. Did you really rush off to complain to Mr. Newman that quickly?" She let out a mocking laugh. "As I said, Mr. Newman authorized it himself." I clenched my teeth against the pain and forced myself to stay calm. "I’m at the hospital right now. I need the funds. Unfreeze my accounts right now. If not, put my husband on. I need to talk to him this instant." Georgia’s tone was thick with self-satisfaction. "Mr. Newman is busy. He doesn’t have time to deal with your little drama, so he left everything to me. "Oh, and if you need money, that’s easy. File a request through the expense approval system like I told you before. Once I approve it, I’ll release the funds." She paused deliberately before adding, "By the way, you only have $1 left in your monthly limit, so don’t bother applying for anything over budget." As a sharp wave of pain tore through my stomach, my face went ashen, and finally, I snapped. Chapter 2 "I've said it already. I'm at the hospital and in labor! I have to settle the bill! This isn't even Ryan's card. I'm using my personal accounts! Return my funds this instant, or I'm filing a police report for theft!" The line went silent for several seconds, then Georgia hung up on me. A moment later, a text message came through. "Ms. Langley, didn't Mr. Newman give you all your money anyway? You can’t just throw your weight around because you’re Mrs. Newman and expect to scare me. I’ve already frozen every account under your name, and I’ve made it clear that nobody is allowed to lend you money either. Once you apologize to me and promise you’ll stop wasting Mr. Newman’s hard-earned money, I’ll consider restoring your accounts." The moment I finished reading the message, my blood pressure spiked so hard my vision went black. In the final seconds before I passed out, I placed a desperate call to our legal department. I gave them three direct orders: terminate Georgia on the spot, strip Ryan of his presidency, and demand he report to the hospital immediately. It was obvious that a mere secretary wouldn't exhibit such blatant disrespect toward the boss's wife without powerful protection. Still, I struggled to accept that the man who had loved me so profoundly could turn his back on me for a woman who had been at the company for only a month. My family owned a fortune worth billions, yet in my generation, I was the only heir. Rather than marrying into another powerful family and splitting my assets with outsiders, I chose a different path. I wanted a husband who would marry into my family instead, someone grounded and capable of helping me oversee the empire I was destined to lead. So I hid my identity and entered my own company as an ordinary employee. That was where I met Ryan Newman. Brilliant, poor, stubbornly hardworking, and impossibly gentle, he had just graduated from a prestigious university. I noticed him almost immediately. He arrived before everyone else every morning and left long after the office lights had gone dark. While other employees complained about overtime, Ryan would quietly stay behind to recheck an entire floor’s worth of financial reports by himself. A few times, when I worked late into the night, he’d timidly offer me coffee. Then he’d take my laptop from my hands and say softly, "It’s dangerous going home this late. I’ll take over the rest of the work. Please head home." Back then, every word from him made my heart race. However, the moment I truly fell in love with him came later. A female colleague had misappropriated my project and presented it as her own. When confronted, she brazenly accused me of plagiarism. The department's general manager immediately took her side, ordering my summary dismissal and threatening legal action for allegedly leaking confidential data. At the time, although Ryan was on the verge of a major promotion, he didn't hesitate. He slammed his hand against the conference table and stood directly in front of me. "Alexandria Langley would never do something like that. I can vouch for her personally! If this company insists on firing an innocent employee without even seeking the truth, then I no longer wish to be a part of it!" He tore off his ID badge, seized my hand, and led me out of the building. That was the exact moment I decided he was the man I wanted for the rest of my life. Making the first move, I wrapped my arms around him and confessed, "Ryan, I like you. Do you like me too? Will you marry me?" After we got married, I stepped away from the company so that I could focus on having our future heir. Ryan and my legal team took over management of the business together. To his credit, he ran Sterling & Co. Holdings exceptionally well. Then, a month and a half ago, he suddenly told me he wanted to recruit a group of underprivileged graduates from his alma mater. Chapter 3 I had agreed to it. Georgia was one of the students Ryan personally recruited. Less than ten days after joining the company, she was already promoted all the way to executive secretary. Before long, rumors around the office started reaching my ears. Someone from the secretary department quietly reported to me that Georgia often brought homemade lunches to Ryan’s office. The two of them would stay inside together for hours during lunch break, and nobody would see them come out. Ryan’s explanation at the time had been perfectly calm. "Georgia works incredibly hard, and she’s genuinely talented. I can’t suppress someone’s career growth just because she’s young and fresh out of college. "I transferred her to work beside me because of her ability. She typically works through her breaks to manage my paperwork, so she simply eats in the office. Our relationship is purely professional. But if this situation causes you any distress or jealousy, I will have her replaced at once." I wasn’t the kind of woman who interfered with company operations over gossip and speculation. Privately, I reviewed Georgia’s resume myself and sat in on several meetings she managed. She was undeniably skilled—maintaining her focus, organization, and poise even under significant duress. To be honest, I respected her drive. I went as far as paying off her student debt with my own funds, granting her a salary increase, and elevating her to the position of chief executive secretary. I even cautioned my staff against gossiping about a young professional attempting to establish herself. I thought I was investing in someone with a bright future ahead of her. Instead, I was feeding the greed taking root in her heart. At first, it was small things. She frequently used "retrieving documents" for Ryan as an excuse to enter our home, then secretly changed the passcode to our house to her own birthday. When I confronted her about it, she apologized with tears in her eyes. That same night, she disappeared with a drunk Ryan. Neither of them answered their phones. I spent an entire day searching for him and nearly called the police before Ryan finally contacted me and said he was already home. I rushed back immediately. The moment I walked inside, I saw Georgia wearing my pajamas while cooking breakfast for Ryan in my kitchen. The second she saw me, her eyes filled with tears. "I’m sorry, Mrs. Newman," she said softly. "I’m terrible with numbers, and I couldn’t remember your passcode. Mr. Newman was drunk, and I couldn’t get inside the house, so I had no choice but to take him to a hotel for the night. But don’t worry. Nothing happened between us." Anger surged straight to my head. I was just about to speak when Ryan’s face darkened. He pointed directly at the door. "Get out. If you can’t even remember a six-digit code and don’t know how to turn your phone back on, then maybe this job is too difficult for you. Don’t bother coming to work tomorrow." The second Georgia heard that, she burst into tears. "I’m sorry, Mr. Newman! I didn’t mean to! Please don’t fire me! My mother needs surgery, and we still need $200,000 for the operation! My family is counting on my salary! If I lose this job, we’re finished!" Ryan looked at her coldly. "Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to my wife. She’s pregnant, and you've made her upset and stressed. If Alexandria refuses to forgive you today, you can cry yourself to death, but you’re still leaving." The next second, Georgia dropped to her knees in front of me. Slap. Slap. She repeatedly hit herself across the face while sobbing. "I’m sorry, Mrs. Newman. I just didn’t want to wake you in the middle of the night and affect your health." Chapter 4 "It’s my fault for being tactless and saying the wrong thing! Hit me or yell at me if you want, but please don’t fire me!" Looking at her crying on the floor like that, I eventually let her go without saying another word. Back then, Ryan had wrapped his arms around me and clung to me affectionately. "Baby, why are you being so kind? I honestly wanted to fire her immediately for making you upset. "Well, since you forgave her, I’ll respect your decision. Don’t worry. I’ll pile extra work on her and make her work overtime as punishment." At the time, I thought it was sweet. I never doubted Ryan’s feelings for me. Unfortunately, Georgia kept pushing boundaries again and again. Now she could even control my bank accounts and cards without hesitation. There was no way she could’ve done all this without Ryan backing her behind the scenes. When I woke up, Ryan still hadn’t appeared. Instead, my lawyer, Bryson Stephenson, was sitting beside my hospital bed. His expression was cautious as he explained the situation to me, "Mr. Newman left town with his secretary for a business meeting. He said he won’t be back until tomorrow." He studied my face carefully before continuing, "I pulled their attendance and travel records from the past two weeks and discovered they’ve been taking frequent ‘business trips’ together... but the destinations were... unusual." He handed me a report. I looked down at the listed locations. Not a single one matched any city where Sterling & Co. Holdings had business partners. Every destination was a luxury vacation hotspot. "I also spoke to several employees," Bryson said quietly. "They mentioned Georgia often posts photos on social media from her trips with Mr. Newman. Would you like to see them?" He handed me his phone. The screen was filled with countless screenshots of Georgia’s posts. Every single one was carefully curated. One caption read: "Thank you for driving me home tonight, Mr. Newman. Just the two of us again." Another said: "I complained about working overtime being exhausting, and someone bought me the bag I’ve always dreamed of as a reward for my hard work." And one post simply read: "I casually mentioned wanting to take a holiday, and he whisked me abroad overnight. If this isn't love, what could it be?" Bryson went on, "Our investigation into Georgia’s university background showed that she had a long-term anonymous sponsor who paid for her education. "The benefactor was none other than Mr. Newman. Her former roommates also confirmed she used to brag about having a wealthy older benefactor. And according to them, she was referring to Mr. Newman." The weight of these revelations felt like a blade being twisted in my heart; Ryan’s betrayal had started years ago. "There’s one more thing," Bryson said softly, handing me another folder. "I think you need to see this." The moment I opened it, my legs nearly gave out beneath me. My fingers shook uncontrollably as I gripped the edge of the folder. Following a prolonged silence, I managed to release a trembling breath. "Take me home first," I whispered. "I need time to think." When I finally arrived home, I froze in shock. My house had been sealed off. The heirloom jewelry my parents had spent twenty years preparing as my wedding gift—pieces worth fortunes beyond imagination—were being carried out box by box, and locked inside large security vaults. I immediately rushed forward and grabbed one of the workers. "What are you doing?! Put my things down!" The men coldly shook me off and continued packing the jewelry away one piece at a time. Then one of them looked at me and said— Chapter 5 "From now on, Ms. Hawkins will manage all your jewelry, handbags, gowns, and luxury items. If you want access to anything, you’ll need to submit a 5,000-word application through the company expense approval system. You'll only be allowed to use your belongings after she approves and signs off on them." My entire body shook with rage. I immediately called Ryan. Once again, Georgia answered instead. She sounded cheerful, almost amused. "Only a single day has passed, and you already have the strength to start harassing Mr. Newman again? "I knew you were pretending to be sick for attention and money. And weren’t you claiming you were about to give birth? Your due date is next week. "Oh, that reminds me, Mrs. Newman. There is one detail I neglected to mention. Given that your due date falls next Wednesday, I will only approve the reimbursement of your medical costs if the birth occurs on that specific day. If the baby comes earlier or later, you’ll have to cover the hospital bills yourself." I swallowed the fury threatening to explode out of me. "Georgia, who gave you permission to touch my jewelry? Return my belongings immediately, or I’ll call the police and charge you with theft!" Georgia laughed dismissively. "Your belongings? Ms. Langley, have you forgotten who you are? You’re just an ordinary employee who got lucky enough to marry Mr. Newman. Without him, would you even be able to afford ten-million-dollar jewelry sets or couture gowns worth millions? "Honestly, considering how materialistic you are—you even use Mr. Newman’s money to buy coffee—I have every reason to suspect you’d secretly sell off the luxury items he bought for you. "As Mr. Newman’s secretary, it’s my responsibility to protect his assets. So from now on, unless I personally approve it, don’t even think about touching any of those things." "Georgia, don’t push this too far." I was grinding my teeth so hard my jaw hurt. "Too far?" she repeated lightly. "Oh, by the way, I heard your mother is staying at the private hospital Mr. Newman invested in, right?" She laughed cruelly. "Seriously. A broke woman dragging around a sickly mother like a parasite. "Your mother’s been sick for years. Who knows how much of Mr. Newman’s money she’s wasted by now? To stop any more unnecessary spending, I already had someone discharge her from the hospital." For a second, my entire mind went blank, then terror slammed into me like lightning. "Georgia, are you insane?! My mother can’t survive without her oxygen chamber! You’re going to kill her!" I hung up immediately and rushed straight to the hospital. That was when I discovered Georgia had actually taken over my mother’s VIP suite and given it to her own mother instead. Thankfully, several members of the hospital management were people I had personally promoted years ago. They transferred my mother into another room in time, saving her life. Looking at my mother’s pale face lying in the hospital bed, something inside me finally snapped. I turned to Bryson beside me and gave the order coldly, "Throw Mrs. Hawkins out onto the street. Every cent I spent paying off Georgia’s loans and covering her mother’s medical treatment over the years—recover all of it. "And one more thing. I’m suing Georgia for attempted murder." I gently tucked the blanket around my mother before standing up. By the time I turned around again, I had already regained my composure. "Take me to the office. If there are wolves hiding beside me, then I’ll deal with them myself." The moment I arrived at Sterling & Co. Holdings, every employee who recognized me froze in shock. Whispers immediately spread across the lobby. "Why is Mrs. Newman here at the office?" Chapter 6 "She probably found out about Mr. Newman and came here to make a scene..." "But she's just a housewife. How could she possibly go up against Mr. Newman? Honestly, she'd be better off pretending not to notice. At least, she'd still enjoy life as a rich wife..." I kept walking as though I hadn't heard a thing. Just as I was about to enter Ryan's office, someone blocked my path. It was a young woman I didn't recognize. She looked me up and down with open disdain. "This isn't a place people like you can just wander into. Get out." One of the nearby employees hurriedly tried to explain, "Jasmine, that's Mrs. Newman. Move aside quickly..." Nevertheless, the girl called Jasmine showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, she gave me another slow once-over before sneering. "So you're Mr. Newman's wife? No wonder he's sick of you. You're way too old. "This is an office, not some place where you can throw tantrums. If I were you, I'd go home before Mr. Newman gets here. Otherwise, if you anger him, he'll probably dump you." Her words sent a wave of whispers through the office. While a few employees watched with sympathy, many others seemed to be relishing the unfolding drama. I scoffed and gave a sharp nod to my bodyguards. They moved instantly, seizing Jasmine and pinning her where she stood. I stepped forward, raised my hand, and delivered a forceful slap across her face. "Who are you to block my way?" Jasmine stared at me in disbelief before letting out a shrill scream. "Who am I?! Do you even know who I am?! How dare you hit me! I'm Georgia's best friend! If she finds out you touched me, she won't let you off!" She burst into arrogant laughter. "You're just afraid Georgia's going to replace you as Mrs. Newman, aren't you, you old hag? "I am telling you, you would have been kicked out a long time ago if Georgia hadn't been so gracious as to allow Mr. Newman to keep you around! "You actually had the nerve to strike me? Just you wait until my bestie returns! She will make sure Mr. Newman divorces you instantly and tosses you out without a single cent!" A smile grew on my face. Then I lightly patted her swollen cheek. "In that case, you'd better call them right now and tell them to hurry over. I'm here to divorce Ryan today anyway. But I'm not the one leaving empty-handed." The moment I stepped into the office, I knew someone had already warned Ryan. The instant those words left my mouth, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. Ryan arrived with Georgia rushing beside him. The moment he saw me, his expression stiffened for a split second. Then he immediately grabbed my wrist and tried pulling me away. "Whatever this is, let's go home and talk about it." I violently shook off his hand. "We'll talk right here." Georgia hugged the red-faced Jasmine and suddenly burst into tears. "Mrs. Newman, I know you're angry because I restricted your spending, and that's why you came here to stir trouble at the office... "But you really are too extravagant! The company only makes a few million dollars in profit each year, yet a single necklace of yours alone costs over ten million! "And you constantly swipe money from Mr. Newman's accounts to buy things! Today it's just coffee, but what about next time? "If nobody stops you now, who's to say you won't eventually take tens of millions directly from the company accounts? What would happen to Sterling & Co. Holdings then? "I know you're angry at me, and if you want to hit me or yell at me, I deserve it… But you shouldn't take your anger out on innocent employees. "And you definitely shouldn't have taken revenge on my sick mother! How could you force someone to throw my mother out of the hospital?! Do you know she almost died?!" The moment those words came out, the employees who had still felt sympathy toward me instantly looked at me with disgust instead. Chapter 7 "My God... she's actually that horrible?" Ryan's expression darkened instantly. "Alexandria, have you caused enough trouble yet?! Georgia only restricted your spending for the good of the company! If you have a problem, take it out on me! Why are you making things difficult for her?! If you keep acting like this, I really can't stay married to you anymore." I let out a cold laugh and threw the printed screenshots of Georgia's social media posts at him. "So is it the company that's making you unable to stay married to me... "Or is it because you want your precious Georgia to replace me?" "What nonsense are you talking about?!" Ryan barked angrily, though the panic in his eyes gave him away. "Stop spreading rumors about her!" I pulled a pregnancy report from my bag and slammed it against his chest. "Georgia is pregnant. And the baby is yours. Are you still going to claim I'm making things up now?! "You even signed an agreement promising that if she gave birth safely, the child would receive five percent of the company's shares!" Ryan looked down at the pregnancy report in his hands, but there wasn't even a trace of guilt or embarrassment on his face. Instead, he sighed helplessly and looked at me as though I were the unreasonable one. "Since you already know, there's no point hiding it anymore. Yes, Georgia is carrying my child. But I'm not divorcing you. Once the baby is born, we can just bring the child home and raise it together. "And if that makes you uncomfortable, I'll arrange a separate place for Georgia and the baby to live. They won't get in your way. "As for the shares, it's only security for their future. Don't worry. Sterling & Co. Holdings will still belong to our child in the end." I laughed in sheer disbelief. "Ryan, who exactly gave you the authority to touch the company shares? I don't agree." Ryan's expression immediately turned cold. "Then let's get a divorce. Don't forget. We never signed a prenup. If this goes to court, half the company and half the marital assets belong to me. "You've been playing housewife for so long that you clearly haven't noticed I've already taken the reins of this company," Ryan sneered. "Your meager shares aren't nearly enough to oppose me anymore. "When the time comes, five percent will be the least of your worries. I intend to hand the entire company over to Georgia's child." I grinned. "You seem to have forgotten something. This was never a conventional marriage; you married into my family. My assets were never within your reach. "I allowed you to work for me for five years, yet you've managed to forget who actually owns this company." Then my voice turned ice-cold. "Ryan, we're getting divorced. And you're walking away with nothing." I looked directly at the stunned employees surrounding us. "Right now, as the controlling owner of Sterling & Co. Holdings, I am officially notifying you both right now—you are fired. "Security, remove these two from the premises immediately." The office fell into a heavy, absolute silence for a single heartbeat. Then, the room erupted into total pandemonium. "Wait... he married into her family?" "Seriously?!" "No wonder he became president so quickly..." "So the company actually belongs to Mrs. Newman?" Georgia's face visibly turned pale. Ryan's fists clenched so tightly the veins in his hands bulged. He stared at me through gritted teeth, his voice practically forced out between them. "Stop talking nonsense. When did I ever marry into your family? The law doesn't even recognize something like that." Then he suddenly raised his voice, almost like he was trying to convince himself as much as everyone else. Chapter 8 "After we got married, all our assets became marital property. So even if you take this to court, the outcome won't change." As he spoke, Ryan suddenly seemed to find his confidence again, like he'd finally grabbed onto a lifeline. He straightened his back and let out an icy laugh. "And besides, so what if the company originally belonged to you?" His gaze swept across the office, deliberately looking at every employee around us. His voice carried the confidence of someone convinced he controlled everything. "You've been away from the company for five or six years. During that time, who do you think has been at the helm? Who was the one steering the ship, making the hard calls, and ensuring everyone here stayed profitable? "I was. Every person in this room owes their promotion to me. Do you honestly believe that after all this time, you can just walk back in, say a few things, and expect them to suddenly follow your lead?" The air instantly turned tense. Then, quietly, someone agreed with him. "Mr. Newman does have a point..." "He really has been running the company all these years..." "She's basically just been a housewife..." The direction of the conversation began to shift. Georgia recovered quickly, too. The panic in her eyes disappeared in an instant, replaced once again by that delicate, innocent expression she wore so well. She stepped forward and gently tugged on Ryan's sleeve. "Mr. Newman, please don't be angry..." Then she turned toward me. Her eyes were slightly teary, but there was a subtle superiority hidden beneath her soft tone. "Mrs. Newman, I know you're upset. Having remained at home all these years without any involvement in corporate affairs, it's understandable that this is hard for you to accept..." She sighed softly, almost as if she were generously trying to understand me. "However, a corporation is not a playground. Emotional impulses have no place in business decisions." She paused briefly, a faint smile touching the corner of her lips. "Besides spending money recklessly... it doesn't really seem like you've done anything for Mr. Newman or this company." A few muffled laughs spread through the crowd. Although her tone grew even gentler, the underlying venom in her words sharpened. "My intentions are different. I have no desire to usurp your title as Mrs. Newman. My only goal is to alleviate Mr. Newman's burdens and ensure the company is managed with the competence it deserves. "So there's really no need for you to panic like this..." Her demeanor shifted abruptly as she addressed the security detail with cold authority. "This woman is clearly unstable and making a spectacle. Security, don't just stand there. Remove her at once to ensure our operations are no longer compromised." Several security guards exchanged hesitant looks, then slowly began walking toward me. At the same time, the attitudes around me completely changed. "Exactly. This is an office, not somewhere she can throw a tantrum..." "No matter what, she shouldn't disrupt everyone's work..." "Talking about firing Mr. Newman... she's lost her mind..." I scanned the room, meeting their eyes one by one. The expressions were identical: frigid, derisive, and calculated as they signaled their allegiance. I observed every individual with deliberate precision, etching each of their faces into my memory. Then, without warning, a smile touched my lips. Without looking at anyone else again, I pulled out my phone. Right in front of the entire office, I made a call. "You can come in now."