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My Husband Chose His Secretary, So I Married His Billionaire Rival
NovelShort
Hoàn thành
At the banquet for our fifth wedding anniversary, the intern coughed so hard her whole body trembled. My husband, Nathan Floyd, the CEO of Imperial Star Group, casually draped his jacket over her shou...
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第1章
At the banquet for our fifth wedding anniversary, the intern coughed so hard her whole body trembled.
My husband, Nathan Floyd, the CEO of Imperial Star Group, casually draped his jacket over her shoulders, and Vivian Fox picked up the sleeve and covered her mouth with it.
On the spot, I yanked the jacket back and threw it into the trash can, and asked for a divorce.
Nathan's brows knit tightly.
"Just because of a piece of clothing, you're going to embarrass Vivian?"
"She used your clothes to cover her mouth!"
Nathan snorted.
"It's just covering her mouth for a second. If you're going to make a scene like this, then don't celebrate anniversaries anymore."
As he spoke, he grabbed Vivian and strode away.
I turned around and made a phone call.
"Ethan Walker, I'm getting divorced right now. Does the promise you made back then still count?"
1.
The heat in the private room made people feel stifled. My husband's secretary, Vivian Fox, covered her mouth and coughed so hard her whole body trembled.
Nathan casually took off his jacket and draped it over her.
Vivian naturally pulled the clothes closer, grabbed the hanging sleeve and covered it over her mouth, then coughed hard a few more times.
After coughing, she said with feigned surprise, "Mr. Floyd, I'm sorry—this is Ms. Harding's wedding anniversary gift to you. How did I get it dirty?"
She added shyly, "But this fabric really is comfortable. Even covering my mouth with it, you can feel how soft and gentle it is. Wearing it should be light and warm, right?"
Nathan went along with it and gathered her long hair that had fallen down, his tone indulgent. "It's no big deal. Later I'll have her order you two pieces of women's clothing."
"If you've caught a cold, you need to rest more. I'll give you tomorrow off."
Vivian gave a shy smile. When she looked at me, there was an extra trace of provocation in her eyes that was hard to detect.
"Then I'll have to trouble Ms. Harding. Mr. Floyd is capable and also gentle and considerate—Ms. Harding, you're really blessed."
Nathan lifted a cheerful smile, turned his head, and reminded her to take her medicine.
Watching the two of them talk in low voices, their heads getting closer and closer, my heart completely cooled down.
From him putting the jacket on Vivian, to her picking it up to cover her mouth, it was only a short dozen seconds, yet it was like a dull knife scraping at my nerves again and again.
I thought of how when I had a cold and sneezed once, he immediately covered his mouth and nose in disgust and scolded me. "Don't you know colds are contagious? You don't even know to avoid people."
After that, using fear of infection as the reason, he moved to the study for a week.
It was only after I repeatedly promised that I would pay attention in the future that he unwillingly returned to the master bedroom, and he never once thought of letting me rest at home for a day.
So it turned out he wasn't afraid of infection, and it wasn't that he didn't know how to care about people—it was just that that person wasn't me.
I slowly stood up, walked to Nathan's side, yanked the jacket over, crumpled it, and threw it into the trash can.
Under his astonished gaze, I said the words I had thought about for a long time.
"Let's get a divorce."
Nathan's brows furrowed, and anger slowly rose in his eyes.
"What are you making a scene about now? Just because of a piece of clothing, you're going to embarrass Vivian?"
I curled the corner of my lips, with a trace of self-mocking bitterness.
"It's a jacket, and it's half a bite of dessert, and it's the same cup of water. It's the indulgence in your eyes when you look at her that you've never had for me. What relationship does she have with you? Why can she be so intimate with you?"
I watched his expression slowly sink, and said word by word. "Nathan, I can endure you socializing until late at night. I can endure you going in and out with her. But I can't endure you generously giving other people what I've never had."
Nathan stiffened for a moment, then got angry and shoved me away.
"Enough. You're the one being jealous and petty, shamelessly chasing after a man—don't splash dirty water on Vivian."
I staggered, and as I braced myself on the table, my body knocked over the tablecloth.
第2章
All the dishes crashed onto me with a clatter. Soup dripped down my dress as I stood against the wall, a complete mess.
Nathan only helped Vivian up. His gaze cut toward me, ice-cold.
"Smear Vivian's reputation again, and forget about any future anniversaries. When that time comes, apologies won't save you."
He took Vivian's hand and strode out.
The private room erupted. Vivian's lackeys started in immediately.
"You still dare to give Mr. Floyd attitude—did you forget how you shamelessly chased after him back then?"
"Better go after him. Otherwise, today's anniversary? He's spending it with Vivian."
A few friends tried to reason with me quietly.
"Alex, don't let pride ruin everything. The Harding–Floyd deal just closed. If he backs out, your father..."
My chest tightened.
If Nathan wanted, he really could force me to kneel and beg Vivian for forgiveness. It wouldn't be the first time.
But this time, I was done swallowing my pride. I wanted to live for myself, just once.
I grabbed the hard liquor from the table, tilted my head back, and drained it. The burn clawed down my throat and into my stomach. My eyes stung.
So this is what they mean when they say alcohol hurts. Just like life.
When I got home, Nathan wasn't there. Vivian had posted on social media—he was with her at the hospital.
His arm was around her shoulders, letting her lean into his chest. His other hand held the IV tube, warming it in his palm.
Vivian curled against him, voice soft and pitiful.
"Mr. Floyd, I made Ms. Harding misunderstand you today. It's all my fault. Hurry home and keep her company, okay? Otherwise she'll make a scene again."
Disgust flickered across Nathan's face.
"Doesn't she just want to chain me to her side? She wants my money, she wants me, and she wants my heart too. Greedy and pathetic."
He took Vivian's hand, voice turning tender. "I only want to be with the person I care about. She can't control that."
Through the screen, I watched Vivian's face flush with shyness. She lifted her chin, straightening slightly. Nathan seized her red lips, and the two of them kissed, deep and lingering.
I turned off my phone. Tears slid past the corners of my eyes.
Nathan and I were never really in love. It was always one-sided—my side.
I'd never dated anyone. Never been cherished.
It started at a banquet when my father slapped me across the face, berating me for "making things difficult" for my stepmother.
Nathan stepped forward. He pulled up the surveillance footage and proved my stepmother had poured the wine on herself. Then he gently pressed an ice pack to my cheek and coaxed me with a small piece of dessert until I smiled again.
I fell for him right there.
That impulse hit—the kind where you want to spend your whole life with someone.
From that day on, my eyes followed Nathan everywhere. I begged my father to take me to every banquet where Nathan might appear. I studied what he liked, memorized his preferences.
On every holiday, I gave gifts tailored to his tastes. I became the companion who came whenever he called, free of charge.
High society has sharp eyes. Everyone saw the love blazing in mine, and they whispered about how shameless I was.
Nathan just listened indifferently, still weaving through crowds, as if none of the gossip had anything to do with him.
Until the car accident.
I threw myself in front of him without thinking. I was unconscious for three months.
When I woke up, he was different. He stewed chicken soup for me himself. He took me to Antarctica to watch the stars. Like real lovers, we watched movies, held hands, wandered the streets at midnight.
He even invested in my father's company, letting him buy into projects worth billions.
One night, as he drove me home, I finally worked up the courage.
"Nathan, I like you."
That day, he pulled me into a jewelry store and picked out the biggest diamond.
第3章
"Dummy, the guy's supposed to confess. You can't let the girl make the first move."
That day, he knelt on one knee and spoke like he meant it.
"Alex Harding, marry me."
I cried tears of joy. Three years of secret longing, finally answered. I thought he was the person I'd spend my whole life with.
Until Vivian Fox appeared.
Only then did I realize—loving someone can make you lower your standards without limit.
Vivian could carelessly destroy his favorite houseplants. She could eat snacks in his office and let crumbs scatter across the carpet.
Nathan would just frown. "What a naughty little thing."
Then he'd remind her, all indulgent, to stop watching trashy videos. He'd even put a face mask on her himself, clumsy but gentle.
Unlike me—I restrained every word, every gesture, terrified of making him uncomfortable. Terrified he'd find me disgusting.
Vivian's boundary-crossing only got worse.
Until one negotiation, Nathan bypassed me entirely and brought her instead.
When I rushed over, he was having her sign the contract—for a deal I had already closed.
I snatched the paperwork and demanded an explanation. He was angrier than I was.
"Why are you so petty? You won't even let a newcomer have one deal?"
"Nathan, she's a liberal-arts secretary. Does she know after-sales? This is a multi-billion-dollar contract. If something goes wrong, who takes the fall?"
He said one cold sentence—"I will"—and held Vivian's hand as she signed.
We didn't speak for weeks. For the first time, I wavered on this love I'd chased so long.
Then the contract fell apart. The client threatened to break it and sue for damages.
Nathan said, "Wife, help me. I really can't do this without you."
Just like that, all my doubt hardened back into certainty. I salvaged the deal, spent three months on after-sales, and kept the relationship intact.
And so the cycle began again.
Vivian added mango juice to my milk. I was hospitalized from the allergic reaction. Nathan spent the whole time comforting her—then made me reassure her it wasn't her fault.
I was two weeks pregnant. Vivian deliberately poured cleaning solution at my office doorway. I slipped. I fell.
I lost the baby.
The moment I reached for my phone to call the police, Nathan grabbed my wrist.
"Vivian's still young. You can't ruin her future over this."
"Alex, she's just immature. She made a bet with coworkers about your balance. She didn't mean it. We can have more kids."
I was furious. I screamed. I cursed. For the first time, I said the word divorce.
Nathan called my father and stepmother.
My stepmother looked me over and sneered. "A little girl played a joke on you and you throw a tantrum? You really think you're royalty? That everyone has to cater to you?"
Dad delivered the verdict. "Don't even think about divorce. The Harding family can't afford that embarrassment."
"Keep making trouble, and I'll have your mother's ashes removed from the family cemetery. Dumped in some unmarked hillside. That's what she gets for raising a jealous thing who fights over men."
I just lay there on the hospital bed, listening to them take turns cursing and threatening me.
Finally, Nathan spoke. "Alex, I've never once thought about divorcing you. From now on, I won't let Vivian pull anything again."
That day, right in front of me, he called her. He scolded her, voice sharp with anger.
Through my tears, I forgave him.
But today, that last thread of faith snapped completely.
"Nathan Floyd, I don't want you anymore."
When Nathan came home, it was already late. Vivian came with him.
She looked at me like a startled deer, all timid and fragile.
"Ms. Harding, the doctor said my tonsillitis is really severe. I might spike a fever. Mr. Floyd didn't feel right leaving me alone, so he brought me back with him."
第4章
As she spoke, her voice pitched with worry.
"Alex, please don't be mad at Mr. Floyd. If you don't want me here, I'll leave right now."
She made a show of turning toward the door.
Before I could respond, Nathan yanked her back into his arms, then fixed me with a look of pure disgust.
"Alex, don't go stirring up drama when you've got nothing better to do. Vivian is my employee—taking care of her reflects the company's values."
"If you can't tolerate her, move out. This villa is mine. You're just a guest here."
I stared at him, stunned. Every word was an ice pick to the chest.
The home I'd poured my heart into, the place I thought was my safe harbor—I was nothing but a guest in it.
My eyes burned, and I finally understood how pathetic I'd been.
I took a deep breath and steadied myself.
"If Ms. Fox wants to stay, she can stay."
I turned to head back to the bedroom.
Nathan's voice cut through behind me.
"Pack your things and move to the guest room. Vivian's alone—if she gets a fever tonight, I need to be close."
I looked at him for a long moment. Aren't you afraid of catching it? The question died on my tongue.
I just said, "Mm," grabbed a blanket, and walked to the guest room.
I packed our wedding photo and all my toiletries into a suitcase.
Old things. A newcomer would find them an eyesore anyway—no point making myself unwelcome.
An hour later, the master bedroom was spotless. I'd even vacuumed twice. Not a trace of me remained.
The moment I straightened up, I made a call.
"Ethan, come pick me up."
When I dragged my luggage downstairs, Nathan's expression shifted.
"What scene are you making now? If you walk out that door, don't bother coming back."
I checked the time. Ethan would still be a while, and I had no desire to get into it with him.
"I'm just putting my luggage in the guest room. So Secretary Fox won't feel uncomfortable seeing it."
I pulled my suitcase toward the hallway.
Behind me, Nathan went rigid. He hadn't expected me to comply so easily. For a moment, he just stood there.
Vivian's voice floated over, perfectly timed.
"Mr. Floyd, Ms. Harding is upset. Maybe I should leave after all? I'll just suffer through the night alone—as long as you two don't fight because of me."
Nathan seemed to be convincing himself.
"She gets mad all the time. Give it a couple days, she'll get over it. What's she gonna do?"
Then, as if to prove a point, he ordered me, his face dark.
"Vivian's weak. Go make her something light and nutritious—porridge with sea cucumber."
They both turned to stare at me.
I wasn't going to engage. But I also wasn't going to waste more words. I turned and went to the kitchen.
I rinsed the sea cucumber and washed the rice, tuning out their laughter in the living room.
Nathan's hand slipped under the hem of Vivian's shirt. She squirmed against him, all coy and breathless.
I set the porridge and side dishes in front of them without a word, then turned to leave.
Vivian's voice stopped me.
"Alex, wash my bra for me? I have a cold—I shouldn't touch cold water."
My nails dug into my palms. I fought the urge to slap her.
The next second, Nathan grabbed that disgusting scrap of underwear, raised his hand, and flung it into my face.
"I tell you to wash it and you make that face? Think you're some kind of princess? You're nothing but a bedwarmer the Hardings sold to me."
第5章
It was like ice water dumped over my head. All the blood in my body froze.
Twenty years of humiliation, twenty years of endurance—it all ignited into grief and fury. I grabbed the hot porridge from the table and hurled it at them.
My eyes burned. My voice shook with rage.
"Nathan Floyd, why don't you both go to hell."
Vivian clutched her face and let out a piercing scream. "It's so hot! Mr. Floyd, it hurts—am I going to be disfigured?"
The air froze. Nathan kicked my thigh, and I crashed to the floor. Shattered porcelain sliced into my palm, my arm—
He turned away, pulled Vivian into his arms, cradling her face as he blew gently on her skin. "Vivian, it's okay. I'll get you the best cosmetic specialists. Nothing will happen to you, I promise."
I watched her burrow into his chest, sobbing softly. Slowly, I pushed myself off the floor, held out the divorce papers with my blood-covered hand, and said flatly, "Nathan Floyd, you really are something."
"Let's get a divorce."
I grabbed my suitcase and strode out of the villa.
His roar chased me to the door. "Alex Harding, you assault Vivian and then dare to bring up divorce? Fine—if you've got the guts, don't ever come back. Let's see who else would protect you for a lifetime like I did."
When I stepped outside, Ethan's car had just pulled up.
The moment he saw the food stains and blood covering me, pain flashed through his eyes. "Alex, what happened? Did that bastard Nathan hurt you?"
He moved toward the villa, ready to demand answers. I caught his arm. "Ethan, let's go. Consider it payback for his help."
I pulled out my phone, deleted Nathan's number, and blocked him on WeChat and QQ.
The suffocating weight in my chest finally lifted.
Ethan took me straight to the Suburban Villa. He prepared clean clothes, called a doctor to treat my wounds.
The porcelain shards came out one by one. Blood streamed down my arm.
I clenched my teeth and stayed silent.
Ethan held me, his voice raw with guilt. "I'm sorry, Alex. It's my fault. Back then, I was too powerless to stop any of it."
Ethan Walker. Executive CEO of the Walker Group, a billion-dollar empire.
We'd been kindred spirits once—him, the oppressed illegitimate son; me, the eldest legitimate daughter abused by her stepmother.
We used to hold each other and wipe away each other's tears, encouraging, comforting.
If Nathan hadn't offered me warmth back then, if I hadn't believed he'd give me a stable home, maybe I would have ended up with Ethan instead.
But I'd thought what we had was just sibling affection.
And Ethan had two legitimate older brothers above him. He couldn't even protect himself.
Until my wedding day. He burst into my room, eyes red, and stared at me for a long moment.
"Alex, if he ever treats you badly—come find me. I'll protect you, even if it costs my life."
That was when I finally understood. Ethan loved me. He just hadn't dared to drag me down with him.
After I got married, Ethan launched his counterattack.
His eldest brother was locked up for smuggling. His second brother was exiled abroad after a scandal involving another man.
Suddenly, Ethan was the Walker family's only untainted heir.
He started from the bottom. Year one: three consecutive stock-price surges. Year two: vice president. Year four: the old man had a stroke—and Ethan became the sole president, holding all power alone.
Outsiders whispered about schemes, marveled at his iron-blooded methods in eliminating his father and brothers one by one.
Ethan just smiled calmly and paid them no attention at all.
第6章
I pulled back my bandaged hand and smiled faintly. "Ethan, how could I blame you? I was the one who trusted the wrong person."
His jaw tightened. "I've known about Nathan's bullshit for years. The way he lets Vivian walk all over you while he stands by and watches. I wanted to come find you so many times, but I was afraid you'd—"
He didn't finish. We both knew what he couldn't say. That I'd be too lovesick to listen. That I'd choose to stay strung up on a dead tree rather than walk away.
That kind of blow—he wouldn't have survived it.
Instead of finishing, he gripped my shoulders and pulled me into his arms. "Alex, from now on, I won't let anyone hurt you again. Just give me one chance. Okay?"
I closed my eyes and leaned into him, humming softly in agreement.
Maybe we were two of a kind—both broken, both forged in the same fire. I shouldn't stake my future on any man. I needed to become strong enough on my own. Strong enough to make Nathan Floyd pay for that kick.
At the hospital, Nathan held Vivian and stroked her hair, but his mind was elsewhere. That blood-soaked divorce agreement. Alex's eyes—flat and lifeless, like she was looking straight through him.
Vivian didn't notice. She was still fanning her own flames. "Mr. Floyd, she's out of control. She actually hit me right in front of you. Who knows what she'll do behind your back. And using divorce threats to manipulate you? That's textbook playing hard to get."
Nathan shoved her away, suddenly irritated. For the first time, her voice grated on his nerves.
He strode toward the elevator. "Something came up at the office. Head home without me."
Vivian stood frozen, staring at his retreating back. What the hell? Normally when she complained about Alex, he'd coo and promise to put her in her place.
Just before the doors closed, she screamed after him. "Don't fall for it! If you go soft now, she'll walk all over you. She'll take the whole company!"
Nathan stared at his phone. His thumb hovered over my number. He pressed call.
"The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable..."
His chest tightened. The restlessness clawed at him like a caged animal.
He dialed his father-in-law.
Gerald sounded confused. "Nathan? Alex isn't here."
Then his voice soured. "What did that damn girl do now? Don't worry—when she crawls back, I'll beat some sense into her. Spoiled rotten, that one. She just needs a firm hand."
Nathan barely heard him. His mind had already drifted—back to when she was eighteen.
Thin. Pale. Standing there with her chin raised after getting slapped across the face, refusing to crumble.
His chest seized.
When he'd first seen her like that, he'd wanted to protect her. That instinct had exploded back then, sudden and overwhelming.
He'd hesitated about marrying her. Of course he had.
But then she'd thrown herself in front of that car without a second thought—shoved him out of the way and taken the hit herself.
High society ran on calculations. Everyone weighed their own benefit first. But this stupid girl had nearly died for him without blinking.
That day, he'd sworn he would protect her. He'd make her the happiest woman alive.
And what had he done instead?
He thought of the kick he'd thrown today.
Nathan slapped himself across the face.