Chapter 2: The Truth Behind the Marriage
Three days later, the world knew.
The headlines appeared everywhere.
"Cross Empire Taken Over by Hidden Heiress Isabella Montrose."
"Billionaire CEO Discovers Wife Was Secret Owner."
"Woman Humiliated at Mansion Revealed as Family Behind Fortune."
Damian watched the news alone inside a small apartment.
Not the mansion.
Not the penthouse.
Not the luxury home where he once believed he was untouchable.
That property was gone.
The cars were gone.
The private accounts were frozen.
The lifestyle disappeared overnight.
And Vanessa...
Vanessa disappeared even faster.
She stopped answering his calls.
She refused to visit him.
The woman who promised she loved him when he had billions suddenly had nothing to say.
Damian finally understood.
She never loved him.
She loved his name.
His money.
His power.
The same things he used to judge Isabella.
Meanwhile, Isabella stood inside Montrose Global Headquarters.
Her father’s portrait hung on the wall.
The empire she had hidden from the world was finally hers again.
Her assistant placed a file on the desk.
"Ms. Montrose, there is one more matter."
Isabella opened it.
Inside were documents.
Old documents.
Marriage agreements.
Financial transfers.
Evidence.
Her expression changed.
"What is this?"
The assistant hesitated.
"Your husband was never just careless."
"He was planning."
Isabella slowly turned the pages.
Damian had secretly transferred company funds.
Created hidden accounts.
Used her family resources to expand his personal wealth.
He wasn't only arrogant.
He was stealing.
For years.
She closed the folder.
A strange sadness passed through her eyes.
Not because of the money.
She had more than enough.
It was because she finally accepted the truth.
She hadn't lost a husband.
She had escaped a stranger.
That evening, Damian appeared outside her office.
Security stopped him.
But Isabella allowed him inside.
He entered quietly.
For the first time...
He looked small.
"I need to talk to you."
Isabella remained seated.
"You already said everything I needed to hear."
He lowered his eyes.
"I was angry."
"You humiliated me."
"No."
Her voice was calm.
"You humiliated yourself."
Damian swallowed.
"I made a mistake."
Isabella looked at him.
"A mistake is forgetting an anniversary."
"A mistake is saying the wrong thing."
She stood.
"What you did was a choice."
Silence filled the room.
Damian's voice became desperate.
"Can we fix this?"
Isabella almost smiled.
"Fix what?"
"Our marriage?"
"The marriage ended the moment you believed I was beneath you."
He looked broken.
"You really never loved me?"
Isabella looked toward the window.
May you like
"I loved the man I thought you were."
"That man never existed."
