CHAPTER 3 - BEYOND THE GATES OF POWER

Right in front of Dustin’s sprawling mansion, the private plane landed smoothly on the estate’s private airstrip.

As the aircraft door opened, Rihanna stepped out first, the wind from the propellers sweeping her hair across her face. With both hands, she tucked the strands behind her ears, then turned back with a gentle smile.

Carefully, she positioned herself behind her husband’s wheelchair and began pushing it down the ramp with grace and quiet strength. Dustin remained silent, his face calm, jawline defined, and expression unreadable, but his hand briefly brushed her arm, his way of acknowledging her presence.

Waiting at the base of the steps was Mr. Stuart, Dustin’s loyal butler for more than a decade. The older man, dressed in a crisp black suit, straightened up the moment he saw them and gave a sharp salute.

“Welcome home, Master,” he greeted firmly, his voice filled with both respect and emotion.

Then he turned to Rihanna with a more delicate tone, bowed slightly, and added, “Welcome home, Señorita.”

Dustin turned his head in her direction, his lips curving into the faintest smile.

“Wife, this is Mr. Stuart,” he said, his voice warm but authoritative. “Whatever you need in this house, don’t hesitate to go to him.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Stuart,” Rihanna replied sincerely, offering a respectful nod. She smiled at the man, who looked to be in his mid-fifties, with graying hair and eyes that spoke of years of loyal service.

Suddenly, the heat of the late morning sun touched their skin. Mr. Stuart, ever alert, clapped twice—crisp and commanding—his eyes shifting to the neatly lined-up maids by the front entrance.

Two of them instantly responded, running over with large black umbrellas. They positioned themselves beside Dustin and Rihanna, shielding them from the sunlight. Everything was executed with practiced precision, a testament to the household’s discipline and Mr. Stuart’s leadership.

The staff had been briefed earlier. Their master was finally coming home with a new wife.

They knew the story well. It had been five long years since Dustin’s divorce. The once-passionate marriage had crumbled the moment his ex-wife discovered that he was now blind and paralyzed. Unable to accept the changes, his wife filed for divorce and left him without looking back.

“Master, I just want to inform you that the señora is inside the mansion with your brother, Thomas,” Mr. Stuart said as they entered the house.

Dustin frowned and looked at him. “What do they want? They haven’t come to my house in years.”

Ever since his accident, his family had vanished too. They were ashamed of him, and worse, they fought over who should take control of the businesses he had built from the ground up. Now that he had a wife, he was certain why they had suddenly decided to show up.

“I’m not sure, Master,” Mr. Stuart replied, “but I think it’s because of your marriage.”

A faint smile played on Dustin’s lips. So, he was right.

They were afraid that they’d lose their inheritance. Because now, with a wife, everything he owned would legally fall into her hands if something ever happened to him. Lately, someone had been trying to end his life. He just didn’t know if it was a rival… or someone from his own family. Sometimes, he couldn't help but suspect that one of his blood relatives might be behind it. After all, they were all just waiting for him to die so they could finally take what he worked so hard for all these years.

“Wife,” he called softly to the woman silently pushing his wheelchair.

“Yes, Mi Tesoro?”

He froze.

That endearment caught him off guard, and instead of the question he meant to ask, something else came out of his mouth.

“Why Mi Tesoro?”

Rihanna smiled. “Mi Tesoro in Italian means ‘My Treasure.’ You’re my treasure,” she giggled, “It would sound weird if I called you in your name. We’re in your place, people might think we’re not in love.”

A secret smile formed on Dustin’s face.

Just a week in Velmar Isle, and she was already full of antics. Maybe she picked it up from their maid back there. He chuckled inwardly and then asked her the question he originally intended.

“Are you ready to face them?”

Rihanna stopped pushing his wheelchair and gently knelt to meet his eyes. She took his hand and laced their fingers together.

In just a week of staying in Velmar Isle, the two of them had grown closer. Rihanna had become more attentive and caring, playing the role of his wife with genuine warmth.

“You mean your family?” Rihanna smiled softly. “Of course, Mi Tesoro. I’m prepared to deal with them. As long as you’re by my side, I’ve got nothing to fear.”

He had already told her everything about his family, so she knew exactly what to expect if they ever tried to make things difficult for her. 

But even before they made it past the mansion lobby, they were met by his family head-on.

“My son! We missed you,” Senyora Madeline greeted as she hugged Dustin tightly. “Why didn’t you tell us you got married? You didn’t even invite us.”

She was in her mid-fifties but didn’t look it, thanks to her meticulous upkeep. Drenched in jewelry like she owned a gold mine, her wealth was as loud as her presence.

After hugging Dustin, her smile faded the moment she turned to Rihanna. Her eyes scanned her from head to toe before she arched one perfectly drawn brow.

“So, you’re the slut who captivate my son, huh? Are you sure it’s not just his money you’re after? He’s already thirty. And you—you look way too young.”

Rihanna smiled sweetly at the old woman.

“Thank you, Mommy. But actually, I’m already twenty-five,” she replied politely. “I only look eighteen because, well… I was born with beauty. Don’t worry—I married your son because I love him.”

It was clear that the señora was trying to suppress her anger after Rihanna’s bold reply. 

Dustin, however, secretly smiled. He was enjoying his wife's fierce attitude, especially when she deliberately called his stepmother Mommy, just to provoke her more.

“I heard you worked at Twilight X-Club, that’s where my son picked you up, isn’t it? Let me be honest: I don’t want a whore like you for my son. I know you’re just taking advantage of Dustin’s weakness to trap him into marriage. But don’t get your hopes up. Tomorrow, I’ll start the annulment process myself.”

“Mommy,” Rihanna said calmly, “if I were truly a whore, do you think I’d waste my time taking care of your son, someone you clearly never took care of yourself? I would’ve stayed at Twilight X-Club, just lying down and spreading my legs. Not only would I be enjoying myself, but I’d be making money too.”

Dustin’s brows furrowed upon hearing her wife’s words.

Why… why didn’t that sit well with him? He hated the idea that she’d even consider lying with other men if she had refused to marry him back then. Still, he remained silent and continued listening.

“As for the annulment, only Dustin and I have the right to make that decision. You weren’t even present at our wedding. Do you even know where we got married?”

“Damn it! You see now, Dustin? Look at what kind of woman your wife is! She has no respect for me! Of course, she’s a whore!”

“Enough!” Dustin shouted, finally standing his ground. “Why are you even here? Do you need money again?”

“Son, no... That’s not why I came,” Senyora Madeline tried to explain. “There’s an emergency board meeting at Crawford Empire—”

“I don’t care about Crawford Empire,” Dustin cut her off sharply. “Didn’t your precious son Thomas take over as CEO after my accident?”

“Brother,” Thomas stepped in. “A lot of our investors pulled out… They all moved to DC Bank Corporation. No one knows who owns it, and I still can’t get an appointment with their representative. How can we compete? They now own eighty percent of the world’s banking industry.”

“That’s your fault for mismanaging the company. You gamble every day, even using company funds. Leave! Now!”

“Brother, please. We need your help. It would be a disgrace to the family if people found out Crawford Empire is sinking. We only have ten banks left. The rest were absorbed by DC Bank because we couldn’t pay our debts.”

Dustin let out a slow breath before responding.

“I’ll help Crawford Empire… on one condition. Step down. Hand over the CEO position to my wife.”

Everyone froze in shock, even Rihanna hadn’t expected that.

Dustin’s mother’s face twisted with disbelief.