Revenge: Reclaiming my Billionaire Son-in-Law

Astra's POV

I lay on the bed in my dark lingerie, my head resting on my palm as I waited for my husband to arrive from his trip. It was a chilly night, and all I wanted was to be tucked in my cotton robes, snuggling in the sheets he left me in for four weeks now.

But I heard Lucien, my middle-aged husband, will be returning home today, and I had to present myself as a worthy wife for him. My heart palpitated in my chest, and I tried not to cry. 

My life was unraveling before my eyes, and all I had to do was stay calm. 

"You got this." I told myself. But I got nothing except my fading love for my husband. 

The last time Lucien left the house for weeks like this, all I got were reports of his cheating with numerous women in every city he went.

At the point, it's an open secret that everyone in the city knows. Lucien is a serial cheater, and I'm the loyal wife who remains married to him.

I tried to stay calm through it all, telling myself Lucien will return to his senses and come home to love me like he did the first time he came into my life. 

I was wrong. Lucien was even colder when he returned.

"Do you have my heir now? Or are you the same good-for-nothing who can't make a child?!" He lashed out at me during one of our arguments.

It broke me into a million pieces. 

The common notion was that I married Lucien for his money. Why will a 20-year-old marry a man old enough to be her father? They said. But they all forgot I had a thriving fashion business that I felt behind because of my love for Lucien. 

Lucien left no room for other men when he came into my life. He flooded my shop with gifts, love poems, and his charming presence. I was love-bombed, yes. But I also loved Lucien's calm, reserved personality. He wasn't an angry man then. In fact, he was a charmer. Despite his age, he had many ladies begging him for love. Yet, he chose me. 

I felt like Cinderella finally walking into my palace when I entered this home. The first year Lucien kissed and worshiped the floor I stepped on. In the second year, I met Cherry, his only daughter, and reality began to dawn on me. Cherry never liked me from the start. In fact, she took every chance to call me a gold digger, a street rat in heels, a nobody. I took all the insults with grace while Lucien did nothing to defend me against his arrogant daughter's insults.

This is the third year, and all Lucien does is leave the house on his numerous escapades, cheat on me, and then return home to scream at me for not making him any children.

I tried. I really tried. I wanted to carry Lucien's child. I wanted a Damaris heir, preferably a male one. But fate dealt me a painful blow.

Now, all I do is beg. Beg and beg for the love he once threw at me lavishly. Beg to be recognised, beg to be treated humanely in his house.

Right now, I'm no longer considered worthy to attend family vacations. My husband locks me in the house or tells staff to closely monitor my movements. I am like a prisoner here. Yet, I just want Lucien to love me back again!

Tears rolled down my face as I lay on the bed waiting for him. And then, a dark thought crossed my mind.

What if…?

Oh God…

What if he plans to divorce me?

My heart palpitated so fast I felt I might have a panic attack. I jolted out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to pour cold water on my face.

Snap out of it, Astra!

I slapped my face, holding back my tears. 

Lucien will never leave me. He won't!

Oh God. My life is over if I get a divorce. I didn't get a lawyer to give me a proper prenup because I was overwhelmed with my love for Lucien. 

If Lucien were to divorce me today, I'd be thrown back into the cold, dirty street with nothing! I can only get to have a fair share of his wealth if there is concrete evidence of infidelity or if I have a child for him: I have neither.

He knows this. 

Cherry knows this. 

That's why they both treat me like dirt. After all, I'm the fool who left my thriving business to marry the city's business morgue.

I remembered when I had nothing, walking through the cold streets, feeding on scraps. My parents just died, and I had nothing. Is that the life I'd return to if Lucien leaves me? Back in the dirt, with no food, no money, no clothes?

"Lucien won't leave me!" I chorused to myself. I'm just 24 and I'm having the mid-life crisis of a 46-year-old divorcee.

I chuckled and took a deep breath, steadying myself. Lucien will return home in good spirits. He will be all over me, seeing I'm in my breathtaking lingerie. We will talk things through, and we'll get through this together. 

He will love me again. 

It's going to be a good night. 

After all, I heard his soon-to-be son-in-law will be visiting us soon. It's no surprise Cherry managed to bag herself a billionaire as her fiancé. She is a pretty one, and from what I've heard about her fiancé, he is quite dashing. 

Despite Cherry being awful to me, I'm truly happy for her and look forward to the engagement. Maybe this might just bring Lucien and me back together. 

I returned to the bed, maintaining my seductive yet painful pose, waiting for Lucien to come back to me when…

Bang!

The door of my bedroom swung open, startling me. I clutched the silk sheets over my chest, watching Cherry casually stroll into my matrimonial bedroom holding a parcel.

"You could have just knock,"

"Shut up!" Cherry lashed. Then she scanned me like a cat that just caught a mouse, threw her head back, and cackled so loud I blushed with embarrassment.

"Look at you. So cute." Cherry said with a sinister smirk on her face. "Don't you have anyone to tell you you look fat in those? Gosh, no wonder my father can't stand you. You're so ugly and disgusting."

My gaze settled, and tears blurred my eyes. 

"Anyways, dad is downstairs waiting for you…"

"Lucien is back?!" My eyes lit up with glee. Cherry's gaze only settled on me with disgust. 

"My fiancé will be here in 30 minutes. I thought it would be a good idea to keep you locked up here so my fiancé won't have to endure your revolting presence, but Dad felt otherwise. After all, everyone knows Dad's still married to you, his gold-digging wife."

"Lucien wants me to meet your fiancé?" My eyes light up again.

There, finally, I got my sign. Lucien still loves me! Why will he ask me to meet his soon-to-be son-in-law if he doesn't? 

Oh, I'm so happy!

"Of course." Cherry spat dryly. She turned to leave and stopped at the door like she had just remembered something. She threw the parcel at me. "Oh, there you go." She said with her sinister smirk 

I quickly picked it up, seeing it was already torn open by Cherry.

"Dad asked me to hand you the divorce papers."

The parcel fell out of my hands, and a chilly shiver coursed through my skin. 

Cherry threw her head back again and cackled so loudly I felt my ears would burst from that harsh sound. "He grew the balls to get rid of you, finally!" Cherry squealed with delight, walked to the door, and her body rested on the frame. "Oh, and Dad wants you in a silver dress for tonight. Be his nice little trophy while it still lasts, okay?" She blew a mocking kiss and finally left 

I sat there, frozen, tears rolling down my face.

It has happened.

My worst fears come true.