All Chapters of The Wife He Discarded: From Doormat to Dynasty: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Elena Sterling stood frozen in the doorway of her husband's study, the divorce papers trembling in her hands. The words blurred together, but three phrases stood out like knives to her heart: mental instability, unfit mother, and full custody."Mommy's being weird again," she heard ten-year-old James say from the dining room."I wish Veronica was our real mom," eight-year-old Sophia replied. "She's way cooler. She lets us stay up late and eat ice cream for breakfast."She pressed her back against the wall, trying to breathe. After twelve years of marriage, after building Mark's company from nothing, after sacrificing everything for this family, he was planning to throw her away like garbage.And her own children were cheering."Elena!" Mark's voice boomed from downstairs. "Where's my blue tie? The Armani one?"She quickly shoved the papers back into his desk drawer and hurried downstairs, her heart pounding. Mark stood in the kitchen, looking perfect as always in his expensive suit. H

Elena sat in her car outside Mark's office building, her hands shaking as she stared at her phone. The photos of the divorce papers were still there, still real, still devastating. But now, in the harsh light of day, she could see them more clearly.And she could see the holes in Mark's perfect plan.The financial documents showed money transfers, but they also showed dates. Account numbers. Digital trails. Mark thought he was being clever, but Elena had spent five years handling the financial side of his early business. She knew how to read between the lines.More importantly, she knew where he kept his real records.Elena drove to the storage unit across town , the one Mark thought she'd forgotten about. He'd rented it when they first got married, back when they were storing old business equipment and early prototypes. Mark probably assumed she didn't even remember it existed.But Elena remembered everything.She still had the key on her old keychain, buried in the bottom of her pur

Elena sat at the kitchen table at 2 AM, a cup of coffee growing cold in front of her. The house was silent except for the clock ticking in the hallway, the one she'd bought Mark for their fifth anniversary, back when she still believed their marriage would last forever.The charity gala had ended three hours ago, but Elena couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Veronica's engagement ring glittering under the ballroom lights. She heard Mark's voice introducing his mistress like she belonged there while treating Elena like an embarrassing relative he couldn't get rid of.She heard her own voice finally fighting back.The front door opened quietly, and Mark stepped inside, loosening his bow tie. He moved carefully, like he was trying not to wake anyone. When he saw Elena in the kitchen, he froze."You're still awake," he said."So are you. Long night?""I had to do damage control. Thanks to your little performance, half the business community thinks I'm some kind of frau

Three weeks into her new life, Elena had developed a routine. Clean offices from 8 PM to midnight, sleep in her car until 6 AM, then spend the day at the public library using their internet and bathrooms. She'd found a gym with a cheap membership where she could shower. It wasn't much of a life, but it was hers.The hardest part was not being able to see Sophia and James. Mark had changed the locks and told the school Elena was "going through a difficult time" and shouldn't be allowed to pick up the children. Her own kids probably thought she'd abandoned them.But Elena kept going. Every night, she cleaned those offices and told herself this was temporary. She was gathering strength, gathering evidence, gathering the courage to fight back properly.And every night, she ended up in Arthur Knight's office.Elena had started paying attention to the papers on his desk. She couldn't help herself; her brain was wired to see patterns in numbers. Arthur Knight was clearly brilliant, but some

Elena sat in Judy's kitchen the next morning, feeling like a different person than the broken woman who'd left Mark's house four weeks ago. She had a job now, a real job with Arthur Knight. She had a purpose beyond just surviving.She also had a plan."You look better," Judy said, setting down two cups of coffee. "Different. Like you're actually sleeping at night instead of living in your car."Elena smiled. "Arthur Knight got me a hotel room until I can find an apartment. It's nothing fancy, but it has a bed and a shower.""This Arthur Knight sounds too good to be true. Rich, handsome, wants to help you destroy your ex-husband..." Judy studied Elena's face. "Please tell me you're being careful.""I am. But Judy, he's not just some guy trying to take advantage of me. He has real reasons to hate Mark. Personal reasons."Elena explained about Arthur's father, about the corporate espionage that had destroyed the Knight family years ago.Judy whistled low. "So this isn't just about helpin