I Mistook The Billionaire For A Stripper

　　Chloe

　　Shameless are many words. Shameless is your husband cheating on you with the maid. Shameless is when they grope each other like rabid animals, like you're nothing more than a ghost haunting the walls of your own home. Shameless is the way they laugh, touch, and linger around the house without even the decency to pretend you exist. Shameless is when your family looks at you, shrugs, and says, "Deal with it."

　　But this... this wasn't shamelessness. This was something far uglier, something so disgusting it made shameless seem like a compliment. This was a new level of humiliation, a new depth of degradation.

　　"What did you just say?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. I wasn't sure if it was fury or disbelief shaking me.

　　Amelia, the woman my husband claimed he couldn't live without, smiled like a predator toying with its prey. Her lips curved into a cruel smirk as her eyes swept over me, cold and condescending. She looked at me the way someone might look at something sticky they'd stepped on.

　　"I said," she drawled, her voice sweet as poison, "you should sleep in the guest room. Or are you deaf?" She tilted her head slightly, mocking me. "Logan and I need our privacy. You know how we get in bed. We need a bigger bed anyway. Since you sleep alone, I think it's fair you take the guest room. After all, the master bedroom suits a master and his woman."

　　Ah, did she seriously just say that? Or was I hearing things? Maybe this was one of my silly dreams where someone would annoy me and say things out of context. It was silly because it made no sense. But the look on her face told me she was serious.

　　The knife in my hand suddenly felt heavier. My pulse roared in my ears, drowning out everything else for a moment. My fingers tightened around the knife, and for one fleeting, forbidden second, I imagined how easy it would be to shut her up forever. Just one swipe, one quick slash to wipe that smirk off her face.

　　But Logan's warning echoed in my mind like a cruel mantra: If you lay a hand on her, Chloe. You'll regret it.

　　I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek, tasting blood. The humiliation burned in my chest, but I swallowed it down like a bitter pill. Dropping the knife onto the cutting board with a sharp clatter, I forced myself to meet her gaze.

　　"I think," I said, "you don't know your place anymore, Amelia." I saw her smirk falter just a fraction, and it gave me the courage to continue. "Why would I leave my room just because you and my husband want to have…" I swallowed hard, hating the taste of the word on my tongue. "Sex? I can tolerate a lot of things. But you better watch your mouth and stop spouting nonsense. You don't tell me what to do in my house."

　　She laughed, low and mocking. "Your house? How is this your house? This is Logan's house. You're just staying here for free because he hasn't kicked you out yet. You're a leech he can't seem to get rid of. Even though he hates you and your family, even though he humiliates you every chance he gets, you're still here like a fool. No, Chloe, you can tolerate it. In fact, you can tolerate a lot of things because you're just a worthless, broken, and useless woman. You'll never have a chance in his heart, and you know it. So, do me a favor and leave him. Let him enjoy a fresh woman instead of someone who's used and old."

　　"Shut up, Amelia. Better watch your mou—"

　　Amelia scoffed, stepping closer. "What are you going to do about it? Tell me to watch my mouth? That's all you've got, isn't it?"

　　I stood frozen, my nails digging into my palms so hard I thought I might bleed.

　　"Does the truth hurt? That's all you've ever been—weak. Oh, you act like you're better than me, like you're so superior. But you're not. You never were. You've always been nothing, Chloe. A nothing."

　　I clenched my jaw, my heart pounding so loudly I couldn't hear anything else.

　　"Tell me, Chloe," she continued. "How does it feel to know you're just a pawn? That's all you've ever been, isn't it? To Logan, to your precious family. Everyone uses you because that's all you're good for. You're too pathetic to matter, and you know it."

　　"Your family didn't even love you, did they? You were just another business deal to them, weren't you? Something to trade for wealth, for alliances. They sold you to Logan like you were nothing more than a piece of property. And you—" she laughed bitterly,"you let it happen. You let everyone walk all over you. Like the perfect little doll in the glass house, always pretty, always obedient, always empty. No wonder Logan doesn't love you. No wonder nobody does."

　　I flinched as if she'd slapped me. Her words didn't just sting; they burned, searing through my chest until I could hardly breathe. The worst part was, she wasn't wrong. I'd always known it, deep down. Known that I was nothing more than a pawn to my father. Known that Logan saw me as disposable. Known that my whole life, I'd been a pretty little doll in a glass house, too afraid to break free.

　　"I'm glad your child died," she hissed, and my world stopped. "Maybe that's why you lost your baby….because even the heavens knew you wouldn't be a good mo—"

　　The slap came before I even realized I'd moved. My palm cracked against her cheek. Amelia staggered, her eyes wide with shock as she fell on the floor.

　　My chest heaved, my entire body trembling as I stood over her. "Don't you dare bring my child into this!" I shouted, my voice breaking. Fury surged through me. I had tolerated so much—her insults, her cruelty, her existence in my home. But this… this was unforgivable.

　　Amelia touched her cheek, her face twisting in outrage. "How dare you!"

　　I didn't even think. I bent down, my hand raised, ready to slap her again. "Say one more word about my baby, and I'll—"

　　"Chloe!"

　　The sound of his voice froze me in place. I turned slowly, my stomach sinking as I saw Logan standing in the doorway, his eyes blazing with anger. My hand dropped to my side as I instinctively stepped back.

　　Amelia's expression shifted immediately. The victim. She scrambled to her feet and ran to him, clutching his arm like a lifeline. "Logan! She hit me! She just… she hit me out of nowhere! Look at my face!" She pointed to the red mark on her cheek, her eyes brimming with fake tears. "I told her to stop threatening me, and she just… attacked me!"

　　Logan's jaw clenched, "Are you okay?"

　　Amelia nodded quickly, dabbing at her cheeks. "No, but I… I'll be fine."

　　And then he turned to me. His eyes darkened, cold and furious. "How dare you harm her?"

　　I flinched but forced myself to meet his gaze. "I don't regret it,"

　　"What?"

　　I straightened, my chin lifting as I held my ground. "I don't regret it, Logan. And I'd do it again."

　　He stepped toward me. "What did you just say?"

　　"I said," I spat, "I'd hit her again if I had to. She insulted our child!"

　　I waited for his reaction. For him to take my side, to show some shred of understanding. To show me the pain of losing our child. But instead, he shrugged.

　　"And?"

　　I froze, staring at him in disbelief. "And?" I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper.

　　His lips curled into a sneer. "It's your fault you lost the child anyway," he said flatly. "You were careless."

　　"Careless?" The word exploded out of me. "Careless? You think I lost my baby because of me?!" My voice cracked, tears streaming down my face as I stepped toward him. "You caused it! You! If you weren't cheating on me that day, if you hadn't destroyed my life, I wouldn't have lost my baby! You did this to me, Logan! You and her!" I pointed at Amelia, my hands shaking. "And you just… you just stood there and did nothing! You were too busy screwing her to even help me!"

　　He stared at me like I was being dramatic, like my pain was some sort of inconvenience to him. "If you're so sad about losing a baby, then I'll give you another one."

　　"What?"

　　He stepped forward, grabbing my arm. "You heard me, Chloe," he said, dragging me toward the bedroom. "Let's make another one."

　　"Logan, stop!" I cried, trying to pull free, but his grip was iron. He didn't listen.

　　When we reached the bed, he shoved me hard, and I stumbled, hitting my head on the headboard. I looked up at him, dazed, as he loomed over me.

　　"Take off your clothes," he commanded. "Let's make you another baby."