Marrying the World’s Richest Man: My Ex-Husband’s Regret

"A hundred grand a month for sleeping with you isn't enough? And now you're asking me for another hundred grand?"

Joanna crumpled the payment notice in her hand at her husband Chris Cooper's words.

"Sleeping with you?" Joanna murmured, then pressed her lips together bitterly and said, "Chris, we're married. This isn't some kind of sex transaction. How can you see me that way?"

Three years of marriage, a hundred thousand a month for living expenses—Joanna used to think Chris trusted her, that he'd put her in charge of the whole household. She never imagined her husband saw this money as payment for sleeping with him!

Just because her mother was seriously ill and needed a hundred thousand for surgery, and she, as his wife, asked her own husband for help, she got this kind of humiliation!

"What's the difference? Your family, the Joneses, drugged me and sent you to my bed back then. Wasn't the whole idea to trade you for money?"

Joanna's face flushed red at these words. Years ago, when the Jones were on the verge of bankruptcy, her father Henry had found an opportunity to drug both Chris and Joanna. Because of that one-night stand, Chris married Joanna.

Joanna knew what her father did was wrong, but since they were already married, she wanted to make it work with Chris.

She thought that given enough time, Chris would eventually fall in love with her. But she never expected that three years later, Chris was still holding a grudge about what happened back then.

Joanna held back her tears and tried to reason with Chris.

After all, her mother's condition couldn't wait, and the nurse was urging her to pay the fees quickly.

"This is for my mother's surgery. I can show you the hospital's payment notices..."

Chris's voice on the phone was ice-cold. "How many times are you going to use this excuse? Last month, it was your brother getting in a car accident; the month before that, your dad owed gambling debts. This month, your mom is sick again! Joanna, cursing your own family like this—don't you feel ashamed?"

Joanna was speechless.

Chris continued, "You've already asked me enough before. Don't be so greedy! Go ask around—which wife can't get by on fifty grand a month at home! You've got nothing else to do, you just lounge around at home all day. Fifty thousand a month, and you still can't save any money. You're really not doing a good job as a wife!"

A hundred thousand seemed like a lot, but the Coopers were a wealthy family. Just the monthly salaries for the servants and drivers alone cost thirty thousand.

Throw in Chris's demand for air-freighted grub, which cost over fifty grand more; Chris needed two new suits tailored every month, another twenty grand. Saving dough was out of the question—the fact that the household was still humming along was thanks to Joanna's shrewd penny-pinching.

"I haven't been spending recklessly. This time, it really is for surgery fees. Chris, this is a matter of life and death. Besides, you are husband. My mom really..."

"Enough!" Chris clearly didn't want to listen. "I don't have time to hear you play the victim. You spend recklessly all the time, and now you can't come up with surgery fees. Consider this a lesson!"

"You're willing to spend ten million on an employee, but you won't spare a hundred thousand for the person on your wife?" Joanna finally couldn't help but shout. "A birthday party broadcast globally—you think I didn't see it?"

Chris, on the other end of the phone, fell silent. Joanna watched the hospital TV showing Chris's multi-million-dollar birthday party for his female employee, Cynthia, and couldn't stop her tears from flowing.

The wine used at that party was all Romanée-Conti. A single bottle would cover her mother's first-stage surgery fees.

Not to mention the pink diamond necklace Chris personally put on Cynthia, which had sold for ten million at last week's auction.

Joanna still remembered when she saw the news and expressed her admiration to Chris. "That pink diamond is so beautiful. I wonder which woman will receive such a gorgeous necklace."

She never imagined the mysterious buyer was her own husband.

"You want to compare yourself to her?" Chris sneered.

The mocking made Joanna's face flush red.

She'd actually known about Cynthia for a long time. Three years ago, she knew Chris liked Cynthia, but back then, Cynthia had someone she liked and followed him abroad to study.

Until three months ago, when Cynthia returned to the country and became the design director at Chris's company.

Chris started appearing in public with Cynthia, the two of them acting very intimate. Rumors said Cynthia would become Chris's wife.

And she, the legitimate Mrs. Cooper, was completely unknown!

"Why can't I compare myself to her? Every cent you spend on her is marital property—I have a share in it! She's spent my money, and now my mother doesn't have money for treatment! I want you to take all that money back right now and pay my mother's medical bills!"

"Joanna! Know your place! I'm supporting your whole family! I let you be Mrs. Cooper, that's the only reason you are!" Chris angrily interrupted Joanna, his words full of mockery. "You want to argue with her about money? Your whole family only knows how to spend my money, while she can make money for me! What do you have to compare with her?"

"Chris, being a full-time wife means I've contributed to our family too! Otherwise, how could you go to work without any worries?" Joanna's voice was hoarse as she argued back.

The Coopers' villa was so large. She not only had to manage everything at home, but also had to socialize with wives from other wealthy families on his behalf. She'd worked hard to maintain their household, too!

"Your contribution is sitting in the garden drinking afternoon tea? Or shopping? Buying clothes? Anyone can do these things that cost money!" Chris's questions grew heavier one after another.

Joanna bit down hard on her lower lip. So in Chris's eyes, everything she'd done for this family was just spending his money!

Her heart flat-lined right then. If questioning him about Cynthia showed she still had some hope for their marriage, Chris's response had shown her just what a fool she'd been!

The perfect marriage she'd always believed in was nothing but her own self-deception!

Joanna closed her eyes and let her tears fall.

"Chris, let's get divorced!"

She didn't want this marriage anymore!

Chris's impatient voice came through. "Joanna, this coy act won't fly with me! I'm not coughing up that cash! You wanna split? Go ahead and divorce me! You think I'll grovel to keep you? You wanna stack up against Cynthia? The moolah she brings in for my firm is a thousand times what you bring as a homemaker!"

With that, Chris hung up with a beep.

Joanna couldn't help but laugh. This was the man she'd loved for three years.

At least she'd woken up before it was too late!

She dialed a number she hadn't called in a long time. "Luke, that surgery you mentioned before—I'll do it. But I need that hundred-grand down payment wired to my account right now."