Chapter one

A thundercrack ripped through the clouds in the stormy night as flashes of lightning butressed the rumbling.

Lecter stood in a grand living room with expensive furnitures, and Venita, his wife, glared at him with fiery eyes. Her face was darkened, and her lips curled into a frown.

She eyed his old, worn-out clothes in disgust before her eyes settled on his face again.

It's was nearly midnight, and the dawn of their two years wedding anniversary was upon them.

"I want a divorce!" Venita's cold voice echoed while she slammed divorce papers on the table before Lecter. 

Lecter froze for a moment. He could not understand why his wife would decide to divorce him after everything he had done for her.

"Venita... " He started to speak, but she slapped him before he could finish. 

"Are you fucking deaf? I said I want a divorce! A man like you does not deserve to be with a woman like me. You're a freaking stigma to my reputation and I am done!" Venita's words cut through Lecter's heart like a knife. He slowly massaged his left cheek where she had slapped him as he gazed at her with intent.

This was not the woman he married. Or, was it?

"Is this because I lost my wealth six months ago? I told you I'd get back on my feet again. We can sort things out," Lecter tried to reason with her.

But she scoffed and rolled her eyes. 

It's been six months since Lecter lost his wealth due to a bad business decision that his wife convinced him to make.

Venita was so adamant that the investment was real, and invested everything Lecter had. But the business crashed, and Lecter lost everything in the process.

And that was when Venita began her ill-treatment. She would curse him at the slightest provocation, force him to clean, and degrade him at any given chance

Still, Lecter loved her, and not even once did he blame her for the terrible misfortune that fell on him. 

"We are finished, Lecter. Isn't that clear enough?" Venita said to him.

"This isn't happening..." Lecter muttered to himself. He believed that it was all a bad dream. A nightmare was all it was. His wife wouldn't dare betray him like this!

"Sign the papers, Lecter. You are not welcome in this family anymore," Bianca, Venita's mother said to him from where she sat on the couch sipping champagne. Sitting beside her was Joe, Venita's younger brother. He had been observing the drama with a smile on his face. 

"I rebuilt Thorn Incorporated, your father's company from scratch. Joe was able to get a university degree because of me. I funded your mother's treatments for her kidney transplant. Is this how your family repay me?"

Lecter asked his wife. Venita let out a fit of laughter.

"You served your purpose. That was precisely why I agreed to marry you in the first place," she said to him and Lecter furrowed his brows.

"I don't understand..."

"It was a con, dummy! Venita never loved you. She just did what she does best. Although, I must say that you were her best one yet," Joe said out loud with amusement in his tone.

Venita smiled while her brother complimented her wicked schemes. 

"Before you met me, I was a con woman. And I loved doing it. Then, I knew I needed to step up my game. You were my target, Lecter. With Rand's help, I was able to get close to you," Venita started but Lecter felt his legs weaken.

"Rand? My best friend? He was in on this too?" 

"We are engaged as I speak! Rand is the best man any woman can ask for. He was made Branch manager at the Orient Pharmaceutical Company. Do you have any idea how filthy rich he is right now?" 

“Why did you even marry me at the first place?” Lecter said hoarsely.

"Isn't it a good thing? My father's company folded again after you rebuilt it for me. I needed capital to restart operations, and you were the perfect funding for it," Venita said with an accomplished smile, "Oh, of course, aren't you happy to marry me? It's a win-win situation, honey."

"How could you do this to me? All I ever did was love you." Lecter said. He wanted to roar, but he could barely make a sound.

"Then you made a mistake. Just sign these papers. They are good for you." Venita screamed at him.

"Why should I give you what you want. "Lecter said twistedly.

But then, Rand, his best friend, stepped out of a corner with a smirk on his face. He had been there the whole time.

He walked toward Venita, wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply.

"Get your bloody hands off her!" Lecter groaned and Rand chuckled.

"You should sign the papers now, old friend. Or else..." Rand brought out a gun and aimed at Lecter, "Unwilling to accept the truth, you tried to kill your wife. The gun went off while I was trying to save her."

Lecter scoffed.

“I will be free of any responsibility and you will die. No one wants to see that happens, don't you?” Rand said it leisurely.

"It's over, Lecter. Give up. You've lost," Venita said to him.

Lecter gritted his teeth as he gazed at their faces one more time. He took the pen and signed as anger clouded his mind.

Venita picked up the papers, smiled and handed them over to Rand.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" She asked with a wry laugh.

"You will all pay for this. I promise you," Lecter stated with viciousness in his tone.

Rand sighed and turned his focus to his bodyguards.

"Get this trash bag out of this house!" Rand instructed and suddenly, the men pounced on Lecter.

The men dragged Lecter on the ground, leaving a bloody trail that was washed away by the rain. They kicked him into the street, then slammed the colossal gates shut.

Lecter groaned as he tried to stand, however, he fell. He felt like his entire life was turned upside down. As he tried to stand again, Lecter heard footsteps walking towards him.

The person stopped, and shielded Lecter with an umbrella. Lecter raised his head to see a tall man dressed in a black suit gazing at him. The man had black, leather gloves on, and his head was perfectly bald.

"Lecter James. Grand heir to the Kent Empire. I am very sorry for all that's happened to you, young master. But we have no time to spare. My name is Alaric. Your father sent me here to bring you home," the man said to him while Lecter sniffled. His nose was broken.

"I'm Lecter Durant, not Lecter James. My father died when I was little. I think you have the wrong man," Lecter managed to say. Alaric walked closer to him and crouched. There was a look of worry and urgency on his face.

"Your father is very much alive, Master Lecter. And he is in desperate need of your help," Alaric said while Lecter contemplated the words. What the hell was going on?