My Billionaire Betrothed: Golden Comeback

Wham! A slap landed on Ryan's left cheek.

"Are you crazy?! Why do you want to embarrass me in front of my friends ?" Vanessa screamed at him.

Ryan caressed his cheek, still shaken from the slap. It was not the first time she had slapped him like that and he knew deep down that it would not be the last time.

"But I am your husband Vanessa…".

"And a worthless one! You want the world to know I married you? hell no! Are you trying to sabotage me or my family's name for God's sake?! Now be a sensible person and leave my sight. I'll call you when I actually need you" Vanessa snapped at him.

She watched him make his way to the kitchen with a defeated facial expression. But she didn't care. He was not going to get away with almost making the mistake of letting her perfectly curated life expose its horrible undertones.

"Hey guys! I'm back!" Vanessa announced, urging the five ladies who had spread out on her king-sized bed to return their gaze from their phones to her.

"Who was that guy though? he seemed pretty confident" one of the girls probed.

"Just one of our helps. Just found out he's new and confused, I can't even keep up with how many my parents hire every month!" Vanessa lied, waving it off with an awkward chuckle.

"Okay...".

"Sooo...what do you guys think about me throwing an island party for my promotion at daddy's empire?" Vanessa cooed.

She had just been made general manager at the Jordan Business Empire, more out of favouritism than the experience and business acumen which she barely had. But it wasn't new to her. Her parents could never say no to her. However, the only thing they loved more than her was business investments, hence her recent marriage to Ryan who was practically a pauper.

"Oh my goodness! This is the best idea Nessa! I've been so stressed lately with organising all these social events for my brand" One of the ladies remarked, swaying her hands in support.

"Hell Yeah! I haven't been to an island party in monthssss!" another one supported, jumping to her feet.

"Then it's settled! I'll get the jet ready for us next week, I've already set up preparations on the island" Vanessa exclaimed, doing a little dance.

"Woo! That's my girl! The only thing left is... shopping!" another one of the girls announced.

"Yes! I heard J. Husk is releasing a new line of shoes and I'm dying to get my hands on them" another one added.

"Alright, yes! Let's go shopping ladies!" Vanessa agreed, and in a minute they were cheering their way out of the house.

Ryan let out a long and sad sigh. He flash backed to a few minutes earlier when he had walked in on Vanessa and her friends, nearly answering that he was her husband.

He remained irrelevant as always, taking in all the insults and abuse from Vanessa. He had no other option since he had nowhere else to go outside Vanessa's parent's mansion.

After his father had hastily and happily signed on the contract marriage between him and Vanessa Jordan a day after her twenty-first birthday, to seal their status as betrothed and for business benefits, he had been forced to live with the Jordans.

Just like his father's family, the Jordans saw him as worthless and unfit to be treated like a son-in-law and husband. So they utilized every single opportunity to abuse and remind him of his place in the family: the worthless son-in-law.

To the world, Vanessa was not married, and no one knew Elias had a son besides his children with Julia. Vanessa stuck to the plan which she had hated from the start, and never let their marriage status see the light of day. It was for the purpose of taking Ryan off the hands of the Williams in return for a business investment from Elias. To avoid any suspicions, he had been planted as a servant to the Jordans.

Vanessa's constant hatred for him reminded him of a similar treatment by his own father. Ryan Roberts did not have a happy childhood.

Growing up with his father, Elias Williams, stepmother Julia, and step siblings as his only family, all the happiness he had ever felt was sucked up by their wickedness.

He had been raised alongside the servants of the Williams Mansion and trained to serve his father's wife and children with the highest loyalty.

The more reason he had taken his mother's last name for himself.

His mother had disappeared from his life as a little boy, according to what his father constantly told him, so he had no one to run to when he felt sad or depressed. No family, no friends , no one.

…

Ryan sat in the storeroom where he normally slept at night, sulking.

He ran his veiny hands through his dark brown hair several times wondering why no one in his life was even willing to give him a chance.

“What the hell are you doing here? Get your lazy self to the kitchen to help the cooks prepare for the dinner party now!” The head servant charged at him, towering over him.

“I'm…I'm sorry. I'll get to it now” Ryan jerked up to his feet, dusting off the grain particles from the grain bags.

“And…take off those rags while you're at it. The Jordans are expecting top guests and we must be in our best uniform while we prepare their meals” the head servant added, twitching his nose slightly with disgust.

He was used to the servants insulting him, and he found it much better than the daily disgrace he got from Vanessa's parents, Hans and Flora Jordan, who took delight in reminding him of his place as the worthless son-in-law.

Hans and Flora had tasked all the servants in the mansion to prepare for the dinner party later in the evening.

It was a party to celebrate the first year of success of Hans’ business empire since the contract between him and Elias, Ryan's father, was signed.

It was also the first marriage anniversary of Ryan and Vanessa but no one seemed to care.

At exactly seven pm, the guests for the dinner party started arriving.

The cooks were done with the meal preparation and Ryan was no longer needed, so he hurried down to the storeroom to hide from the guests, like he preferred.

“Hey idiot! What do you think you're doing down there in your rat hole when all the other servants are occupied? You really think you're so privileged, huh?” One of the servants, Kale, demanded.

Kale was one of the servants in the Jordan's mansion who found pleasure in making Ryan suffer more than usual with chores around the house.

And Ryan felt that today was not going to be an exception.

“I…feel sick” Ryan lied.

“That's a terrible lie, and you know that. Now get out of there. Besides, Hans has asked personally for you” Kale answered.

“Are you sure?” Ryan asked.

The last thing he wanted to do was make a fool of himself in front of everyone.

“Yeah, yeah, I'm sure. He's right in the middle of the room. I guess today's your lucky day” Kale said, spotting a half smirk.

Kale walked down to the large sink, dropping the tray of plates he had been balancing on his arm for the past few minutes.

Ryan stepped out of the storeroom slowly, looking around to make sure no one would recognize him easily.

A hand suddenly gripped his shoulder.

“If it isn't my beloved stepbro!” a familiar voice sneered.

Ryan turned, coming face to face with his cunning stepbrother, Lukas.

Ryan cursed himself within for not remembering that his family would be at this ball.

He remained silent, hoping Lukas would not make a scene.

“Is this what they've turned you into? A mere servant! Fits you anyway” Lukas laughed, tugging at the apron on Ryan's waist.

Lukas ripped the apron from Ryan's body, walking away with his shoulder high.

People had begun to whisper among themselves.

Ryan picked up the torn pieces of the apron, wrapping them and thrashing into the nearest bin.

He walked further, bending his head to avoid more recognition.

“Hey, watch it!” Hans yelled, his drink spilling on his shirt.

Ryan froze.

“Of course it's you! You worthless thing!” he added, his brows furrowed in anger.

The music suddenly stopped playing.

The hall went quiet as everyone's attention turned to Hans and Ryan.

Vanessa was nowhere to be found. She was probably still out with her friends.

“What are you doing here anyway?!” Hans thundered, peering into his face.

“You…you requested for me” Ryan stuttered, his heart racing.

“For what exactly? Why would I request for you among my distinguished guests? You have no job, no money, you are a complete waste of time! Go back to scrubbing the floors or whatever you're actually good for!” Hans screamed, every inch of anger rising within him.

The realization dawned on Ryan. Kale had tricked him.

The same thing he had been avoiding, he was now in the center of.

He had been disgraced in front of everyone in the worst manner.