My Wife Let My Mother Die—Now I'm the Billionaire King

Chapter 2

Harry's mind was racing like a trapped hamster. In the end, he had to swallow every drop of humiliation, just to keep his mother alive.

“Don't want to argue anymore? Good! So you finally come back to your senses…”

Julia nodded approvingly, snapping her leather suitcase shut. She turned her attention to her dresser, smoothening her dress and touching up her makeup as she continued talking carelessly.

“I didn't have time for your moping anyway! I'm going to attend the charity auction at the Heritage Plaza tomorrow evening as Derek’s plus one. Every item listed for auction is unbelievably precious, but ah…! My heart is set on the mysterious sapphire ring, the star of the show. People say it hides some great secrets, but honestly, I just love how beautiful it is. It will look perfect on my hands…”

She paused, smiling to herself like she was imagining the ring on her finger.

“Besides, rumors say that the boss of Horizon Enterprises would be making a public appearance too. If we can secure a partnership with them through Derek's connections, our revenue will double within a year!”

Horizon Enterprises was the hottest name in the business world today, a massive conglomerate that had risen from the edge of bankruptcy just a year ago… and had already become the number-one corporation in the entire nation.

But as famous as the corporation was, its owner was just as reclusive. He rarely stepped out of the shadows, and if today was one such night, then Julia had a golden opportunity to make a lasting impression.

She smiled excitedly, then turned back to see Harry standing with his head hanging low, as if he wasn't even paying attention.

What an idiot!

“I’m leaving. Take good care of my mom, if I find out you made her life difficult—”

Harry blinked back his tears, rising to his feet. "Wait! What about my mother's surgery? You promised to cover the cost—!"

Julia paused at the bedroom door, looking back at him like his existence was the biggest regret of her life.

She sighed, dusting off her sleeves from where he had just touched her hand.

"Yes! I promised you, I would consider it. And now, the result of my consideration is that I refuse to pay. A million dollars is a serious corporate asset, and I won't throw it away on a lost cause."

Harry froze, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he realised the cost of betrayal.

"You went back on your word! You lied to me! Don't you realise how important this surgery is?”

Julia replied calmly, totally unbrothered by his anger.

"You're just a live-in son-in-law, Harry. Let's be realistic! You can't even come up with ten thousand dollars on your own, let alone one million dollars for an advanced surgery. If I were you, I'd just take your dying mother out of that expensive hospital and go back to your village."

She grabbed her handbag and turned toward the door, completely ready to sweep past him. As she took the first step, her phone began to ring. Her icy expression instantly transformed into a warm smile.

“Hey, Derek! Are you downstairs already?”

“Hi, Jules. I'll be there in ten minutes, but I called you for something else…”

Since the room was absolutely silent, Derek's deep voice echoed through the phone speakers.

“There is a stunning luxury watch that's caught my eye. But the problem is, I've already set aside the entire 10 million dollars from my monthly budget to buy you that ring at the auction. Do you mind lending me two million so I can get it—”

“Haha! Is that even a question?” Julia interrupted Derek eagerly, shaking her head fondly.

“Of course you can have it. In fact, consider it a reward from my side, for everything that you've contributed to the company.”

“Oh, thank you so much sweetheart!”

“Don't mention it, Derek! I'll see you downstairs, okay, bye!”

Harry's hands were clenched into fists. Not only did she drop two million dollars on a so-called ‘friend’ without a second thought, she didn't even bother to hide it from him, as if he was supposed to be an insensitive log, without any emotions.

“Julia! If you can give away two million dollars without any conditions, you can at least give me a loan for the million that I need for the surgery, right? I'll agree to whatever terms you have; I'll pay you back, every cent, just–”

“Shut up!”

Julia snapped in annoyance.

“It's not about the money, it's about the person. For someone successful and capable like Derek, it's an investment. For a loser like you– well! Forget the comparison, you're not even worth one of his shoelaces!”

Throwing him one last, hopeless glance, Julia turned around. Harry stared after her, unable to understand. Had she changed so much right in front of his eyes, that she didn't even care about a human life on the line? Or was she always like this, and he had been completely blind earlier?

He sprinted out of the villa into the rain, running blindly toward the city hospital. Panic was clawing at his throat.

Somehow, he had to raise one million dollars within an hour— and failing was not an option.

His feet only stopped in front of the red sign of the emergency entrance. His clothes were dripping water onto the hospital floor while he dialed his uncle’s number.

The call connected, and a booming voice answered.

“Hello?"

"Uncle Marcus, it's me, Harry! Mom is in critical condition. She needs emergency surgery right now, and the hospital is demanding an upfront deposit. Can you please lend me the money? Please, I'll do anything, I'll pay you back within six months anyhow.”

On the other end of the line, Marcus let out a loud laugh.

"Oh, so the famous live-in son-in-law of the Sterling family decided to call me today? You’re calling me to borrow money? Well, let me tell you– I don't have a single cent for you."

"Uncle, please!" Harry cried out in desperation.

“She’s your own sister! How can you be so heartless?"

"Sister? My sister died the day she threw our family's reputation in the trash and eloped with that beggar whom you call your father.”

“But–”

“If she had married the match our family had arranged for us, we wouldn't have been ridiculed by the entire city till today! She made her bed, and now she can die in it."

The call ended with a beep.

Harry’s father had been an honest man, but he had died too young. He couldn't become successful, leaving his wife and son to become the target of her wealthy family's scorn.

Harry called one relative after another in the hopes of getting even a shred of sympathy. He begged his cousins, aunts, old family acquaintances to save his mother's life, but the moment they heard he needed a massive loan, they either mocked his status as a henpecked, penniless son-in-law or immediately hung up on him.

With no other options left, he dialed the manager of the food delivery station where he worked.

"Boss, it's Harry. I need a massive favor. I need to borrow money for my mom's surgery. Just 50 thousand dollars will help. Please, I can work triple shifts—"

"Are you insane, Harry?"

The boss flatly refused outright.

"My own annual income as the station manager isn't even 100 thousand dollars! And you're asking me for fifty thousand dollars right off the bat? I don't have that kind of money to throw at a delivery boy."

"Ten thousand!" Harry pleaded, tears flooding in his eyes. "Even ten thousand dollars would help buy her a few hours! Please, boss!"

"Go ask your rich wife," the boss mocked before slamming the phone down.

With his head dropped, Harry walked into the hospital lobby like a living ghost, pushing open the heavy door to the ICU.

He peered through the glass and found his mother lying there, breathing weakly through a plastic mask.

The same woman who needed all these blinking monitors just to stay alive was the proud, educated lady who had raised him to stand on his feet.

After his father died, she didn't hesitate from working as a housemaid, scrubbing the floors of wealthy families just to keep him fed and enrolled in a good school.

She had given up her health, her dignity, and her youth entirely for him. And here he was, completely helpless and broken.

Harry bit his lip, forcing back his tears.

He didn't notice the physician in charge had walked up beside him until Dr. Reynolds cleared his throat.

His eyes carried sympathy for the young man, but the hospital rules were clear.

"Mr. Kipling, I'm truly sorry, but the payment deadline for your mother's emergency procedure is rapidly approaching. Our surgical team is on standby, but if the deposit isn't cleared in the payment office within one hour, we will be forced to stop all advanced treatments. I'm sorry, but it's the standard protocol."

Harry grabbed the doctor's coat, begging him.

“Doctor, please, I swear I will find a way to get the money. Just perform the surgery first! You can hold my ID, you can sue me, just don't stop her treatment!"

The doctor sighed heavily, pulling away from his grip.

"I'm just an employee, Mr. Kipling. The hospital system requires clearance from the finance department before the OT can unlock the imported medications. Those are the strict rules. If you're completely out of options, you could try checking with the hospital's financial office on the ground floor; perhaps they can see if you qualify for an emergency medical loan."

Harry lost control of his limbs, letting his body slide down until he was crouching on the floor, his face buried in his hands.

He had reached the end of his rope.

He had been brutally betrayed by his own wife, then how could he expect something different from the world? She was happy to spend two million dollars on a luxury watch for her lover, who himself was a spoiled rich brat.

But she refused to give her own husband a single million to save the life of the woman who had once saved her business from ruin. He had lowered his head and begged every person he knew, only to be met with mockery and shut doors.

In the hallway, the television was broadcasting the hourly breaking news. The anchor’s voice echoed through the quiet corridor:

"... In a stunning turn of events, Horizon Enterprises has shocked the market. Formerly on the verge of total bankruptcy due to massive non-performing debts, the company’s profits have surged by a staggering 3000% after successfully breaking into the next-generation semiconductor chip industry. Horizon Enterprises is now officially the company with the highest price-to-earnings ratio in the city, making its mysterious owner an overnight multi-billionaire..."

Harry stared up at the screen with hollow, envious eyes. If he owned even a fraction of a percent of a company like that, he wouldn't have to watch his mother die because of the medical bills.

But life was cruel, and the biggest irony of this situation was that throughout the three years of his marriage, he had bought only one thing in his name.

It was a tiny shell company on the verge of total collapse, called Vanguard Holdings. He had invested a thousand dollars of his own hard-earned savings into it back then, purely on a gut feeling.

When Julia had found out, she had torn into him. She didn't hesitate before screaming at him, calling him a reckless, brainless spendthrift who only knew now to throw money into the trash.

He had never said anything in his defense, although it was his own money. In fact, he hadn't ever gotten a single dollar from her since their marriage.

‘But despite everything, even this gamble of Vanguard Holdings turned into a failure… like everything else in my life.’

Suddenly, the smartphone in his pocket buzzed loudly. Harry answered it automatically, his voice dead and lifeless.

"Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Mr. Harry Kipling?"

A crisp voice boomed from the speaker. "Good evening, sir! This is Ronald Kenston, the executive head of Vanguard Holdings. I am calling to officially congratulate you. The legal department has just finalized the paperwork, and the total dividends from Geradline Dynamics, which sits directly under your name, have officially amounted to 1.5 billion dollars for the last fiscal year. The funds have just been successfully to your personal account, and the dividends from the other forty-two tech subsidiaries under Vanguard Holdings will arrive in succession over the next few day—”

Harry interrupted with irritation. "Is this a scam call? I don't have time for this–”

Ronald chuckled lightly, "Oh, sir, please don't joke around with us! How could this be a scam? Your net worth is now officially valued at over 10 billion dollars.”

Harry's heart suddenly hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. His breath hitched completely. "What.. what did you say?”

Ronald replied enthusiastically.

"Your fixed assets across the country now total well over 100 billion dollars. You should receive a text confirmation from your bank shortly. I will personally drive over to pick you up tomorrow morning, as there is a major high-society charity auction that requires your presence as our chairman."

The line went dead. A second later, Harry’s phone vibrated with an automated text alert from his banking application.

He opened it with a trembling thumb.

[State Bank Notification]: Your account XXXX-XXXX-4092 has received a direct deposit of $1,500,000,000.00. Your current available balance is: $1,500,000,149.00.

Harry stared at the long string of zeroes, his vision blurring with shock. The extra one hundred and forty-nine dollars were his total savings from his delivery job.

The small company he had invested a thousand dollars in, just out of a gut feeling, had actually yielded him a staggering 1.5 billion dollars in cash returns?!

Harry stood up against the wall, slowly feeling life returning to his limbs.