Only Heir of Lawrence's Asset and Investment

Chapter 1

“I'm done with this marriage of a thing—It’s over between the both of us, Anthony.” Charlotte Harold said icily, seated across with her arms crossed on her chest.

Anthony’s eyes rose with surprise. But he found himself chuckling softly, disbelieving what Charlotte had just said.

His hand flew to his chest as if it skipped at Charlotte's words.

“Come on, Charlotte. Stop it. Stop joking about something as serious as this. Do you have any idea how my heart almost left my soul?” He casually said with a small smile, thinking she was just joking.

However, Charlotte repeated, “Do I look like I'm joking?” She frowned. “I'm deadly serious about it, Anthony. It's over between us.”

Not a single sign of a smile escaped her face. “I'm now the CEO of a big company that is held in high regard. This same company is worth over $30 million, qualifying it for the list of the top 20 richest companies in town. And someone like you shouldn't be seen around me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Charlotte?” Anthony interrupted, staring at her with a puzzled eyebrow. This same company that Charlotte is bragging about just now was the same company Anthony had supported with over $20 million from all his lifetime savings when the company was about to go bankrupt.

This means anything the company is today is a result of his support and effort.

Charlotte let out a slightly exasperated sigh. “Don’t act so idiotic to get where I'm heading…I’m tired of being with a loser like you. I need a divorce. I just want to get married to someone who is on the same financial level as me.” She said with a low voice, but each of her words daggered Anthony's heart, shattering its wall.

Then she continued coldly, “Someone to boost my status, the more, and not someone who depends on what I'll give to him. Harold's family needs to skyrocket, and you aren't in the position to help.”

Anthony saw her mean expression, and it then dawned heavily on him that Charlotte wasn't joking. She was deadly serious!

His cool expression slowly tightened. “What rubbish are you talking about, Charlotte? Have you forgotten I'm actually the one who made you who you are today? Your father's company is a better place now, I'm the mastermind behind it! Don't forget in haste how it almost went bankrupt!”

Consumed with rage, Anthony stood up and pointed his finger at Charlotte and spoke, his voice rising, “Charlotte, you are who you are today because of me! If not for me, your entire family would have been on the street begging for—”

“Oh, will you just shut up that gutter of yours!” A female voice sneered. A woman who seemed to be in her mid-50s, adorned with costly jewelry, approached.

Anthony looked up and recognized her. “Mom!”

It was Charlotte's mother, Aria Harold. She approached with a stern expression. “Drop that ‘mom’ to yourself! I can't be a mother to a poor orphan boy like you!” She spat.

Anthony's eyes flashed with disbelief, and his blood boiled. He had shown genuine love to this woman, and all she could do was to remind him that he was an orphan who?

“Mrs. Aria, are you part of this?” His voice came out, stammering with pain and emotions as he fought to hold back tears.

Aria smirked, clearly enjoying his expression. “Charlotte, whom you blindly considered as your wife, is no longer the same person whom you knew her to be yesterday. She has changed. In fact, she's a sought-after CEO.”

Anthony stood there, listening to her mocking voice. He felt his hand balling into a tight fist and his heart clutching.

He looked aside, only to see Charlotte seated with a comfortable and cold demeanor.

His face twisted in anger. They have used him! And now, they've planned to dump him!

Aria continued, still smirking, clearly the moment, “Charlotte here is getting married to Harry Winston, the heir of Winston's family. Together, it'll be easier to work with the biggest company—Almighty Anthony’s Empire—a company filled with men and women of caliber.”

The smirk on her face widened as she mocked, “What do you think, Anthony? Great strategy, right?”

Anthony didn't say a word. He shifted his gaze to Charlotte, the fake woman he had sacrificed everything for, and yet she had stabbed him in the back.

He couldn't help but stutter as he spoke, broken. “So, Charlotte, this is your plan, and you made me believe that you loved me. How dare you!”

The tears he had tried so much to hold back finally started streaming down his face. He couldn't hold it anymore.

It hurts really badly to have someone you trusted wholeheartedly betray you!

“Hey, pauper! Just so you know, this isn't a funeral ceremony!” Charlotte finally stood up and laughed at him.

Shaking her head, she continued, feigning pity, “Poor Anthony thought you were a brave boy. Why act like a coward just now? Haha. I'm sorry if it hurts, but that's not the end of it.” She brought out a sheet of white paper and a pen.

Anthony slowly wiped his teary eyes, furrowing an eyebrow at her, wondering what she was doing.

A minute later, Charlotte looked up and said, bringing the paper closer to Anthony. “Here. It's a cheque of $8,000. This will be enough to foot your bills, or you can start a business with it if you're sensible enough.” Her gaze was cold and distant.

Anthony's eyes flashed with disbelief. After everything he had done for her, especially for this family, this is how they were repaying his kindness? Unbelievable!

Before Anthony could even say a word, Aria chided in, “What are you waiting for? Go ahead to accept it. You should be grateful Charlotte is kind enough to even hand you a $8,000 cheque.” She scolded.

Anthony's eyes rolled between the two women, reality dawning on him so heavily.

If someone had told him this was what was going to happen to him today, he would have doubted it a million times because he had been more than kind to this family entirely.

Finally accepting his fate, Anthony manly wiped his tears properly and spoke, trying hard not to stammer, but ended up stammering. The betrayal hurts more than he could even imagine.

“Charlotte,” he called, “this is what you want, isn't it?” Charlotte nodded, and he continued, maintaining a composed demeanor. “It's fine. I respect your decision and I'm ready to give you the free space that you want since that will make you happy…..I don't want to be the reason you aren't happy.”

Glancing down at the cheque in Charlotte's hand, Anthony shamelessly took it. He worked for it, so he had nothing to be ashamed of, even if it wasn't up to what he had helped the family with.

But right at this moment, he had nothing left, and it would be foolish to walk away without taking it when he was unsure of what to do or where to even start now.

Aria laughed and, with a sarcastic voice, said, “I knew he was never going to reject this huge offer! I just wish it could be reduced to $2,000.”

Anthony only glared at her, wordless.

“One last thing before you leave,” Charlotte said firmly. She handed Anthony an A4 paper. “I've signed my part of the divorce papers, and I want you to sign yours as well.”

Anthony's heart sank heavily. He flashed a quick gaze at Charlotte, clearly disbelieving everything he was seeing.

It was just like a dream! Or what he mostly watched in Indian movies, where the man will, out of the blue, decide to end a marriage of about five years.

However, the case was different here, it was the woman who was doing the opposite.

Swallowing hard, Anthony nodded calmly, finding no need to stay where he wasn't needed. With a grab of a pen from the nearby table, Anthony was done signing his own part that was left vacant, craving for his signature.

When done, he looked up and said, “Done.” he hesitated before adding. “Have a nice day, and please be happy with your newfound lover.”

With that, he walked to the exit door, and without a glance at the back, he stormed out.