THE HUSBAND THEY BULLIED, THE KING THEY FEARED

CHAPTER 1: A SERVANT IN NAME, KING IN SHADOWS

A SERVANT IN NAME, KING IN SHADOW

The strong scent of bleach clung to the air as Damien Hale carefully scrubbed the bathroom's polished tiles. Each stroke of the rag was smooth, his strong hands clearing every stain. To anyone passing by, the young man was nothing more than an efficient household servant.

But Damien was no servant. He was the son-in-law to the Reed family, the most prominent dynasty in the East.

So why would a man like him be reduced to this? Damien didn't complain. He never did.

Suddenly, the sound of a soft buzz caused Damien to pause. He turned to his phone and stared down at the screen. It was his subordinate, Ryan Chen.

Damien growled inwardly. Ryan knew better than to call him when he was working. His reason this time better be worth it.

Wiping his hands on his shirt, Damien picked up the phone and slid the call icon before placing it against his ear. The sound of paper rustling came from the other line as Ryan greeted Damien.

“Good morning, Mr. Hale,” he said from the other end, the rustling sound fading into the background.

“What is it, Chen?" Damien answered with a grumble. “You know how much I hate intrusions when I'm working."

"I just wanted to call and inform you that it's done, Mr. Hale,” Ryan answered, his voice calm. “Mrs. Reed’s company just got approved for listing. Tomorrow, she'll be ringing the Nasdaq bell, sir.”

The irritation in Damien's voice faded as a small smile tugged at his lips. “Good work, Chen,” he said with a nod. "You handled things well… again."

"Thank you, sir.” Ryan let out a soft chuckle. “And congratulations on your wife's listing.”

The call ended with a soft click, and a faint smile tugged at Damien’s lips. He imagined Vanessa's face–bright and full of life–as she climbed the stage in front of flashing cameras and clamouring paparazzis. This had always been her dream, one she had struggled for years. And now she got it, all thanks to him.

He sighed as his thoughts drifted to the strings he’d pulled to bring her here, the favors called in and doors he had quietly opened. She’d never know, and he preferred it that way. He didn't need the credit–watching her shine was enough.

Damien squeezed the soaked rag into the bucket beside him and hurried with his cleaning. He couldn't wait to tell Margaret the good news.

With a soft grunt, he stood up from the floor and walked out the bathroom. Heading to the kitchen, he rinsed his hands under the sink and grabbed the tray of fresh pastries he had baked earlier. Balancing it one one hand, he picked up another tray of fruit juice and made his way upstairs to the parlor.

Laughter and the strong scent of expensive perfume seeped out the closed doors and filled the hallway as Damien made his way toward the living room. Gently, he placed his foot at the foot of the door and slowly pushed it open.

Inside, Margaret Reed sat in her usual spot, her posture rigid and a smile on her face. Her jewelry glinted in the sunlight streaming in from the open window and her cologne wafted through the room.

Around her sat three women, each exceeding the same aura as Margaret. They drank from porcelain tea cups and bragged on and on about their children. One had just finished talking about her son who'd just gotten a position as the personal adviser to the governor when Damien stepped in.

“Good morning, ladies," Damien greeted as he walked towards the coffee table in front of them and placed the tray down. “I'm sorry to disturb your little gathering but–”

"What are you doing here?” Margaret suddenly asked, cutting him short. Damien turned to see that her gleeful expression had morphed into one of disgust. “Can’t you see we’re having a serious conversation?"

“Oh, Margaret,” Theresa, one of the women, called as she gently pushed Margaret’s shoulder. “Don’t push the poor boy away. Your son-in-law is a useful man.” She picked up one of the pastries and bit into it. “Mmm.” She turned toward Damien. “A man who cleans and bakes really well—what an odd gem Vanessa has.”

Laughter went around the table. Margaret smiled but there was a glint of envy in her eyes. She knew Theresa could not say the same about her own son-in-law—he was a forensic scientist with a seven figure salary. What was the point of a super-bright daughter if her son-in-law was nothing more than a glorified servant? Not like he was worth anything anyways.

“This isn't enough reason for you to come here, Damien," Margaret said, a slight tremble in her calm voice. “Why do you always act so shamelessly? You keep on forgetting this is not your territory. Go back downstairs.”

Damian took a deep breath and forced a smile. He didn’t want to argue with Margaret on her big, joyous day.“I will, Mother, but I just came to inform you that Vanessa was awarded the listing.”

The look on Margaret's face switched instantly to surprise. “W-what do you mean?"

"I just received the news right now” Damien answered, his smile growing as he picked up the remote on the coffee table and switched the TV on. “If I'm correct, the press conference should be going on right about…”

“... and we are live right now at the Nasdaq market site where Vanessa Reed’s company has just been confirmed for the listing,” a news reporter said, her voice filling the room.

The scene cut to the image of Vanessa Reed. She stood on the stage in a clean white suit, rows of flashing lights and reporters clamoring for her attention as she stepped up to the podium. She began to speak, her voice filled with confidence as the place went silent.

“Great Scott, Margaret, your daughter is amazing,” Theresa exclaimed as she grabbed Margaret's hands.

"You didn't tell me Vanessa was heading in such a direction," Anna, one of the other women, chimed in, her lips curling into a surprised smile. “To think her actions would take the company all the way to Wall Street."

Margaret’s expression softened into pride at her friends’ praise, her chin lifting ever so slightly. Of course, she thought, Vanessa was raised to shine among the best. She’s smart, capable, refined—everything a true lady should be.

But when her gaze drifted to Damien, that pride quickly changed into bitterness. He stood there quietly, hands at his sides, his image a stark contrast to the gold touch of the room. The same man who served tea at her table, cleaned toilets while her daughter managed boardrooms—how could he ever match Vanessa’s worth?

Her lips pressed into a thin line. Such a pity, she thought coldly.

“Whatever are you still doing here, Damien?" she asked and the others turned to him, disgust on their faces. With a wave of hand, she added, “take this tray away from here and go back downstairs where you're needed.”

Damien paused for a moment, his hand tightening slightly around the tray. For a fleeting second, the faint curve of his smile faltered. Anger seethed within him but he forced himself to breathe through them. It doesn’t matter, he told himself. As long as Vanessa’s dream stands, as long as she’s happy, none of this matters.

Besides, it was time to reveal his true identity to Vanessa. Tonight seemed like the perfect chance. He would prepare a lavish dinner—not just to celebrate her company’s success, but to show her that she was the happiest woman in the world.