The Poor Son In Law Is A Billionaire

Who is this man?

“Young Master, are you finally willing to come home?”

Adrian looked around the bedroom he had considered home for the past three years. What a terrible mistake that had been.

“I haven’t made up my mind yet.” He ended the call. He had already packed all his belongings the night before.

Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang again. An unknown number flashed across the screen. Adrian answered the call.

“Hello, Mr. Adrian? Your mother-in-law has been involved in a serious car accident and is now in critical condition in the ICU!”

The panicked voice of a nurse from St. Jude Memorial Hospital instantly rooted Adrian to the spot.

“Mr. Adrian, can you hear me?” the nurse called out.

“Yes. I'll be there immediately.”

Belinda was the only person in his wife's family who had ever treated him like a human being. His mother-in-law loved him like her own son, always defending him whenever Chloe treated him coldly and serving him warm meals when others sneered at his status as a son-in-law living off his wife's family. Although his relationship with Chloe was on the brink of collapse, Adrian couldn't forget Belinda's kindness.

Adrian hurried toward the exit. Just then, the doorknob turned. Chloe had just returned and stepped into the hallway, with Julian following close behind.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Mum’s had an accident and is in hospital now. You’d better come with me straight away,"  Adrian said quickly. His voice was flat, without any outward display of emotion, but his eyes remained fixed on his wife's.

Chloe clicked her tongue and waved dismissively without breaking stride. “Don't use such a cliché excuse just to get my attention, Adrian. Besides, work is incredibly busy right now. I don't have time for your games. Make breakfast for Julian and me before you leave.”

“Do I look like I'm joking?” Adrian interrupted, suppressing the turmoil in his chest.

Chloe let out a long sigh, as though she were exhausted by Adrian. “At least I'm not making up ridiculous excuses just to get someone's attention.”

Julian stepped forward with a look of feigned concern. “Chloe, if Mum really is in hospital, let Adrian go. Even though I've just arrived and I'm still tired from the trip, I don't want to take up his time. What if Mum’s condition really does take a turn for the worse?"

Adrian clenched his fists. “Shut your mouth, Julian. Did you just pray that Mum’s condition would get worse?"?”

Julian took a step back, wearing an innocent, apologetic expression. “I'm sorry, Adrian. I was only considering the worst-case scenario. Don't be angry with me. I didn't mean it that way.”

“Adrian! Why are you yelling at Julian?” Chloe snapped, immediately stepping in to defend him. “He was just speaking reasonably and considering the worst-case scenario. Why are you getting so worked up?”

“So you don't want to come with me?” Adrian asked, struggling to contain his anger. His sharp gaze made Chloe pause for a moment.

“Once I've taken care of my business,” she replied curtly.

“Mum is dying.” Adrian deliberately emphasized the word dying, hoping to stir some feeling in her. Yet Chloe merely maintained her usual impassive expression.

“Your mother will be fine.”

Adrian scoffed. “Nobody’s talking about my mum. What I mean is..."

“Enough, Adrian!” Chloe interrupted, glaring at him in irritation. “Make breakfast first. Then you can leave!”

Adrian stared at Chloe for a moment, as though he no longer recognized the woman before him. He couldn't understand how her mind worked.

“Do it yourself,” he said wearily.

“What?” Chloe glared at him.

“I know you're not deaf,” Adrian replied sharply.

For a moment, Chloe was stunned. Was he actually refusing her?

“Warming up bread and milk doesn't even take five minutes, Adrian. Stop making a scene! Isn't making breakfast your job?”

Adrian stared at her intently. A faint, humorless smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

“That's right. I've been the one taking care of everything all this time. I guess I've been doing it for so long that you've forgotten I'm your husband, not your servant.”

Chloe froze for a moment before her expression hardened. “Why are you suddenly acting like this? All because I asked you to make breakfast?”

“No.” Adrian shook his head slowly. He had no desire to argue. “I've just realized that I've spent so much time fulfilling your every wish that I've forgotten I have a life of my own.”

“So now you're going to blame me?” Chloe scoffed. “If you don't want to make breakfast, just say so!”

Julian smiled faintly before pretending to offer his help. “Come on, Chloe. Don't waste your energy getting angry. I can make breakfast myself. You just rest. I'll take care of it.”

Chloe gave Julian a warm look before turning her cold gaze back to Adrian. “See? Julian has far more consideration than you do. You've been a husband for years, yet you still can't do anything right.”

Adrian stared at her for a few moments before glancing at Julian, who was sitting comfortably on the sofa. There was truly nothing left to hope for in this marriage. His mother-in-law was fighting for her life in the hospital, yet his wife was busy taking care of another man's stomach.

“Don't worry, Chloe. After today, you won't have to ask me to do anything ever again.”

He picked up the divorce agreement he had prepared and placed it on the table.

“Sign it.”

Chloe frowned as she looked at the document. “What's this?”

“The way out you've wanted all along.”

Just as Chloe reached for the document to examine its contents, Julian deliberately knocked the ceramic cup off the table, sending it crashing to the floor and shattering into pieces.

“Oh, sorry! My hand slipped,” Julian exclaimed quickly.

Chloe immediately turned away from the document and hurried toward Julian, her face full of concern.

“Are you hurt? Did any of the shards cut you?”

Watching the nauseating scene, Adrian could only scoff at his former self.

“It's fine, Chloe. You just startled me,” Julian replied gently. His eyes flicked toward the paper in Chloe's hand before shifting to Adrian, a faint, contemptuous smile playing on his lips. “Just sign it first, Chloe. It's probably nothing more than a draft agreement for an additional allowance. There's no way a man who's gotten so comfortable living off his wife's family would agree to a divorce that easily. He's just bluffing.”

Chloe let out an irritated sigh. “You're always such a nuisance, Adrian. You never let me have a peaceful day.”

Without reading a single line of the document, Chloe snatched the pen from Adrian's hand, hastily scribbled her signature, and threw the paper against his chest.

“You got what you wanted!” After saying that, Chloe turned toward Julian. “Let me clean up the broken pieces.”

Adrian picked up the document, now bearing both their signatures. He walked toward the door and grabbed the black backpack that had been sitting there since the night before. It contained all his clothes and the few personal belongings he owned.

The backpack had been there since last night, yet Chloe hadn't noticed it once.

Yeah, since when has she ever paid attention to me? Adrian thought bitterly.

Without saying another word, Adrian walked out and closed the door behind him for the last time.

Thirty minutes after Adrian's departure, Chloe's phone rang loudly. Her personal assistant's name appeared on the screen.

Chloe answered as she walked toward the kitchen.

“What is it?”

“Ms. Chloe, we're in serious trouble!” Her assistant's panicked voice came through the phone. “Our main investor has just unilaterally withdrawn all their funding. Our overseas export channels were completely blocked this morning. If we can't secure new capital and access to a new business network within the next week, our company is at risk of going bankrupt!”

Chloe stopped in her tracks. Her face instantly turned pale.

“How is that possible? Our export network has always been stable.”

“I don't know, ma'am! But there's one opportunity,” her assistant continued hurriedly. “The massive conglomerate known as Blackthorn Group has just opened its doors to investment in the local market. If we can partner with them, all our problems will be solved.”

Chloe massaged her temples.

“Blackthorn Group? But its president never appears in public. Their background is incredibly mysterious, and their overseas network controls half the global market.”

“That's right, ma'am. At the moment, we can only reach their vice president, but they've imposed one absolute condition,” her assistant said tensely. “They said that if we want to negotiate, we must speak directly with the person at the very top of their organization. The president himself.”

“Their president?” Chloe raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, ma'am. The man who suddenly retired and disappeared three years ago. Rumor has it that he just returned today to take full control of the company again,” her assistant explained.

Chloe clenched her fists.

“Who is this man, really? Why is he so mysterious?”

“No one knows his true identity, ma'am. Their internal team has kept all information tightly sealed.”

Chloe took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders.

“No matter what it takes, find a way to contact him. As long as he's willing to work with us to save this company, he can name any terms he wants.”