The War King Returns For Vengeance

The living room  of the Vandermere family house was very big. 

On the sofa sat Ivy Ken.

She was sitting straight, calm, like the whole house belonged to her. 

Then she puts a small package on the table.

“Matthew,” she called.

Matthew Stones was standing a few steps away near the hallway. He had just come out from the kitchen. His clothes were simple and the apron still tied around his waist showed clearly what he was doing earlier.

Cooking for the family.

He looked at the package, a little confused.

“A gift… for me?”

He sounded surprised. And honestly he was. In the two years he's been living in this house, nobody really gave him anything before. Not birthday gifts, not even small ones.

Matthew picked it up and unwrapped it. 

Inside the box was just a file.

A document file.

Matthew frowned a little but he opened it anyway. He started flipping through the pages slowly.

First page.

Second page.

Then another one.

At first his face didn’t change much. But after some seconds his hand slowed down. The small smile that was on his face earlier slowly disappeared.

By the time he reached the last page, his brows were already tightly together.

+++ 

He looked up at Ivy.

“This… what is this?”

Ivy didn’t even look surprised.

“Are you blind?” she said impatiently. “It’s a divorce agreement.”

She leaned back on the sofa like the matter was already finished.

 “Today will be the end of your marriage with my daughter. Just sign the papers and stop asking me useless questions.”

Matthew stood there quietly.

“A divorce?” he said slowly.

The word didn’t feel real to him.

He looked down at the document again like maybe he read it wrong.

“Amanda and I have been married for two years,” he said. “We’ve been fine… we love each other. Why do we suddenly divorce?”

When Ivy heard Amanda’s name, she gave a small cold laugh.

“Love?” she said.

“You really think someone like you deserves to talk about love with my daughter?”

Her eyes moved from his face down to the apron tied around his waist.

“Amanda is the CEO of Vandermere Corporation now,” she continued. “She attends big business meetings. Powerful investors work with her.”

Then she pointed at him.

“And you?”

“You stay at home cooking and cleaning all day like a servant.”

Matthew didn’t answer.

But inside his chest something felt heavy.

Two years ago Vandermere Corporation was almost nothing. The company was struggling badly. Debts were everywhere and many investors already left.

Back then the Vandermere family was very desperate.

Not long after Matthew married into the family, things slowly started changing.

New deals appeared.

New investors started showing interest.

Problems that once looked impossible suddenly got solved.

Step by step the company grow bigger until it became one of the fastest growing companies in the city.

But Matthew never explained anything.

He stayed quiet about it.

He stayed in the background and allowed the Vandermere family to take all the credit.

And now…

Now that the company was standing at the top, he had become the useless man they wanted to throw away.

“I never thought that one day I would become a stain in the Vandermere family.”

Ivy’s eyes sparkled with anger as she smirked a little. “You’ve been useless all your life. I don’t know why father even married Amanda to you. You’re nothing, just scum!”

Her words cut deep, but Matthew just nodded slowly. “Yeah… maybe you’re right.”

Amanda’s face went red. How can someone be so useless and still… not care at all?

But Matthew didn’t look ashamed. He raised his hand a little. “If Amanda wants a divorce, she should tell me herself. Nobody else's business.”

“She doesn’t have time!” Amanda snapped.

“She’s busy, okay? CEO of Vandermere Corporation, people with big names lining outside her office. You really think she can stop everything just for this?”

Matthew blinked, thinking. Huh… maybe that’s why she never came to talk to him. She’s so far away from me now… even a divorce doesn’t matter to her.

He crossed his arms. “If she cannot make time to talk to me, I won’t sign anything.”

Amanda’s mouth opened, furious. “Do you think you’re so important? It would cost nothing for my daughter to throw you out without asking!”

Matthew shrugged a little. “Then we wait. When she’s ready to confront me, we can talk. No need for anyone else to decide for her.”

He turned to leave.

“You… you dare walk out on me?!” Amanda shouted, almost losing control.

Then a young pretty lady in an expensive blue gown appeared in the room.

Her hair was long, dark and silky, making her look even more… classy or something.

Matthew’s heart almost stopped. He felt hurt deep inside when he looked at her. Amanda… she was right there.

Amanda didn’t look completely calm either. Cold, distant, like always, but… there was something small, some emotion in her eyes.

The air between them felt heavy. Weird. Matthew could feel it. Amanda’s heart was beating faster too.

“Matthew… I’m sorry this came to you like this,” she said. “But I’ve prepared ten million dollars in alimony.”

She placed a card on the table. Matthew stared. His chest hurt. “I can’t believe… all the good times we had, they are worth only that much?"

“It’s fine Matthew. I’ll add extra ten million. Better?”

Matthew shook his head. “You really think money can fix this? You really think some number can make this okay?”

Amanda looked confused. “I’m… sorry. I don’t think I can give more than that amount.”

Matthew scoffed when Amanda thought he was asking for more money. “I can see how generous you are, Miss Vandermere. But I don’t… I don’t need a dime of your money.”

Amanda’s face turned red. “What rubbish? How can a worthless person like you feel so arrogant and… entitled? Not in this life will I ever let my daughter compensate you!”

“Mom?!” Amanda scolded her mother.

Then she looked at Matthew. “I advise you not to let… let pride make you lose this huge amount of money. It can help you… make your life meaningful.”

Matthew could see it now. Without a doubt, Amanda had already decided in her mind to divorce him. He asked calmly, almost empty inside.

“Amanda… are you sure you want this?”

Amanda went silent for a moment, then said plainly. “Let’s end it, Matthew. I need to take my career… to the next level.”

Matthew smiled bitterly. He understood more than the words she said. Couldn’t believe it… Amanda only saw him now as a barrier to her career.

Feeling too lazy to explain anything more, Matthew just signed the papers. Didn’t waste time.

“From now on… we have nothing to do with each other. And the money? Keep it yourself.”

He took off the apron and walked out.

At that moment, Amanda felt empty inside looking at Matthew walking away. She had thought he would shout or beg her to reconsider.

But he stayed calm. So calm. It made her confused… conflicted.

She couldn’t help asking her mom, “Mom… isn’t this too extreme?”

“What do you mean too extreme?! The relationship between you and Andrew, the heir of Bellington family, will be perfect now. With Andrew’s connections, we can work with the White Group, one of the top four families in Astoria City.”

Amanda was smiling like she never smiled before. “Our collaboration with the Bellington family will bring chances to get shares from the Stratford Company, the biggest company in the city.”

“By then, you will become one of the youngest and most wanted CEOs in the city!” she shouted, full of excitement.

But no matter what Amanda said, her heart felt empty. Blank. Nothing really touched her.

Meanwhile, Matthew was leaving.  sent a text to someone:

“Amanda and I got divorced. I’m leaving the Bellington Villa. Time to focus on our main assignment in the city.”