Vengeful Billionaire and His Lovers (Jerome Howard) novel Chapter 5

"Oh, so now you're the one feeling hurt? I'm the one who should be upset! Today is our anniversary, and you're out with some guy. Did you even think about me?"

Henry finally blew off steam, letting all his frustration out.

Luciana froze for a moment, seeing the hurt and anger in his eyes. Tears started to fall as she pouted, "Do you even love me?"

He snorted coldly. "What do you think?"

Her tears kept coming, but she managed a laugh through them. "Hubby, I love you!"

...

An hour later, Luciana leaned against the headboard, acting all cute. "Hubby, I'm hungry."

Henry had rested a bit and was feeling better. He nodded, got up, and headed out to make a late-night snack.

As she watched his broad figure fade from sight, Luciana felt a surge of mixed emotions.

People said marriage was like shoes—she'd only know if they fit.

Luciana knew Henry fit her perfectly in so many ways. He was gentle, thoughtful, and attentive.

He was everything she'd ever dreamed of.

But life wasn't just about romance. There was pressure from family, responsibilities, and expectations.

Ugh!

Luciana never expected Henry to be so hung up on purity. If he ever found out about those matters ...

She shivered at the thought.

She decided some secrets had to stay buried, no matter what. He could never know.

Half an hour later, after they'd eaten, Luciana curled up in Henry's arms, too tired to speak.

He said softly, "Honey, let's have a kid."

Henry would be 30 soon, and in the countryside, kids would already be running around.

"Let's wait a couple of years. Things are hectic right now. Even if we had a baby, I couldn't take care of it properly. Let me sort work first, okay?" she replied without hesitation.

Henry's eyes dimmed a little. He stayed quiet for a moment, then said, "Okay. Let's sleep."

...

Meanwhile, in a luxurious villa.

Ethan lounged on a couch, looking furious.

A girl in a gold dress with a soft, round face massaged him gently. "Ethan, is this pressure okay?"

"Yeah," he said, but his face stayed dark.

His stomach was still in knots. That kick had been brutal, and he hadn't fully recovered.

A man with a scar sitting nearby asked coldly, "Should we call the cops?"

Ethan shook his head, gritting his teeth. "Call the cops? He'd only get a few days behind bars. That's far too easy for him. That bookworm thinks he can mess with me? He's done for!"

The scarred man's eyes glinted with menace. "So ... you want me to kill him?"

"No, you can't. He's the Scotts' son-in-law, and Luciana cares about him. If he dies, we're in big trouble."

Ethan dismissed the idea immediately.

"So we just let him off?"

"Heh, not a chance! Set it up—break both his legs. Once he's crippled, I'll take his woman. I want him to suffer!"

"Got it."

...

The next morning, Henry woke up to an empty bed. Luciana was gone.

He checked his phone and saw the alarm he'd set was off. Clearly, Luciana had done it.

"Haha! I knew it!"

Selena laughed when she imagined it. Henry just shook his head, smiling.

"With your brains, why stay cooped up in this library? You should start a business—I'd invest. Finance is your world!" Selena said, her tone sincere.

Henry had a PhD in economics. Even after graduating, he stayed buried in books. His knowledge was far ahead of most people.

Selena had met him as a freshman and had been blown away by how smart he was.

Henry smiled, shaking his head. "You don't get it."

She hesitated. "Is it ... because of Mrs. Zeigler?"

Henry went quiet.

"Hmph, I knew it!"

Selena pouted, a little annoyed and feeling weirdly sour inside.

"Enough about me. What about you? What have you been doing since graduation?" Henry asked, steering the conversation.

After yesterday's events, he'd been thinking a lot. He was still unsure about his next steps.

Luciana was super busy. They barely had time together. If he started a business, they'd see each other even less, which would hurt their relationship.

Money was nice, but it wasn't everything.

Selena grabbed a book from the shelf and set it in front of her casually. "Me? My dad sent me to the main office in Ebonwing City for a year. I just got back and started my business. I bought a construction company."

Henry always knew she came from a wealthy family, but he never asked much about it. He nodded and asked, "Construction is tough. Is it just a front, or do you have projects?"

Selena lit up, smiling. "Projects, of course! Our company built Southward Nursing Home—it's almost finished!"

"Southward Nursing Home? That's a government project. You're doing well!"

Henry was impressed. Scoring a government contract was a big deal.