The billionaire’s trophy wife

The Fall of the Robert Family

No matter how hard Victoria tried, she couldn’t erase the marks on her body. Her eyes burned with a mix of fury and despair. The most precious thing to her had been inexplicably taken, and the man responsible hadn’t even taken protective measures. “Victoria, you’re 22, not two. Look at what you’ve done! This is driving me crazy.” She knew facing Ethan was impossible now. She hadn’t returned home last night, and her bag, likely taken by the butler, left her without any means to contact anyone. She sighed, needing a quick shower before leaving.

After her bath, she felt slightly more in control. She wrapped herself in a towel, quickly dried her hair, dressed, and left the hotel. Moments later, the man from the night before entered. He saw the open box on the bedside table and the note on the sofa: “Gigolo, hello. Last night was a misunderstanding. I hope you’ll stick to your professional ethics. If you see me again, pretend you don’t know me. Goodbye! Oh, by the way, here’s 50 for your trouble. Remember to ask me secretly next time! Goodbye!” Gigolo? 50? A customer? Alexander, his jaw clenched in barely contained rage, glanced at the bloodstain on the white sofa. The woman was a first-timer. Yet, she left decisively.

Outside, the scorching sun felt like it was searing Victoria’s very soul. She hailed a taxi, borrowing the driver’s phone to call John for help. John, 24, a champion international racecar driver, was her best friend. She had wanted to call Ethan first, but after losing her virginity, she didn’t know how to face him.

“Hello,” John’s voice sounded unusually tense. “It’s your sister. What’s wrong with you?” Hearing Victoria, he hesitated, checking the number cautiously. “Victoria…” “Yes! I’m in a hurry. I’m coming to your place by taxi. Give me some money for the fare. I lost my bag.”

“The fare? Where are you?” John sounded strange. “Why are you acting so strange today? I’ll explain later. I’ll be at your place in ten minutes. Wait for me by the roadside.” After hanging up, she thanked the driver and leaned back, pretending to doze off.

The radio announced, “…has been removed from the position of billionaire. All his shares were transferred two months ago, marking the end of his brilliant career. Our reporters are tracking the story. Please stay tuned.” But Victoria, preoccupied with last night’s events, paid no attention.

The car stopped. John, with his striking red hair, paid the fare and observed Victoria’s expression. Apart from looking tired, she seemed normal. “You didn’t go home last night?” “How do you know!” Her reaction startled John, who hurried her upstairs. In the elevator, Victoria looked at John, confused. “I need to tell you something. You need to be mentally prepared.” In his apartment, he repeated, “Victoria, I’m going to show you a video. Be prepared.”

“John, what’s so serious?” Usually carefree, John seemed tense. Could it be a video of her losing her virginity? No, she was in a miserable state! But her wild imagination stopped when John played the video. It showed a bustling crowd of reporters at Robert’s Corporation. “Dad? Embezzlement? Bribery? Misappropriation of funds? Selling shares? Money laundering? Nonsense, how is that possible?” John comforted her, but what followed was worse.

“Friends, currently, the executives of Robert’s Corporation are having a tense meeting. Let’s see the specifics.” The video cut to executives leaving the conference room, including some major shareholders, and finally, Ethan Anderson. No sign of Gabriel Robert. Sebastian Anderson, flushed, announced, “Mr. Robert has resigned. I, Sebastian Anderson, will take over. I hope for your support.”

Victoria’s mind went blank. Robert’s Corporation, her father’s lifelong endeavor, was now Anderson’s. Anderson, her father’s best friend, and Ethan, her childhood sweetheart of three years. “Take me to the company,” she said faintly. John grabbed his motorcycle keys and took her to Robert’s Corporation. The scorching summer heat made Victoria irritable. Inside the cool lobby, she felt a bit better.

She pressed the elevator button and went straight to the boss’s office on the 28th floor. As she exited, she heard Ethan’s voice, “I’m about to be engaged to Miss Isabella, the daughter of Taylor, the boss of Taylor Group. I hope to have everyone’s blessings.” Isabella? Her friend of 11 years? John, infuriated, wanted to confront Ethan, but Victoria grasped his sleeve, pale and shaking. “Manager Anderson, there were rumors about you and Victoria. Can you explain?” Ethan, composed, said, “We used to be together, but we broke up long ago.” His words felt like knives piercing Victoria’s heart. She remembered drinking Ethan’s wine last night, leading to chaos. And Isabella helped her upstairs.

“Ha…ha…” Victoria’s mocking laughter echoed through the hall. “Victoria! Gabriel Robert’s precious daughter!” Reporters surrounded her. Ethan, seeing her, wondered why she was there. “Miss Robert, why are you laughing?” “Miss Robert, how much do you know about Mr. Robert’s affairs?” “Why did you break up with Manager Anderson?” Ignoring the questions, she stared at Ethan like an enemy.

“You want to know why we broke up? Ethan Three Seconds! Just a superficial jerk. Isabella, the home-wrecker, teamed up with him to take over my father’s company. From now on, the Robert family and I are at odds with them!” Her words shocked the room. Ethan’s face twisted in discomfort. “Toria, I understand your feelings, but this is excessive. There’s evidence of Mr. Robert’s wrongdoing. And Isabella…” But before he finished, Victoria was ushered into the boss’s office by John.

Inside, John guarded the door. Victoria gently pushed open the door. Robert sat at the boss’s desk, hand on his forehead. “Dad…” “Toria, you’re here.” Robert’s smile brought tears to her eyes. “Dad, don’t be upset. You still have me. Let’s be well together.” Embracing her father, Victoria choked on her words. Robert, comforted by his daughter, packed his belongings and left. Outside, reporters surrounded Gabriel. “Mr. Robert, do you have anything to say about the allegations?” “Mr. Robert, Mr. Sebastian said the company won’t pursue your crimes if you resign. Thoughts?” “Mr. Robert, the billionaire…”

Victoria, proud despite the circumstances, spoke, “My dad did nothing wrong. The media insists on forcing him to admit false accusations. It’s slander. One day, there will be evidence of his innocence.” Though the Robert family had fallen, she remained defiant. “Miss Robert, when you mentioned slander, were you referring to Anderson?” “I think I’ve made myself clear. The truth will come out eventually,” Victoria declared.

In front of his TV, a man observed the events with a calculated expression. “Boss, now that Robert Group has changed hands, do we proceed with the acquisition?” asked Assistant Joey, looking at the data. Apart from the change in ownership, everything seemed fine.