Billionaire: Bridegroom From The Streets

Chapter 1 A dozen men in crisp black suits burst through the doors of Greenville City International Airport, their stern expressions like warriors preparing for battle. They moved with purpose, parting the crowd of confused onlookers. The leader, a man whose very presence commanded respect and fear, suddenly halted. A scowl creased his brow as recognition dawned. Without a phrase, he pivoted on his heel, leading his men to return the manner they came. Outside, on a bench near the arrivals area, sat Kelvin Ares. He cut an intimidating figure - sunglasses shielded his eyes, and a cigarette dangled from his lips, ember glowing with each drag. In his left hand, he toyed with an antique lighter. The leader approached, stopping six paces away. Though renowned for his commanding presence, he found himself subdued before Kelvin. "The president desires your return," he conveyed respectfully. "He misses you greatly." Kelvin exhaled a plume of smoke and glanced over his shoulder. "He misses whom? Me?" A sardonic chuckle escaped his lips. "That sounds like lyrics to a song. What does he truly want? My wealth? My influence?" Any other man uttering such brazen words would have faced the leader's wrath. But Kelvin was no ordinary man - he was a member of the powerful Ares Family, their sole heir. The leader knew well of Kelvin's fearsome reputation as the "God of Battles" in the Southern region, a man of extraordinary abilities and vast riches. "Kelvin Ares died the day he was expelled from the family, ten years ago," Kelvin stated calmly, crushing his cigarette underfoot as he stood. "I have no association with the Ares Family now." His words carried a menacing edge that sent a chill down the leader's spine. "Nobody should pursue me, or it will be your lifeless bodies returned." The leader could only swallow hard and watch as Kelvin strode away, his imposing presence leaving the hardened man trembling with fear. In the airport parking lot, a sleek car awaited Kelvin's arrival. He slid inside and promptly made a call. "William, is everything prepared?" "Send the address," came the response before the line went dead. Kelvin's calloused fingers tenderly uncurled, revealing a tattered candy wrapper clutched in his palm. A bittersweet memory from his youth surfaced... At sixteen, cast out by his father and stepmother after his mother's death, Kelvin had roamed the streets - pale, hungry, and utterly alone. That is until a little girl offered him her last piece of candy, her innocent eyes shining with kindness. Soon after, a mysterious stranger took the wayward boy under his wing. Two years later, Kelvin emerged wielding god-like powers and warrior skills that quickly earned him renown as the "God of Battles of the South." Now eighteen, he commanded fear and respect, his very presence intimidating the world. Yet as the car pulled away from the curb, Kelvin found solace in that tattered candy wrapper - a reminder of the little girl's compassion that had given him hope in his darkest hour. Inhaling deeply, he murmured, "I'm back." If his allies could see their powerful leader's fleeting sentimental moment, they would be stunned by the duality of the fearsome God of Battles. Across town at the opulent Mounts Hotel, a farce was about to unfold that would change lives forever. The renowned Alexander family had set plans in motion to find a suitable husband for their granddaughter, Janet. Though cloaked in respectability, their true motives were sinister. Janet sat rigid in the hotel's function room, clenching her fists as dread and helplessness washed over her. Her mother, Debby, hovered by the door, face flushed with anger. "James, this has nothing to do with finding our daughter a good husband!" she cried, rounding on her husband. "If you were still a man, you'd rebuke your father for this!" Debby could see the cruel machinations unfolding, Janet's happiness sacrificed on the altar of family greed. "We all know this supposed search for a spouse is a lie, a nonsensical farce!" She wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. The once-modest Alexanders had grown into one of Greenville's wealthiest families, helmed by paterfamilias Mark. The unassuming entrepreneur's meteoric rise funded an opulent lifestyle for his three sons - Michael handled the core businesses, Thomas expanded their reach to new cities, while James...poor James had been crippled in an accident, rendering him "useless" in his father's eyes. It was Michael and Thomas who proposed this idea to Mark - find a husband for James' daughter Janet. They assured their father suitable candidates would be selected. Yet the men paraded before Janet was woefully inadequate - lacking impressive pedigrees, one even suffered from mental illness. James burned with anger, but years of conditioning stayed his tongue. In the Alexander family, Mark's whim was law. Debby's ire turned to her husband, disgusted by his meek obedience. "How did I ever marry such a wimp?" she spat. Having witnessed James' compliance with his father's demands for years, she understood the accident's emasculating toll. No matter who they chose, this perverse exercise would irreparably tarnish James' family, a fact Debby could barely tolerate. Janet, sadly aware of her uncles' jealousy, realized this grotesque display was their way to ensure she never gained control of the family empire. Mark had made his final, callous decision. The fateful hour chimed, and Janet rose woodenly. "We can't be late, or Grandfather will scold us," she muttered hollowly. A lifetime of psychological torment flickered across James' features as he propelled his wheelchair forward. He understood well the Faustian reality of life in the Alexander family - however unpalatable, it was better than the streets. In the hotel's lavishly decorated auditorium, throngs of Greenville's elite mingled, oblivious to the tragedy unfolding before them. On the dais, Mark stepped forward, clearing his throat to address the assembled crowd. Though deep down he knew the decision made a mockery of human decency, the words spilled forth. "After a thorough selection process," his voice rang out, "we have chosen the most outstanding candidate to become Janet's husband." A rictus grin split his face as he gestured for the audience's approbation. "We hope you'll join us in offering blessings to the new couple!" The roar of applause was deafening, its joyous cacophony grotesquely at odds with the anguish contorting Janet's features. This damning ovation sealed her fate, reshaping her life's trajectory in one ruinous instant.