I Lost a Husband, But I Gained an Empire

Aurelia's POV

Eight years into my marriage, I was heavily pregnant and had just secured a forty-million-dollar contract for Callum Ellington. But the moment I returned to the office, I walked in on him making out with his new young secretary.

My whole body trembled as I demanded an explanation. But before he could answer, the girl sneered and mocked me.

“So, you’re that poor scholarship student everyone says Callum sponsored? Look at you, so plain and uncultured. You don’t look like his wife at all. Now that I’m here, do us all a favor. Get an abortion, sign the divorce papers, and get out.”

I slowly turned to look at Callum. He didn’t say a word, but the way he lowered his head already told me everything.

While no one was paying attention, I slipped the freshly signed contract back into my bag. Then I smiled at him and asked, calmly but sharply, “Callum, after all these years as husband and wife, just answer me this. Do you really dare divorce me?”

——

Back when his family was on the brink of bankruptcy, I married into it. For eight long years, over two thousand days and nights, I pulled his family back from the edge. With dozens of patents I earned on my own, I saved their company.

Even his parents treated me with respect. So, I thought Callum understood what that meant.

But, staring at his shoes, he said, “Aurelia, let’s end it.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but there was a firm helplessness in it.

All of a sudden, a sharp ringing buzzed in my ears, the same problem I’d had ever since I got pregnant. Then the baby kicked hard inside my belly.

Ignoring those, I stepped forward and grabbed his tie tightly. “Are you serious? I’m five months pregnant, and you’re divorcing me now?”

He let me pull at his tie, refusing to respond, refusing to even look at me.

My anger burned even hotter at that.

This was how he always dealt with problems—silence and escape.

Just as I was about to speak again, a sharp female voice cut in.

“Enough. Stop acting like some crazy shrew. Callum is only being polite because you’re his wife. When a man asks for a divorce once, that’s more than enough. If you still have any dignity, pack up and leave.”

It was Melina Lancaster, someone who had begged me dozens of times to help her get into this company.

I never thought she’d be the one to cause this mess. At that moment, I made a silent note to make her pay this favor back one day.

She took another step toward me. “What, didn’t you hear me? You hillbilly, fierce like some wild—”

Before she could finish, my hand flew across her face. “That slap is to teach you how to speak to your boss.”

I raised my hand again and added, “And this one is to teach you how to speak to someone’s wife—”

But before my hand landed, a strong grip caught my wrist.

Callum looked at me with a complicated expression. “That’s enough, Aurelia. If you want to hit someone, hit me. It’s my fault. I was drunk that night and got Melina pregnant. She’s young. I have to take responsibility.”

Suddenly, I felt something lodged in my throat. All the anger and heartbreak surged in my chest, but I couldn’t force out a single word.

Callum’s health has never been good. For Melina to get pregnant this quickly, it didn’t feel like an accident. It felt like a plan.

Then I suddenly remembered how he quit smoking out of nowhere, even though he used to go through packs every day.

When I asked him about it, he held me in his arms, his voice soft against my ear. “Aurelia, you’re pregnant. For you, for the baby, and for our future, I have to quit.”