The Billionaire's Secret Son

CHAPTER ONE

AMELIA's POV

I stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped tightly around my body after my shower. I had just gotten home from another stressful day at my father's company. As I entered the bedroom, Jason's phone vibrating on the nightstand caught my eye. A new text message notification was displayed on the screen.

Against my better judgment, I picked up the phone to read the message. "Hey babe, yesterday's sex was sweet and enjoyable."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I read those words again, struggling to process them. Was Jason...cheating on me? The phone slipped from my trembling hands, clattering to the floor.

The sound made me jump, and that's when Jason walked into the room. His gaze immediately fell to his phone on the floor. "Amelia, what the hell are you doing with my phone?" he demanded angrily.

Tears stung my eyes as I tried to find my voice. "Wh-who sent you that? Why are they talking about...about sex with you?"

Jason's expression hardened as he bent to retrieve his phone. He let out a harsh chuckle. "So you've been going through my private messages? Real classy, Amelia."

"No! I didn't go through anything!" I cried desperately. "The text just popped up..."

"Save the excuses." Jason waved his hand dismissively. "You want to know who she is? She's my girlfriend."

Those words felt like a kick to the stomach. "G-girlfriend?" I whispered brokenly.

"Yeah, that's right." Jason sneered at me. "While you've been too focused on work to pay me any attention, I found someone who actually makes me feel wanted. Someone way more fun than you in bed."

His cruel words cut me deeply. I clutched the towel tighter as tears rolled down my cheeks. "Jason...after everything we've been through, how could you do this to me?"

"We're through, Amelia." His voice was flat and cold. "I'm not in love with you anymore. You disgust me now. I don't know why I stuck around for as long as I did."

A strangled sob escaped my lips. Never could I have imagined my husband, my partner of so many years, treating me with such contempt. We had been deliriously in love once. How had we fallen so far apart?

My legs gave out and I sank onto the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands as I wept brokenly. The man I loved more than anything had betrayed me in the cruelest way. I felt shattered, alone, like my world was crumbling around me.

I don't know how long I sat there crying, overwhelmed by anguish and heartbreak. Eventually, the shrill ringing of my phone on the nightstand cut through my torment..

"Amelia? Oh my god, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" It was my best friend Amanda on the other line.

Another choked sob escaped my lips. "It's J-Jason..." I had to pause to draw in a shuddering breath. "He's been...ch-cheating on me. For who knows how long."

A sharp intake of breath from Amanda. "What? Are you serious? That absolute bastard!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling fresh tears leak out. "I just...saw this message on his phone from some woman, talking about how great the sex with him was. And then he admitted it, he said she's his girlfriend now because I've been too focused on my job and he doesn't feel wanted by me anymore!" The words came out in an anguished rush.

"Whoa, whoa, Ames, slow down," Amanda said, her voice gentler now. "That piece of shit is just trying to make excuses for his shitty behavior. This is in no way your fault, you hear me?"

"But maybe it is..." I whispered brokenly. "Maybe I did get too caught up in work and push him away without realizing..."

"Stop right there." Amanda's firm tone cut me off. "If Jason was feeling neglected, he should have communicated that to you like an adult instead of stepping out on your marriage. What he did is completely inexcusable, Amelia. You don't deserve any of this."

I pressed a hand to my aching chest, feeling like I was trapped in some horrible nightmare I couldn't wake up from. "He told me I disgust him now. That I'm boring and no fun in bed anymore. How could he be so cruel, Amanda? After everything we had together?"

There was a pause before Amanda spoke again. "Listen to me, Ames. You are one of the most vibrant, loving women I know. Jason is the one who's an absolute piece of trash for cheating and treating you this way. Don't you dare let his bullshit make you doubt your self-worth, you got that?"

A tiny flicker of gratitude cut through my inner turmoil at her fierce words of support. I knew Amanda would always have my back. "I just...I can't believe this is happening," I whispered. "My life as I knew it is over. How am I supposed to move forward from this?"

"One step at a time," Amanda said gently. "And you're not alone, I'm here for you every step of the way. Actually, you know what? Get your ass up and get ready."

A frown creased my brow. "Get ready? For what?"

"We're going out tonight. No arguments."

Despite my inner anguish, I managed a hollow laugh. "Amanda, I'm hardly in the mood to go out partying right now..."

"Who said anything about a regular party?" she cut me off briskly. "This is a special ladies' night at that new club downtown. Hotties only, no gross cheating men allowed to ruin our fun."

I opened my mouth to protest further, but Amanda blazed on, leaving no room for argument.

"Look, you need to get out of that house away from the memories of that douchebag Jason soiling everything with his cheating bullshit. You need to be around your friends who care about you and remind you what an amazing catch you are. So put on something sexy and get ready to hit the town with your bestie, okay? We're gonna dance, drink, and forget that waste of space even exists for one night."

My first instinct was to decline her offer. The idea of trying to plaster on a fake smile and have "fun" felt impossible right now when my heart felt utterly shattered into pieces. But...maybe Amanda was right. Maybe I needed to escape the suffocating environment of home and all its reminders of Jason's betrayal, even if just for one night.

"Okay," I said, summoning what little resolve I had left. "Okay, I'll go. Give me an hour to get ready."

"Atta girl!" Amanda's voice was bright with encouragement. "That's my Ames. Text me when you're headed over and I'll be ready."