Married To The Grouchy Billionaire

A tall, lanky man with jet-black hair stood hesitantly by the office door, dreading what lay beyond. He was Luke, personal assistant to Richard Hernandez, a powerful billionaire.

“Maybe I should just come back later?” Luke pondered aloud, taking a step back but then halting. “No, I need to face this and find a way to quash the rumors.” He steeled himself, took a deep breath, and walked into the office.

As soon as he entered, a mug narrowly missed his head, thanks to his quick reflexes.

“Why is everyone in Las Vegas talking about me? When did I become a gay? And why are people believing this ridiculous rumor?” Richard’s voice was a seething cauldron of anger.

“It’s probably easy for them to believe you’re gay,” Luke started, but was cut off by Richard’s threatening glare.

“Finish that sentence, and I’ll make sure you regret it,” Richard growled, his eyes cold and unwavering.

Luke swallowed hard. He knew better than to test Richard’s wrath—if he said he’d shoot you, he would.

Richard wasn’t just the owner of the Glamour Empire Hotel; he was also the CEO of a car company inherited from his father, Julio Hernandez. Known for his ruthless tactics and icy demeanor, Richard’s reputation was feared across the business world.

Luke remained silent, bracing for Richard’s next words.

“Find the idiot who spread this nonsense,” Richard demanded, his eyes flashing with fury. “I want him dealt with swiftly.”

“I’m trying, but since the post was made anonymously, tracing the source is difficult,” Luke explained.

“If you don’t find out who did this within twenty-four hours, you’ll be out of your job,” Richard warned, his voice leaving no room for argument.

“I’ll get on it right away,” Luke said, leaving in haste.

Despite Richard’s intimidating demeanor, Luke wasn’t ready to quit.

Richard clenched his fists, his anger palpable. “Whoever you are, you’d better prepare for what’s coming,” he snarled.

His phone rang—it was his father.

“Come to the main house. We need to talk,” Julio’s voice said.

---

At the Hernandez mansion, a woman in her late fifties threw a newspaper onto the table in frustration.

”The whole city is buzzing about the Hernandez family. What are you going to do about it, Julio? Your son is rumored to be gay!” Ophelia fumed.

Her disdain for Richard was evident, and Richard’s indifference only fueled her anger.

“There’s clearly been a mix-up. Richard can’t be gay,” Julio replied calmly.

“Are you blind or deaf? The rumors are everywhere, and they’re ruining our reputation! Your son called is trying to drag our name to the mud!" Ophelia retorted.

“Watch your tone, or you’ll regret it,” Richard said, entering the room with an icy demeanor.

Julio looked concerned. “What’s going on with these rumors about you being gay?”

“I’ll handle it,” Richard replied curtly.

“And how exactly?” Julio pressed. “Everyone’s talking about it, and it’s threatening our reputation.”

“It’ll stop as suddenly as it started,” Richard said confidently.

“I trust you,” Julio said with a reassuring smile. “I know you’ll sort it out.”

Ophelia scoffed as Richard left.

”Seriously, that’s all you can say?” She questioned.

“If you’re so concerned, maybe you should have talked to him yourself,” Julio said.

“How do you expect me to confront a man like Richard?” Ophelia shot back.

“Then let him handle it. I believe in him. He never fails to deliver,” Julio said before walking out.

---

The room was dark and silent, except for the grunts and pained cries of a man being brutally beaten by several others. Richard sat in the corner, watching with cold indifference. Though he didn’t show it, his dissatisfaction with how his men were handling the situation was evident in the slight twitch of his jaw.

With a snap of his fingers, the men stopped, dragging the bloodied and battered man over to Richard, who sat like a king on his throne. Richard’s cold hand grasped the man’s jaw, forcing his head up to meet his steely gray eyes, now glaring with barely contained rage.

"Your broadcasting company was the one that started the rumors about me, wasn’t it?" Richard’s baritone voice was low and menacing, each word laced with venom.

"Yes, it was. I’m sorry. My broadcasting company was on the brink of bankruptcy, and I needed to do something about it," the man stammered, his voice trembling with fear.

"By tarnishing my reputation? Do you even know who I am?" Richard’s voice dropped even lower, enough to make even the strongest man tremble.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Hernandez," the man whimpered.

"Who sent you the fake news? If you tell me, I might reconsider not chopping your head off," Richard glared, tightening his grip on the man’s jaw.

"Forgive me, Mr. Hernandez, but I don’t know who sent it. It was anonymously submitted to my company. We just uploaded it online," the chin-bearded man said, his voice cracking.

"You think I’m going to buy that lie? I’m asking you for the last time, who sent you the message?"

"I’m telling the truth, Mr. Hernandez. It was sent anonymously," the man cried, desperation seeping into his voice.

He had heard rumors about how dangerous Richard could be. If he hadn’t been blinded by the thought of boosting his company when the anonymous email was sent, he wouldn’t be in the realm of the devil’s son right now.

Richard stood up slowly, his towering figure casting a long shadow over the cowering man. With a slight raise of his eyebrow, he signaled his men to resume the beating.

The man screamed for mercy, but his cries fell on deaf ears.

---

Kristin sighed as she exited the building. She had just arrived in Las Vegas, searching for a cheap place to rent, but couldn’t find anything within her budget.

"Why are houses in Vegas so expensive? I need to start working as soon as possible to take care of my family in Glenwood. They can’t keep farming forever," Kristin whined to herself.

"Should I find a rich tycoon and marry him?" she chuckled at her own words.

Her stomach rumbled, reminding her it was time to eat. She hadn’t eaten since landing in Las Vegas.

Kristin searched for the perfect spot to sit, and when she found one, she smiled and rushed over. She opened her suitcase and took out the homemade rice cakes her mom had prepared before she left for Vegas.

"Mmmm, mom’s cooking is always the best," Kristin murmured, nodding her head in delight.

She wasn’t the type to get shy, which is why she comfortably ate by the roadside despite the curious stares from passersby.

"Why are they all staring at me? Haven’t they seen someone eating before?" Kristin muttered, enjoying her meal.

"Do you want some rice cakes?" Kristin asked a woman who wouldn’t stop looking at her.

She even struck a pose when another woman tried to take a picture of her to post online.

"She’s definitely not from Vegas. No one in Las Vegas eats outside," someone whispered.

Kristin kept smiling at them, even as they gossiped about her. She kept doing so until she was the only one left by the roadside, still enjoying her meal.

"It’s no big deal in Glenwood to eat by the roadside. Why is it such a big deal here?" she wondered aloud.

After finishing her meal, she began zipping up her suitcase. In the process, someone stole her bag containing all the money she had.

"You thief! Come back here!" Kristin screamed, chasing after the thief, leaving her suitcase behind.

"You’re so dead if I get my hands on you!" she yelled, her voice filled with fury.

The thief was a good runner, but despite his speed, Kristin didn’t stop chasing him. Her entire life savings were in the bag he stole, and she wasn’t about to let it go without a fight.

---

Richard stepped out of the building after instructing his men to keep beating the man until he talked. He was about to enter his black Rolls-Royce when a notification on his phone stopped him from opening the car door.

He slid up the screen, his gray eyes scanning the message with disinterest.

Kristin, still chasing the thief, spotted a man in a black hoodie—the same one the thief was wearing—standing with his back to her. Her anger flared as she ran toward him.

"You good-for-nothing thief!" she spat, her voice seething with rage.

Without a second thought, she leaped into the air and landed a thunderous slap on the back of the man's head.

Richard’s head snapped forward, and he stumbled slightly from the force of the blow. Shock coursed through him as he turned around slowly, his eyes narrowing at the audacity of whoever dared to strike him.

"What the heck?" Richard’s voice was low and dangerous, his gray eyes darkening as they locked onto Kristin.

Richard slowly turned to face the person who had dared to slap him on the head.

Kristin’s eyes sparkled with anger as she glared at Richard, though she could sense the cold aura radiating from him.

“What was the meaning of that?” he asked, his gaze fixed on her, his voice dangerously calm.

“Give me back my bag,” Kristin demanded, stretching out her hand and ignoring his question.

“What bag are you talking about?”

“You stole from me, and now you’re going to pretend like you didn’t?” Kristin’s voice wavered slightly, but she held her ground.

Richard’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, Kristin felt a shiver run down her spine.

“I stole from you? Have you lost it?” he growled, his tone filled with menace.

“The man who stole from me was wearing a hoodie just like yours,” Kristin shot back.

“And you assume it was me?” His eyebrows knit together, disbelief mixed with anger.

“You can’t blame me. Vegas is full of fakes. People dress