After betrayed, I married the man in the Forbes

When Joshua West caught several men sliding admiring glances toward Haven Peters, he strode over, jaw tight and expression stern.

"What are you doing here? This isn't your spot. Where have you been? You here to stir up trouble?"

Haven met her ex’s cold, dismissive stare without a flicker of emotion. She even let a sharp little smile tug at her lips.

"What gives you the right to question me? My business is none of yours."

Joshua went dead silent, the words dying in his throat. He blinked at her impassive face, something unfamiliar twisting low in his gut.

It felt like something important was slipping right through his fingers. On instinct, he tightened his grip.

Who was Joshua West? A man of influence, proud of every inch of his status—how was he letting one woman get under his skin like this? Especially someone who used to mean nothing to him, someone who had him lowering his standards without a second thought?

Under the watchful stares of every guest around them, embarrassment pricked at his neck. He sharpened his tone to cling to his pride. "How long do you plan to keep playing this cat and mouse game? When you're done messing around, you might still be able to come begging."

Once upon a time, Joshua’s cruel remarks would have had Haven faking a brave front while her heart ached. But now? She just arched a brow, her face a mix of cold disdain and total indifference. "Do me a favor—stay the hell away from me. Just looking at you makes me sick."

Joshua couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Stunned, he gaped at her openly disgusted expression, too shocked to get a word out.

Sophia Porter, who’d hurried over to catch up, caught every biting word Haven had said to her son. Her temper blew instantly. Joshua moved to stand protectively at her side as she jabbed a shaking finger at Haven and let her fury fly.

"Ungrateful little brat! What right do you have to talk to my son that way? You took everything from him and gave nothing back! And now, when Joshua’s company is hanging on by a thread, you’re here all dolled up like some 19th century leading lady, just trying to hook another rich sucker!"

Sophia’s words sent a wave of sharp whispers rippling through the crowd of guests.

"Who are these people? Do you know them?"

"No clue, but that woman did not hold back. This is a fancy gala— the girl she’s calling out has to be someone, right?"

Haven met all the curious, staring glances with cool, unshakable indifference. Her eyes stayed ice cold as she turned to Sophia. "Ma’am, watch your mouth. Your son and I have been done for a while now. What I do and where I go is none of your business. Only people with dirty minds see dirt where there isn’t any."

Sophia caught the dig immediately. She stared Haven down, like she was seeing her for the very first time. Haven had always been soft, always polite, never once dared talk back before.

Furious at Haven’s defiance, Sophia snapped. "How dare you speak to me that way? Where are your manners? You’re just a motherless little orphan!"

The words cut deep enough that Haven’s composure slipped for half a second. Just as she opened her mouth to fire back, a deep, ice-cold voice rolled across the entire ballroom.

"Who are you calling a motherless child?"

The whole crowd turned. Leonard Peters was striding in, face frosty, Nelson Carlson right at his side. They walked straight to Haven’s side, their eyes locked on Sophia, sharp and intimidating.

Two of the most powerful men in the room flanking Haven, all but wrapping her in protection—every eye in the ballroom was glued to them now.

It hit Joshua like a punch to the gut: how did Haven know Leonard Peters and Nelson Carlson?

Haven… Nelson…

A shocking possibility blew open in his mind, too wild to believe.

Leonard’s gaze was scorching with contempt, boring straight into Sophia and Joshua. "Who gave you the right to insult my wife?"

His words left them wide-eyed and shocked, a cold tremor running down both their spines.

"Wait a minute… that means she’s the long-lost one… Leonard Peters’ wife?"

"Told you she was somebody important! Kept hidden all this time. And with two big shots like that backing her? She’s basically royalty now. Those idiots messed with Leonard Peters and Nelson Carlson? They’re totally screwed."

"Man, the upper social scene’s about to get a whole lot interesting."

As the murmurs drifted to Sophia’s ears, she stared at Haven in total disbelief, her words tripping over themselves. "Wife… but I thought she was just a motherless orphan? How is she Leonard’s wife… the Rivera family heiress?"

The revelation was too much for Sophia to process. Her face twisted into a mask of disbelief, almost hysterical. "How could she be from the Rivera family? She’s just a poor motherless girl—she belongs with my son…"