Bring Her Back!

"Finally found you!"

Nicholas Zhao, a young and handsome billionaire, finally tracked down Amelia Wang. He'd flown all the way to MA, driven by a mission only he could justify. The moment he laid eyes on her, standing amidst a small group of scientists at a modest banquet, he marched straight over and declared, "Let's go home."

Amelia's heart skipped a beat. The shock of seeing her ex-husband here, of all places, hit her like a freight train. This banquet wasn't for flashy businessmen like Nick; it was a humble gathering of intellectuals, far removed from Nick's world of high finance and corporate takeovers.

Amelia tried to collect herself, her mind racing as she felt the eyes of everyone around them. She had worked hard to build her reputation here. Everyone knew her as Amelia, the dedicated scientist, the independent woman who had moved on from her past. The last thing she needed was for these people to find out the truth—that she was still legally tied to a man she'd left six years ago.

She narrowed her eyes at Nick, lowering her voice into a harsh whisper. "Nick! Are you out of your mind? We divorced six years ago. What the hell are you doing here?"

Nick's response was a smug grin, the kind that used to drive her crazy in more ways than one. "Divorced?" he scoffed, as if the very idea was laughable. "You should check with the civil registry. You'll find that you're still very much my wife."

Before she could argue further, Nick grabbed her hand and whisked her away from the banquet hall, leaving her colleagues stunned and whispering among themselves.

***

Three days earlier…

"Where's my daughter-in-law?" Mr. Zhao's voice cut through the sterile quiet of the hospital room. He had just awoken from a month-long coma, his voice rasping with the exhaustion of a man whose time was running out. Stage 4 cancer had ravaged his body, and the doctors had given him six months to live at most.

Mrs. Zhao, sitting anxiously by his bedside, blinked in confusion. "Dear, what do you mean by daughter-in-law? Nick hasn't married Maia yet. Are you asking if they should hurry up and tie the knot?"

"Maia?" Mr. Zhao's eyes flashed with anger. "Who the hell is Maia? I'm talking about Amelia, my daughter-in-law."

Mrs. Zhao felt her heart drop into her stomach. Amelia had once been their daughter-in-law, but that was years ago. Why was her husband speaking as if she still held that title?

Nick burst into the room, breathless from sprinting through the hospital corridors after hearing that his father had finally woken up. "Dad, I'm so glad you're awake—"

"Nick!" Mr. Zhao's voice cracked like a whip, cutting him off mid-sentence. "Explain to me right now, did you divorce Amelia?"

Nick froze, the question knocking the wind out of him. His mother quickly filled him in on the bizarre turn of events. The doctors had warned that his father might experience confusion, possibly reverting to a time when things were more familiar to him. They advised not to correct him too harshly, especially with the limited time he had left. The focus should be on keeping him happy and comfortable.

Nick, thinking on his feet, said that Amelia was studying abroad. But his father wasn't buying it. Mr. Zhao's temper flared, his voice growing louder with each word. "Don't lie to me! Amelia isn't here because you treated her poorly, isn't she? Did she leave because you couldn't get over that ex-girlfriend of yours? The one who got pregnant by another man?"

The room fell into a tense silence. Nick could only stare at his father, feeling more trapped with each passing second.

"Bring Amelia back to me," Mr. Zhao demanded, his voice laced with both desperation and anger. "If you don't, I'll donate every penny I have to charity. You and your mother won't see a single cent."

Mrs. Zhao's face paled at the thought. She had never liked Amelia, had never seen her as good enough for her precious son. But faced with the possibility of losing their fortune, she knew there was no choice. They had to bring Amelia back, whether she liked it or not.