The Billionaire Who Saved Me - Chapter 1: Chapter 1

I, Madeline Lane, married Oliver Cooke when I was twenty. After the wedding, I didn't work and stayed at home to be a full-time housewife.
I woke up every morning at five, quickly washed up, and began preparing breakfast for the family.
There were only three people in the house, but my picky mother-in-law, Amelia Cooke, pushed my cooking skills to improve at lightning speed.
After three years of being married into the Cooke family, I wouldn't say I became a master chef, but I definitely learned to make delicious meals.
After breakfast, I'd have to send Oliver off to work. Then, I'd be busy cleaning, followed by preparing lunch and dinner.
Amelia followed me around like a supervisor, constantly drilling into me the traditional duties and expectations of a wife. At first, I resisted a bit, but eventually, I got used to it.
I was constantly on the go, like a spinning top, until 10 PM, when I was finally able to drag my exhausted body into the shower and crawl into bed. By then, Oliver was usually already asleep.
Today was no different. When I came out of the bathroom, Oliver was sound asleep. I listened to his soft snoring and gazed at his handsome face.
I couldn't even remember the last time Oliver had been intimate with me. I reached over to wrap my arm around his waist and rested my head on his shoulder.
Before I could make a more intimate move, Oliver turned away from me, his back to me, and his snoring grew louder. I felt my mood quickly dampen. I awkwardly pulled my hand back, preparing to fall asleep.
Just as I was about to drift off, the cheerful ring of the phone echoed through the room. Oliver immediately got up, grabbed the phone, and went into the hallway to take the call.
I quietly got out of bed, tiptoed to the door, and pressed my ear against it to eavesdrop. Although he lowered his voice, I could still hear him say, "Don't worry. I miss you too, baby."
Oliver's tone was gentle, full of affection. My heart instantly sank. That tone was so familiar. It was the way he used to speak to me, but now the warmth remained, only it was directed at someone else.
I stood there, frozen in place, tears unknowingly streaming down my face.
Oliver walked back into the bedroom and was startled to see me standing at the door. He asked, "What are you doing standing here?" before noticing my tear-streaked face.
I thought he would explain himself, but he didn't. "What's the matter with you, staying up so late and acting crazy?" He yawned deliberately and walked toward the bed.
I grabbed Oliver's arm. "Who was that on the phone just now? Are you seeing someone else?"
He scoffed, "What nonsense are you talking about? It was a call from a client. Hurry up and go to bed. There's a pile of work waiting for me at the company tomorrow. Not everyone is as idle as you."
"I'm not idle either. I'm busy from morning till night. Wait a second, do clients really call you and say 'baby'?" I almost let him talk me into it.
But to my surprise, that one question sent him into a rage. "You actually eavesdropped on my call? You have no shame."
With that, he grabbed his blanket and turned toward the study. The door slammed shut with a loud bang.
Then I heard Amelia's angry shout. "Madeline, what are you yelling about at this hour? Not being able to get pregnant is one thing, but now you're making a fuss—who can stand you?"
It had been three years since Oliver and I got married, and I still hadn't been able to get pregnant. Amelia hadn't missed a chance to throw me dirty looks, either openly or subtly, making passive-aggressive comments.
Usually, I'd put up with it for Oliver's sake. But now, in this situation, she was still scolding me without even knowing the whole story?
Fine, no one was sleeping tonight. I was about to shout at Amelia to come settle this when I saw Oliver's phone light up by the bedside. He had set it to silent but forgot to take it away.
The caller ID showed one of Oliver's male colleagues, but when I slid to answer, a syrupy female voice came through the line. "Babe, why'd you take so long to answer? I'm super mad at you."
"Wh-who are you?" My teeth chattered, and my voice trembled.
Just then, the line went dead, followed by a busy tone.
My anger flared. I stormed over and pounded on the study door. "Oliver, you better explain who that woman is. Why does she get to call you 'babe'?"
After a moment, the door opened. Through the crack, I could clearly see the computer screen still glowing.
Without saying a word, Oliver slapped me hard across the face. "Getting bold, huh? Who gave you permission to pick up the phone?"
The slap was heavy, and the sting on my cheek burned intensely. A sharp, metallic taste flooded my mouth. I wiped my lips with my hand, leaving a streak of red on the back of it.
"I want a divorce," I spat the words coldly and turned to go back to the room to pack my clothes.
"What's all this noise in the middle of the night?" Amelia yelled. I didn't know when she had come in.
I said, "Your son is having an affair. I'm divorcing him." At this point, there was no need to hide anything for Oliver anymore.
Oliver pulled his mother aside and whispered something in her ear.
Amelia immediately gasped in surprise, "What? You're telling me Jennifer is pregnant? She's carrying my precious grandchild?" She was so overjoyed that she blurted it out.