Reckless Billionaire’s Ruthless Claim (Obsessed Billionaires, Cherished Brides #4)

Chapter 8 Greedy and Lustful

Meanwhile, outside Lily’s house, Olivia stood with her phone pressed to her ear, fuming.

"This is all the information I could get so far," the voice on the other end said lazily. "She takes Stark’s money, then pays hospital bills for some old man who's in a coma right now and some loan sharks. That's a ridiculous amount of money for someone like her just for being Stark’s girlfriend. She’s getting a lot of cash from him to pay off that half-dead old man’s bills and debts."

Olivia’s voice was filled with venom. "That gold-digger bitch. She’s using my man’s money to pay for that old bastard’s meds?"

The voice continued without a care. "One more thing. There’s a coincidence. She was also burned in a fire three years ago, around the same time as you. The man in the hospital took on a lot of debt to fix her up and restore her face, but then he got into a car accident. Now she’s paying off that debt and also covering the old man’s treatment."

Olivia froze, her fingers tightening around the phone. "When? When exactly was she burned? Where?"

"Same month as you," the man muttered, clearly uninterested. "Around March, and she was treated at the city hospital."

A wave of panic swept over Olivia, her face tightening as she thought to herself. ‘No,’ she let out a forced laugh, ‘it can’t be. Just a coincidence. How many people get burned every month? It’s normal.’ Her breaths came faster, and she rubbed her face with shaking hands. ‘I’ve spent hundreds of thousands to get this face. It’s done by the best plastic surgeon in the world. There’s no way that bitch is… no! I’m fine. Everything’s fine!’

Olivia stood frozen, tension gripping her as she processed what she'd heard. She didn’t even realize when Sawyer stormed out of the house until Ellie's sharp voice snapped her out of her daze.

"Put me down, SNS!" Ellie growled, struggling against his grip and slapping his back in protest. But the infuriating man remained completely unfazed. He didn’t even flinch, as if her hits were nothing more than an annoying tap. Without breaking stride, he carried her toward his car like she weighed nothing.

He came to an abrupt halt when Olivia suddenly stepped in front of him.

Sawyer's gaze locked onto Olivia, then flicked to Ellie, still slung over his shoulder. Realizing how bad this looked, he lowered Ellie to her feet—but didn’t release her arm.

"What are you doing, Sawyer?" Olivia questioned.

"It's nothing." Sawyer shot Ellie an annoyed glare before looking back at Olivia. "She was just getting on my nerves."

Olivia's eyes flickered to his hand wrapped around Ellie’s wrist.

Sawyer caught the look and immediately let go, as if Ellie had suddenly turned radioactive.

Ellie, who had caught the entire exchange, narrowed her eyes.

‘Wife’s slave,’ she thought begrudgingly. ‘Look how fast he let go of me the moment his lover looked at him.’

"What are you doing here?" Sawyer asked, his brows furrowing.

Olivia looked taken aback, almost as if she hadn't expected the question. Then, with a casual little laugh, she masked her surprise, schooling her features into something more serious before turning to Ellie.

"She invited me here."

"What?!" Ellie’s eyes widened in shock. "What are you talking about? When did I invite you?"

Olivia's expression turned innocent, almost hurt. "Ellie, why are you lying? Didn’t you call and ask me to come here because you wanted to talk about…" She hesitated, casting a glance at Sawyer before muttering, "…about him?"

"You liar!" Ellie snapped, her patience snapping with it.

Olivia’s mouth dropped open in mock surprise. "I can’t believe you’re accusing me of being a liar! How else would I have known where to find you? How would I have gotten here if you didn’t call me?"

Ellie glared at her. This girl was really starting to get on her nerves. Not only was she a pretentious bitch, but she was also a bold-faced liar.

But before Ellie could retort, Sawyer turned to her, his face dark with an upset glare.

His silence was damning.

He believed Olivia.

Ellie could see it in the way his jaw clenched, in the scowl forming on his face.

"Ellie, don’t involve Olivia into this," he scolded, his voice filled with irritation. "If you have something to be upset about, talk to me directly."

"I didn’t call her here!" Ellie insisted, her hands flying to her waist as she stared at him in disbelief. "You don’t believe me?"

Sawyer’s expression was blank. Cold.

He didn’t answer.

Ellie’s temper flared even more.

Not only had this bastard left her yesterday, made her almost die, and was now dragging her out against her will, but he was also supporting and helping this pretentious bitch?

So what if they were childhood lovers? Did that mean she was incapable of lying?

But of course, Narcissist Stark couldn’t possibly upset his ‘Perfect Sweetheart’ now that she had come back to him after ages. No, that couldn’t possibly happen. Instead, he was quick to assume it was Ellie at fault, that she was the one lying.

Why would he ever believe the woman who had stayed in his house for years just to keep him entertained until his real love returned?

The more Ellie thought about it, the angrier she became. Glaring at Sawyer in fury, she finally snapped.

"Alright then! Fine! Since you don’t believe me at all, there’s no reason for me to stay with you anymore. We’re breaking up!"

She spun around to leave, but before she could take a step, he grabbed her arm and yanked her back.

"Ellie—"

"No!" She tore her arm from his grip, her eyes blazing as she glared at him. "You have your lover now. So I don’t have to be with you anymore, do I? I was just a replacement anyway. There’s no need for me to stick around. No need to keep up this stupid act."

"Stupid act?" Sawyer growled, stepping in closer, his voice dangerously low. "So your relationship with me for the past three years was just a stupid fucking act?"

"Obviously." Ellie scoffed, flipping her hair back as she met his burning gaze. "I’m bored too. I’m done pretending. Three years of acting is my limit, I guess. This is all I can do. Goodbye."

Sawyer’s face darkened, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. In a flash, he grabbed her arm, yanking her close.

"So everything you did was just an act?" His voice was dangerously low. "When you stayed up late at night to make soup for me, when you took care of me, when you followed after me, worrying about me—was all of that just a damn act?"

"Yes!" Ellie snapped, wrenching her arm free. "Everything was just an act to please you and get your money. And now I’m done!"

Reaching into the pocket of her nightwear, she pulled out the used epipen from last night and shoved it against his chest.

"And you almost killed me yesterday with your stupid food. So pay me for that! Give me a check to cover my medical bill!"

The epipen hit his chest and clattered to the ground.

Sawyer looked down at it, his jaw tightening before his gaze snapped back to her.

"So this is why you’re angry?" His voice dripped with irritation. "Because of this damn little thing? Because you had an allergic reaction to the food I sent you?"

He let out a sharp scoff, stepping even closer.

"Fine! I’ll pay you double for whatever the hell it costs. Triple! Are you happy now? Are you done?"

Before Ellie could answer, Olivia’s sickly sweet voice chimed in.

"Actually, I’ll pay for it."

Ellie’s eyes snapped to Olivia, who had suddenly stepped closer, looping her arms around Sawyer’s. Her tiny red dress clung to her curves as she tilted her head and smiled at Ellie.

"Sawyer and I are going to get married soon," she cooed. "I can pay for whatever debts he has. You took care of him while I was gone, but now that I’m back, he doesn’t need you anymore. So it’s somehow my fault too that he became careless about you."

Ellie’s already burning temper ignited into an inferno.

"Great!" She sneered, her voice laced with venom. "I just want the money. I don’t give two fucks about who pays me."

Sawyer’s expression darkened further, his body stiffening. The moment Ellie’s words left her mouth, he tore out of Olivia’s grip and stepped toward Ellie.

"Thank you for making this so fucking easy," he barked. "I was just thinking about how to get rid of you."

He pulled out his checkbook, scribbled a number on it, and ripped the check out. Then, he flung it at Ellie.

"There. Get lost!" he roared. "We're done!"

Ellie caught the check mid-air, her fingers curling around it as she stood, fists tight.

Olivia clung to Sawyer, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "Are you serious? So, we're really done then? You’re not going back to her?" She searched his face for some hint of softness. "Don’t you have any feelings for her?"

Sawyer snapped, his patience wearing thin. "Of course not. Why the hell would I keep a replacement like her around? Why the fuck would I have any feelings for someone like her?"

Ellie’s heart twisted painfully.

Without another word, she spun around and stormed off, entering the house. The moment she was in, she slammed the door shut behind her. That very moment, her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the floor. Sobs wracked her body, shaking her to her core.

Outside, Olivia tightened her arms around Sawyer, grinning.

"I really didn’t expect you to break things off with her so quickly," she gushed. "This was such a great surprise, Sawyer."

Her hands slid up his chest, touching his face and turning him toward her. "Now that you’ve made me this happy, I’ll give you a sweet reward."

She leaned in to kiss him, her lips almost brushing his—but Sawyer suddenly snapped out of it.

He shoved her off, eyes hard. "Do you seriously think I left her because of you?" He growled, his voice ice-cold.

He didn’t wait for her answer. He turned and walked away, his steps quick, vicious, his mind elsewhere.

Olivia stood frozen in place, rage burning through her veins as she glared after him.

He really has feelings for that bitch!

***

The Blue Orchid Bar was alive with energy that night. The grand luxury bar was packed with VIPs and high-profile figures, making the manager restless as he kept a close eye on everything. But among all the important guests, Room 300 was the highest priority.

Inside, the wealthiest and most powerful men in the country lounged, making the room nearly untouchable—even the most influential figures needed special permission just to step inside. Security was on high alert, ensuring nothing disrupted the exclusive gathering.

The VIP room was lavishly designed, with a high-end karaoke system mounted on the wall and an expensive set of plush couches surrounding a table loaded with the rarest, most luxurious liquor in existence. Yet, despite the extravagant setup, only a few people occupied the space.

Sawyer sat on a single couch, legs spread apart, his fingers idly swirling the amber liquid in his glass. Opposite him, on the larger couch, were two men who commanded attention with their mere presence.

The first man had sharp green eyes behind golden-rimmed glasses, his penetrating gaze both unsettling and oddly calming. His features were refined—almost too refined, like he was crafted to deceive. He was Damion Cage. His family owned the largest network of hospitals in the country, making him an heir to a vast empire of wealth and influence.

Beside him sat a man with dark hair, even darker eyes, and a rough, dangerous edge that set him apart. He had the kind of presence that made you instinctively wary, as if he could end someone’s life with a flick of a blade and not bat an eye. He was Mason Nightingale. The richest of them all. His empire spanned hotel, finance, and a network of businesses that most people never even knew existed.

Next to them, a girl sat cross-legged on the couch, completely absorbed in the karaoke machine. Her lips moved silently in sync with the lyrics flashing on the screen, even though the music wasn’t playing.

Restlessly, she tapped her foot to the rhythm of the unheard song, downing another glass of whiskey with ease. She had kind eyes, curly hair and soft features, yet there was an undeniable energy to her. This was Stella Gibson, the owner of a much smaller business compared to the giants in the room—a chain of cafés called ‘Licious.’ Yet, she was perhaps the most influential among them, as her café was the central hub where all their friends gathered.

They were Sawyer’s closest friends, his inner circle.

With a frustrated sigh, Sawyer drank another shot of whiskey, and slammed his glass down on the table, making Stella flinch.

“I did everything for Ellie,” he growled, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “I gave her everything. And all she does is piss me the fuck off! Did she really have to run away from home?”

Damion quirked a brow, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “Isn’t she usually the obedient type? I mean, I’ve never seen her defy you. She always does whatever you say. In all these months, I’ve never once seen her get angry at you.”

Sawyer’s scowl deepened.

“She's greedy!” he spat. “All it took was Olivia waving a goddamn check in front of her, and she took it without hesitation. Didn’t even think twice.” He let out a bitter chuckle. “And she’s lustful. She loves staring at shirtless fucking men. All she ever thinks about is naked men, money, and herself.”

Stella’s gaze finally shifted from the screen, narrowing at him in displeasure.

"That can’t be true." She scowled, setting down her glass. "When you got into that car accident last year and I called her, she came running to the hospital barefoot! She didn’t even change her clothes—she was still in her nightwear. And she stayed there, by your side, until the doctor said you were out of danger. After that, she took care of you for two whole weeks while you were unconscious like a damn nurse.”

Sawyer’s body stiffened. “Wasn’t that Ada?” he muttered, confusion flickering across his face. “All this time, I thought it was Ada.”

Stella scoffed, pouring herself another drink. "Of course not." She took a sip before continuing. "I was there almost every day, and there wasn’t a single time I didn’t see her at the hospital—morning, noon, or night. She never left your side, not even once. She only asked Ada to step in after you woke up and the doctor confirmed that you were strong enough to stand on your own. She must have asked Ada to step in after she couldn’t care for you anymore. Probably because she didn’t get any sleep while taking care of you constantly for weeks. I can’t even imagine how exhausted she must’ve been."

Sawyer’s brows furrowed, his grip tightening around his glass.

"Why didn’t she ever tell me?" His voice was quieter now, almost unsure.

Damion exhaled, leaning back into the couch. His sharp gaze met Sawyer’s, disappointment flickering in his emerald eyes.

"When have you ever seen her brag about anything?" Damion asked. "She never badmouths you, never complains, no matter what you do. And all you ever do is scold her, remind her that she’s just a temporary woman in your life, and scold her to stay in line."

Sawyer clenched his jaw, his chest tightening with unease. Silence stretched between them.

“If she were really selfish, greedy, and lustful,” Stella cut in, “why is she still by your side? Why does she bring you food when you work late? Why does she make you soup when you drink too much, just so you won’t wake up with a stomach ache? Everything she does is for you.” Her voice was sharp, edged with irritation. “And you call her selfish?”

Before he could respond, the sharp ringing of a phone cut through the tense silence.

Mason casually picked up the call. The moment the screen lit up, a grin spread across his face

On the other end, his wife’s face appeared, her bright grin filling the screen.

"Having fun?" Mason's deep voice cut through the noise.

She was standing by the bar, sipping a beer, while music blasted in the background. Instead of staying in the private section with them, she had slipped out when he wasn’t looking and was now in the main bar area, dancing freely.

"Yes." Ana grinned at him drunkenly, her cheeks flushed.

She turned the camera around, showing another girl leaning against the bar with a drink in hand. The woman grinned, lifting her glass toward the screen in a silent toast before weaving through the crowd and jumping onto the dance floor.

Mason’s brows furrowed.

“That was Ellie." Ana leaned in closer to the speaker, raising her voice so he could hear her over the music. "She’s dancing!" She giggled, clearly intoxicated, barely holding herself upright. "She told me she and Sawyer broke up, so we’re having a breakup party now."

"Jesus." Mason cursed under his breath.

He shot up from his seat, grabbing his coat. At the same time, he tossed the phone toward Sawyer. "I’m going to get my wife. Do you care about yours?"

Sawyer caught the phone, his scowl deepening as he looked at the screen.

Ellie was on the dance stage, surrounded by men.

She wore a short, tight black dress that clung to her body like a second skin. A delicate mesh cutout ran in a sleek triangle from beneath one breast to her waist, teasing just enough skin to make her look subtly revealing, yet dangerously seductive.

Sawyer’s eyes burned through the screen. Without another second’s delay, he bolted to his feet.

The people in the room exchanged silent grins before following behind him.

Sawyer stormed through the main entrance of the bar, heading straight for the dance floor. His gaze scanned the crowd until it landed on Ellie.

She was in the center, moving to the music, eyes closed, hands in the air, swaying effortlessly. The dim lighting cast a sultry glow on her figure, the dress clinging to her curves like a second skin.

Just then, like a magnet, a man’s gaze snapped toward Ellie on the dance floor. He hesitated only for a second before turning fully, a slow grin spreading across his face. Without missing a beat, he stepped closer, placing his hands on her waist.

Ellie felt the touch and turned. He was handsome, so she let her arms rest on his shoulders, letting the music guide their movements. His hands slid around her waist, pulling her in as they danced.

Sawyer’s entire face darkened.