My Husband Brought His Mistress To A Business Dinner To Humiliate His “Useless” Wife. He Didn’t Know I Speak Eight Languages Or That I’m The One Who Actually Owns Our Mansion. Am I Wrong For Letting Him Ruin Himself?

The Audit

The taxi took me to a five-star hotel in Midtown Manhattan. I didn’t choose it for extravagance but to remind myself of my true worth. I deserve to enjoy the best services, to live in the most distinguished space, something I had denied myself for 10 years.

As soon as I got to the room, my phone buzzed, an unknown number from Germany. I took a deep breath and answered.

“Hello, this is Eleanor.”

On the other end, Richter’s deep, familiar voice. This time he spoke in English, likely for international professional courtesy.

“Hello Mrs. Eleanor, this is Klaus Richter. I apologize if I’m disturbing you at this hour.”

“Not at all, sir. I was expecting your call.”

“Excellent. My secretary has just sent the draft of the employment contract to your email. We are very interested in you accepting the position of senior strategic adviser for Southeast Asia. Your first task will be to review the entire collaboration process with our partners in the United States, starting with Mr. Thorne’s company.”

I smiled. Richter was an old fox. He wasn’t just hiring me for my talent. He wanted to use me as a sharp sword to excise the tumors from his network of partners. And he knew that no one knew the ins and outs of Julian’s company better than I did.

“I accept,” I replied firmly. “But I have one condition. I want full decision-making power in the audit and management of infringements, regardless of who the partner is, including my husband’s company.”

“That is exactly what I expected from you, Eleanor. I need absolute transparency. Welcome to H&G.”

I hung up and fell back onto the plush bed, a sense of relief washing over my body. It was done. My future was decided. A brilliant future full of power. I got up and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. The long hair tied back in a ponytail was boring. My face was pale and lifeless. I needed a change.

That afternoon, I went to the most famous salon in the city. I asked them to cut my long hair into a shoulder-length bob, dyed an elegant hazelnut brown. In the mirror, I saw a completely different woman: sophisticated, modern, and full of energy.

Afterward, I visited the luxury boutiques. I didn’t choose fussy dresses but impeccably tailored pantsuits and blouses of soft but structured silk that conveyed professionalism and authority. I bought a pair of pointed-toe heels, the weapon that would help me stand tall in the business world.

When I returned to the hotel, I was no longer the housewife Eleanor of yesterday. I was Eleanor Hayes, the strategic adviser for H&G. I was ready for tomorrow’s battle, a battle without weapons but one that would redefine the entire game.

On Monday morning, the atmosphere in the office building where Julian’s company was located was gloomier than usual. Rumors about the scandal at the holiday dinner had spread throughout the New York business world. Employees arrived with worried faces, whispering about the company’s uncertain future.

At 9:00 a.m. sharp, a luxury car from H&G pulled up to the entrance. The chauffeur opened the door for me and I stepped out. I was wearing a cream-colored pantsuit that enhanced my figure and skin tone, my short hair impeccable, in my hand a leather briefcase with documents. Behind me were two German assistants and a lawyer representing H&G Corporation.

We went straight into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. When the doors opened, the receptionist saw me and her jaw dropped. She stammered, trying to greet me as she always did.

“Hello El—”

But my commanding presence stopped her.

“Inform CEO Julian Thorne that the delegation from H&G has arrived to discuss the contract execution procedures,” I said coldly.

“Yes, yes ma’am.”

The receptionist nervously picked up the phone. Without waiting for her to finish, I signaled to my team to proceed directly to the main boardroom. I knew that at this hour, Julian was in his weekly meeting with the department heads.

I pushed open the door to the room. The murmuring inside ceased abruptly. All eyes were fixed on the entrance. Julian was standing at the head of the table with a marker in his hand, pointing at a whiteboard. He looked gaunt and exhausted. Chloe was sitting in a corner, her face swollen, trying to hide a bruise on her cheek with a thick layer of makeup.

When they saw me, they both flinched as if they had seen a ghost.

“Eleanor, what are you doing here?” Julian asked, his voice shaking but trying to maintain a tone of authority. “This is an internal meeting. If you have no business here, get out.”

I didn’t answer him. I walked to the empty chair opposite him, the seat reserved for the strategic partner. I placed my briefcase on the table calmly. I sat down, crossed my legs, and leaned back comfortably.

“I’m not here as your wife, Mr. CEO.” I emphasized the last two words with irony. “I am Eleanor Hayes, senior strategic adviser and plenipotentiary representative of H&G for Southeast Asia.”

I signaled to my assistant to place my business card and the power of attorney signed by Richter on the table, sliding them toward Julian. Julian picked up the paper with a trembling hand. He read it over and over as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.

The department heads around him began to whisper. They looked at me with a mix of astonishment and admiration. They had heard rumors that I had saved the company, but they didn’t expect me to return with such power.

“Impossible,” Julian muttered. “How could he have appointed you so quickly? What kind of witchcraft did you use on him?”

“Competence, Julian,” I replied curtly. “Something you never wanted to acknowledge in me. And now, as the representative of the contracting party, I demand that this meeting focus on auditing and reviewing the financial capacity of the partner company.”

“Audit?” Chloe exclaimed, her voice breaking. “We just closed the annual audit. Everything is transparent.”

“Whether it’s transparent or not, we’ll soon see.” I stared hard at Chloe with a sharp gaze. “I’ve hired one of the Big Four for an independent audit. They are already waiting in the accounting department. I hope you have all the receipts prepared, especially for the representation and travel expenses you are in charge of.”

Chloe turned pale and her pen dropped. She knew exactly what I was referring to. The amounts she had diverted for her personal expenses, the fake invoices, everything was in my crosshairs. Julian slammed the table.

“You’re trying to corner me! Do you want to destroy this company?”

“I’m not destroying it.” I stood up, placing my hands on the table and leaning toward him. “I’m saving it from the parasites that are corroding it. H&G doesn’t work with fraudulent partners. If you’re clean, you have nothing to fear. If you have something to hide, you’d better be prepared.”

The room fell silent. No one dared to breathe. The power had completely shifted. The woman who was once considered useless now held the fate of the entire company in her hands.