Marriage Rights: Billionaire's Forgotten Wife

The years of hard work finally paid off. Yu Qiao was looking back to the events that transpired from the time he woke up from the hospital did not even remember his name five years ago.

His business, Cosmos, has been blessed and blessed beyond its realm since it was just founded three years ago. It all started as a test company by Yu Qiao, who now also called 'The Big Q' by the people who too do business while avoiding most of the legalities.

Nikos, his business partner, was a business genius and still is, at least before the new government policies and tariffs at the time.

How Yu Qiao hated the opposition and all that jazz regarding country regulations. There were different regulations for every county, and as a businessman, they were all required to follow it.

That's that. If you could not follow the rules and also not able to bribe the right official, the business will be best for smuggling. That route was also not profitable most of the time.

So what Yu Qiao did in Country Phi was always to support the ruling party or the official who was willing to be partners with him.

How couldn't he? He needed the government's full support – exemptions, contracts, favors, and all. He, however, never thought the government would fall out of favor with the people - his people. He would often look back on those good business days.

Not only Yu Qiao was having a problem like this. Nikos mentioned that even on his family side, the power struggle for money was like drama on TV.

For example, his nephew Adrian, the third child of Nikos's fourth brother, showed good business wit and competence. It was only natural for him to take over the business from his father. The problem was that he hardly ever accepted his father's 'other skills' like being wise with investments.

"That's is why I am still single," Nikos said after savoring his red wine. He is now on his early fifties, but no woman beside him like what he wanted.

'In business,' according to Nikos, 'it's called goodwill!' He says 'goodwill' with so much emphasis that he would press his tongue against the roof of his mouth like he never s.u.c.k.l.e.d.

Nikos would then lighten his countenance with an erratic grin easily interpreted to mean mischief as he retells his family's business story.

As for him, the Doncrelli family business flourished under Nikos, more so, very well. With Adrian, Nikos's first brother, all wasn't so well. In spite of the authority that he used as the current family head, it was still not enough for him to make them all rich.

While in Cosmos, there were times that they had lost much of its market to its competitors, especially Avian their strongest competition. Avian sure had a hand or two in government.

In all honesty, Yu Qiao doesn't like government favors. That also goes with Nikos. He calls it unprofessional.

Who cares? Three years after they worked on Cosmos, he was yet to make any visible impressions. Cosmos market had fallen by about twenty-two percent this year though, and they both wanted to do something to make up for it.

"Should we offer services from now on?"Nikos thought, making a joke of investing in a whore house. "I have connections with Country M." He added before laughing hard.

"It's hard to invest in a whore house if we could not sample the goods." Yu Qiao smirked. He was not the type to mix business with p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e, even if the business was all about giving p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

"True." Nikos agreed. Then they decided to move the operational headquarters of Cosmos from District D to C that was nearer the particular transportation line.

They both agreed that costing of transportation could be lessened if the headquarters were near the drop point. Also, they both decided that the urban environment of District D unnecessary for any of them.

The new operational office complex stood in a rather unpopulated region of the province with its perimeter fencing covering about ten hectares of v.i.r.g.i.n land. It was a property, leased to them by the previous government.

How else would they know the tides would change?

The new complex stood five floors high with attachments created for machinery. They shared the complex with two younger companies – Magneta and Prime. They had refurbished the complex severally. It had a lemon green painting, with touches of grey and white and was in an area occupied by several other companies and agencies. 

Magneta was a marketing firm specializing in traditional companies and those losing the market. Prime, on the other hand, is a real estate trading company with licenses to about thirty percent of land available in the province.

Yu Qiao looked at the new building with mixed emotions. Nikos and he both wanted to make everything legal. Thus they were trying to follow all necessary arrangements.

Most of the time, Cosmos benefited from the exposure both companies brought it until government interference turned both against it. Yu Qiao hoped that they do not need to deal with unnecessary issues with government arrangement.

They are a financial holding company, and the damned government officials should know that they also fund and sponsor election campaigns!

The government had indicted them of corruption and poor financial auditing practices. Internally, they were financially reckless before. These charges were dug up from government contract records showing details inconsistent with that at Cosmos.

Whose fault was it? Probably his fault as he was too naïve and irresponsible for letting another person take care of the issue.

All these unethical practices that Yu Qiao did not want to happen again.

Looking back at those days, Nikos would say angrily, "Damn with my MBA! Damn! Why was it so hard to be a law-abiding citizen!" The licenses limited their rights to bid on government contracts and for about seven years because of inconsistency.

Cosmos was only able to be awarded two contracts from the government. They, however, won a couple of bids from private companies. 

He was able to pull out some money to fund Cosmos as well from Mo Lihua's funds and because of that, she became a financer and part of the board.

Yu Qiao was 21 when he joined the hierarchy at Mo Corporation. He worked as assistant secretary, while he also acts as Mo Lihua's official representative. The Mo Corporation, without anyone from the Mo family, did not look good but still need to function.

To this day, he was still helping out at the Mo Corporation, while allowing his cousin Chen Jing to work on the Yu Corporation.

He had learned from both his companies and used it to build Cosmos. He was quite optimistic the company could make a fortune. Yes, a wealth. He thinks only of fortunes. He practically passes his exams in school off fortunes.

At Cosmos, however, Yu Qiao learned to be diligent. He would walk with raised shoulders claiming to be one significant person or the other, poking his nose into people's business while his table piled with work.

There were a lot of embarrassing moments. Yu Qiao would often turn up late at work and sign in with the wrong time, claiming to have come earlier. He wears a brown suit usually, as directed by the head of his unit. On many occasions, he had been found flirting around or trying to persuade a member of staff for a date or the night. He spends a significant amount of his working time sending emails with Mo Lihua, checking on her.

Then he was surprised that Rita showed him two babies, twins to be exact, claiming that they were his. That was the time. He felt lost towards his relationship with Mo Lihua.

If not because of the DNA test turning positive, he would have hated her so much for having children from another man during their almost nonexistent marriage.

Now when he remembers it, Yu Qiao would just laugh it off. He sometimes laughed so loud from his office that every other person would keep quiet.

In all honesty, he does not have the right to laugh as he was not sure how his children would react because of the divorce.

Aside from that, his father was still in a coma, not showing any sign that he will wake up soon.

At this time, Yu Qiao only hopes that all things would fall in the right place regarding all aspects of his life…

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