Best Friends Marrying into the Tycoon Family

I married into the all-powerful Wells family alongside my best friend Julie George.

I became the wife of the family business heir, Jere Wells.

Julie wed the blazing-hot movie star Neil Wells.

Julie stared at a paparazzo's photo of Neil dining with his old flame, Laura Foster.

She asked me with a pained look, "Are you getting a divorce? Once we're free, we'll each get two male escorts and travel the world."

I gazed at a news release about Laura Foster landing a Wells Group endorsement deal.

My heart hardened. "I'm in! The male escorts better be top-notch... they have to be better than Jere in bed!"

A man behind me yanked me to his side like a helpless kitten and said coolly, "I'm not good enough? Why are you leaving me?"

1

I sat next to Julie on the wide sofa, both of us glued to our phones.

Her fingers froze on the screen.

I leaned over to look. Holy cow.

A famous paparazzo had snapped Neil eating with the newly returned Laura Foster.

Their arms were linked, their behavior cozy.

Laura Foster was the childhood sweetheart of both Wells brothers, their families close friends.

Since we married into the family, she'd only existed in the chatter of our naive mother-in-law, Margaret Wells.

"Laura never calls me. I miss her so much. Can one of you ask when she's coming back?" Margaret would say.

Her constant mentions of Laura left us both uneasy.

Julie's expression flickered with a dazed look.

She quickly calmed down and asked me, "I'm filing for divorce. Are you in?"

My interest was at 10%.

I'd always been Julie's shadow.

She studied science, so I did too.

She went to Zenith University, and I followed.

When she married into the Wells family, I eagerly did the same.

But Jere hadn't been caught dining with some old flame. Divorce felt a bit extreme.

As I hesitated, Julie pressed harder. "Neil gave me his salary card. I can take care of you. Once we're free, we'll each get two male escorts and travel the world."

My interest jumped to 40%.

Male escorts sounded nice, but just two?

They might not match Jere's skills.

"Ten! Ten escorts!"

My excitement hit 80%.

My eyes widened, the word "Deal" nearly slipping out.

A shred of reason held me back.

My phone pinged with a bold headline.

"Rising Star Laura Foster Lands Wells Group's Annual Endorsement Deal! Signing Fee Up to Fifty Million!"

The photo showed her smiling beside Jere at a ribbon-cutting.

She looked radiant, triumphant.

My husband stood behind her, his gaze deep and fixed on her.

He'd never looked at me like that.

Whenever I joked or got playful, he'd give me a look like I was crazy, saying, "Are you out of your mind?"

That thought steeled my resolve. "I'm in!" I said.

Julie grinned, immediately calling her lawyer.

She dove into property division like a pro.

Hearing her plan to take half the Wells fortune made my eyes pop.

That was a huge sum.

She even haggled with the lawyer for a discount on our cases.

No wonder Julie was the leader and I was the sidekick.

Her brain just worked better.

I stared at my phone wallpaper, a wedding photo with Jere.

I felt a twinge of reluctance.

Besides his money, Jere gave me plenty of joy in other ways.

I spoke up softly. "Um... make sure the escorts are top-notch."

Julie turned to me, her face stiffening.

I was still lost in my fantasy and added, "They have to be better than Jere in bed!"

Julie stifled a gasp, pointing shakily behind me.

Before I could turn, a familiar hand grabbed my collar.

It yanked me to his side like a kitten.

His voice was cold. "I'm not good enough? Why are you leaving me?"

2

I turned stiffly, meeting Jere's icy glare.

He squinted at Julie, as if she'd pushed me into this.

"Julie," he said, biting out each word, "Neil's on his way. You'd better figure out how to explain this to him."

Julie froze, slumping onto the sofa, her mind racing.

She ignored my desperate looks, our usual teamwork gone.

I could only awkwardly study Jere's sharp profile.

He turned to me, his expression softening a bit.

His lips curved slightly, but his tone stayed cool. "One divorce in this family is enough. Let them split. We're staying put."

Jere's voice felt like a spell, lulling me into compliance.

I nodded obediently, thoughts of divorce and models vanishing.

A sports car roared outside, its familiar sound announcing Neil's arrival. The car-obsessed showoff screeched to a stop.

Within a minute, he burst in, still in his period drama costume from the set, looking exhausted.

He glanced at us, muttering, "Jere, Catlin."

Jere, with his arm around me, gave a curt nod. "Your wife's pushing mine to divorce. Deal with it."

Neil stormed over to Julie, rubbing his temples.

"Julie, what's this nonsense now? Last time you freaked out over a kiss scene, and I haven't taken one since. Before that, my assistant baked me a cake, and I fired her. What's your issue this time?" Julie sneered and threw her phone at him.

"See for yourself." I was caught up in the drama when Jere pulled me away.

"Let's not meddle in their mess." As if we were not part of this family.

But I followed him quietly anyways.

I sat in the passenger seat, asking Jere, "Why did they choose Laura Foster as the spokesperson?"

She'd just returned to the country, with little industry experience and barely any notable roles.

We had a movie star in the family, and even if they avoided using him to dodge rumors, the industry was packed with top actresses. By all logic, she'd never have gotten the chance.

"Catlin, don't get caught up in Julie's nonsense. Laura's just a friend we grew up with. I don't have any other intentions," Jere said.

No other intentions?

What about the photo of them I found in a drawer right after we got married?

I showed it to Julie, my hands shaking.

She didn't say anything, just went to her room and pulled out another photo.

It was a picture of three people.

Laura stood in the center, smiling purely.

Jere had cut out the part with his brother.

Neil had cut out the part with Jere.

That kind of brotherly sync was uncanny.

I stayed silent, turning up the car's music and staring out the window, lost in thought.

3

Jere seemed terrified I'd keep in touch with Julie.

He dragged me to his office, watching me closely.

During meetings, he'd hand me paper and a pen, letting me doodle behind him.

I had to admit, he looked incredibly sharp at work.

His eyes, framed by gold-rimmed glasses, focused intently on the screen.

He'd speak up at key moments, cutting straight to the point.

His face showed little emotion, though he'd glance back at me occasionally, as if saying, "Bored yet? It's almost over."

But the meeting dragged on so long I nearly dozed off.

I was used to it. He was the type to ditch our anniversary dinner over a subordinate's mistake, rushing back to the office.

I'd been left staring at flowers and cake on the hotel's top floor.

I ended up calling Julie to join me-otherwise, that huge bed would've gone to waste.

Then the secretary knocked. "Miss Foster is here."

"Wrap it up here. We'll go over details tomorrow," Jere said.

Only Laura could pull him out of work mode.

I followed him and saw her for the first time.

I'd looked her up online before-25, clean record, no scandals.

Not even the media knew she was a Foster, probably because her family shielded her well.

She wore a white dress, looking just like she did in that old photo from when she was 18.

I suddenly understood why both brothers couldn't forget her.

That pure, untouchable aura was something no man could resist.

She called out sweetly, "Jere, I'm not interrupting, am I?"

She completely ignored me, probably thinking I was just some secretary.

Jere replied, "No, perfect timing."

He turned to the secretary, telling her to take me to the lounge.

He even instructed her to order my favorite desserts and iced coffee.

He played the part of a caring husband.

But that caring husband didn't glance at me once.

The lounge's air conditioning was cranked too high, the chill seeping into my heart.

I saw a dozen missed calls from Julie on my phone and called her back.

This time, I spoke first. "Julie, are you still getting a divorce?"

After a few seconds of silence, her firm voice came through. "Yes."

4

Julie and I met at a bar, drinking ourselves senseless.

"Catlin, you know what that jerk Neil said? He said Laura Foster just got back and needed him to hook her up with industry connections. That's why he met her.

But what about me? I was making waves in the industry too, and my talent's no less than hers. But what did I get for marrying him? Restrictions on showing my face in public and a husband whose heart isn't even mine," she slurred.

I mumbled, "But you got money..."

Julie's spending was reckless, but the Wells family fortune could handle it.

Her glassy eyes lit up at my words. She grabbed my hand, her tone fierce as if making a vow. "Exactly! I've got money! The Wells family only has two sons. If we take half their fortune, what kind of men can't we find?"

Then she paused, as if struck by a thought. "You and Jere didn't sign a prenup, did you?"

We did.

Before the wedding, in front of a lawyer, Jere handed me a document to sign.

I was so smitten with his looks and charm that I signed without even glancing at it.

Julie groaned, "We're screwed. We'll only get a quarter of it then."

I asked, "How much is a quarter?"

She counted on her fingers. "Enough to hire ten top-tier male escorts a day, every day, without repeats, until we die."

I cheered, "Awesome!"

We happily decided to finalize the divorce once the lawyer drafted the papers.

While waiting, we had to attend Margaret's birthday banquet.

Appearances mattered, so we showed up dressed to the nines, leaving the brothers to fend for themselves.

Usually, we'd be on their arms, playing the dutiful wives. This time, they were on their own.

At first, Julie and I thought Margaret was trying to put us, her less-than-perfect daughters-in-law, in our place.

But no, she genuinely adored Laura.

She'd always wanted a daughter but got two sons instead. With the Foster family next door being so busy, she'd practically raised Laura like her own little princess.

Julie couldn't stand it and tugged me to leave.

But Laura glanced over, saying to Margaret, "I haven't met Mrs. Wells. Won't you introduce us, Margaret?"

No escape now.

She greeted us politely, complimenting Julie's beauty.

Obviously-Julie was stunning. If she were still in the industry, Laura wouldn't stand a chance.

When it was my turn, she looked me up and down and said I looked like I enjoyed my food.

Was she mocking me for gaining a few pounds and looking chubby next to Julie?

I swallowed my anger, but Julie wasn't about to let it slide.

"First time meeting you, and wow, such refined grace, like a lotus blooming pure and untouched. That white dress really makes you look like a saint, doesn't it?"

Margaret, clueless, nodded approvingly.

Laura's face flushed red, then green, like a shifting palette.

She didn't respond, just slipped between the brothers to chat.

What a cozy scene.

Julie and I exchanged a look, our resolve to divorce even stronger.

The banquet was crawling with Neil's investors.

Laura didn't miss a beat, trailing him shyly to network.

Julie whispered to me, "That director, Mr. Walton, once wanted me for his film, but I was too lovestruck to accept.

That CEO, Mr. Winchester, offered to start an agency for me. Even after I left the industry, he still emailed me to come back.

Damn it, she's snatching all my opportunities. If I'd known this would happen, I'd have stayed in the industry till I dropped."

She was fuming, ready to explode.

The worst part was Laura brushing an eyelash off Neil's face in front of everyone, without a care.

Julie's pent-up rage finally erupted. Seizing a moment, she stomped her heel onto Laura's dress hem.

Laura yelped as her gown tore, a huge chunk ripped away.

It wasn't revealing, but at an event like this, a torn dress was humiliating.

Neil yanked Julie aside, his voice rising. "Julie, what the hell? Why are you embarrassing her?"

Jere came over to me. "Can you lend her a dress?"

This was the first time for them to speak with us tonight.

I smiled. "Sure, you bought them all anyway. Your call."

He looked at me, his expression unreadable, then waved a hand, telling the maid to take Laura upstairs to change.

Julie grabbed me, and we bolted from the Wells estate.

We hopped into the red supercar Neil had bought, speeding off at seventy miles an hour.

When we stopped, Julie said, "Forget waiting for the papers. We're leaving tomorrow."