Chapter 001

*VALERIE*

Promises were meant to be kept, but the ones made to me were..... mere words. Air.

My vision blurred as I clutched the note with trembling hands.

Each words felt like they were carved with a hot tong into my memory.

No matter how I reshuffle the words, they still meant the same thing.

Michael. The man I was to marry today left with my sister.

No.

This couldn’t be real.

It had to be a cruel joke. A sham.

He promised me. He swore to love me, to fight for me, to stand beside me when the world turned cold.

But the note said something different.

Cara. The little girl that clung to me always.

My sister has betrayed me.

Why didn't I notice?

Why didn't I see the signs?

I felt my knees weaken and I gripped Brenda's arm for support before I crumpled to the ground.

“Valerie... ” Brenda, my best friend whispered, her voice trembling as if afraid the truth itself might shatter me further.

But it already did.

My lungs squeezed for more air as I feel my heart breaking apart.

I wanted to scream, tear the paper into shreds and dig my nails deep into my skin to match the pain squashing my insides. But I didn't.

Instead, I clutched my chest painfully, gasping for air.

Murmurs rippled from the back of the hall and slowly escalated into full blown speeches.

Some people in the crowd even brought their phones to film my humiliation.

Just then—

" Get her out of here!"

My father's voice boomed from the back of the hall.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed my father's bodyguard drawing near.

"If you move an inch closer, I will chop off your balls and feed them to the dogs."

Despite my heart breaking into fragments, my voice came out stronger. Enough to make the bodyguard's eyes widen .

He stopped walking and took a step back.

I heard my father's scoff in disbelief.

He was probably going to fire the guard for defying his order but that was the least of my problems.

His footsteps grew louder as he drew near.

My heart raced with each footstep but I kept my face neutral.

I wasn't ready for the sharp pain that shook my core when his hand connected with my cheek.

Brenda gasped.

"I warned you," he growled, his face twisted in anger and maybe disappointment. "about that lowlife. About not holding onto him. And now look at us. Me, in front of all these people."

"Do you know what would happen if the press get wind of this?" He continued as I rubbed my cheek to soothe the ache.

" The investors would pull out their shares and just like that all my hard work would go down the drain because of you."

I chuckled bitterly.

" You could have fooled me," I said with a scoff. " For a moment, I thought you actually cared."

Tears pooled in my eyes and I blinked them back.

"Y–You didn't ask if I was okay,"

My voice cracked.

"But as always, what you care about is your reputation."

"You ungrateful child!" He snarled, wagging a finger at me.

"After all I have done for you."

My lips trembled violently.

I couldn't take this anymore.

So, I stormed off with Brenda hot on my trail.

My chest felt heavy, each breath dragging against my ribs.

I heard him say something but it went with the wind.

In a daze, I walked with no destination in mind as rain fell in torrents, soaking through my white dress.

"I want to be alone," I whispered softly, turning to Brenda who was trailing me quietly.

"Val, what —

" I said, I want to be alone!"

She gaped at me in shock, a look of hurt flashing across her face as if I'd struck her with my words.

She then reached for me and I drew back.

" P... Please," I croaked out.

She hesitated, her eyes searching mine desperately.

She nodded in understanding, her shoulders dropped in defeat and she walked away.

Her footsteps disappeared with the darkness and I was alone, I finally let the tears fall.

My knees buckled. I sank onto the ground, drenched, bruising my knee against the gravel.

My shoulders shook as sobs racked through me.

My heart felt like it was shredded to pieces and cold seeped through my bones.

A heart wrenching cry tore from my throat .

The two people I hold dear to my heart were the same ones who stepped on it, ripping it out from my chest.

_______

Few days later, I sat in my room, hiding from the world.

The silence was the only thing that dulled the ache in my head. I hadn’t left my penthouse since that day. The curtains stayed drawn, the lights dim. I lived in shadows now, where shame couldn’t find me so easily.

The press camped outside like vultures, flashing cameras at my windows, waiting for me to show up.

I dialled Michael's number for the hundredth time and waited patiently, biting my nails.

The response hadn't changed. His phone was switched off .

I turned off do not disturb and notifications flooded in.

Multiple missed calls from Brenda but none came from my father and Cara.

I clicked on an article as curiosity gnawed at me.

Big Mistake.

The headline hit me like a punch to the gut:

'Runaway Groom: Socialite Valerie Hampton Left at the Altar.'

Beneath it was a photo. A photo of my tear-stained face, mascara smeared under my eyes.

A sob caught in my throat, bitter and raw. I threw the phone across the room. It hit the wall with a satisfying crack.

But nothing broke as loudly as I did.

Enough.

I was done crying for him. He left me and chose my sister.

I wiped the tears off and peeled the duvet away.

I need to get back to work.

I winced when I caught sight of my reflection on the mirror. I looked a mess with dark circles under my eyes, my hair tangled like it hadn't been combed through.

"You are not a porcelain doll, you don't break."

I gave my self a pep talk as I freshened up and got dressed in a pant suit and white shirt, my hair packed up in a sleek bun.

I took one last glance at myself and walked out.

I managed to escaped the prying eyes of the press but as soon as my driver pulled up at the back entrance of the office building,they swarmed me like bees.

" Valerie,over here!

"Is it true your sister stole your fiancé ?

"Did you know about the affair?"

"Are you still the CEO, or is your father forcing you out?"

I kept walking like their words didn’t claw at my skin.

But then—

"Valerie, how does it feel to be stood up at the altar." A lady with a cocky smile asked and I scoffed.

How does she think it felt, refreshing?

I squinted my eyes as I read the name on the tag around her neck.

Mara Rivera from ABC news. She looks fresh out of college, too bad, she was getting fired today.

I entered the building, my heels clicking against the floor .

The usually busy lobby froze. Conversation was cut short . Phones on silent.

In my peripheral vision, a guy was almost turning green from holding his breath for too long.

I smirked. Now, that's what I was talking about.

It was useless crying over some asshole who dumped me for my sister.

He couldn't even do that in person.

Clara, my clumsy yet hardworking personal assistant came running breathlessly and met me halfway.

I arched my eyebrows at her disheveled state, eyes wide like she'd seen a ghost.

"Ma'am, I didn't know you were coming in," she rushed out, catching her breath.

"I got stood up, Clara, not hospitalized," I said coolly, brushing past her into my office. The click of my heels echoed on the marbled floor.

"Right," she muttered under her breath.

"What’s my schedule for the day?"

She blinked. " Nothing’s on it. Your father canceled everything after…well…” Her voice trailed off.

I didn’t let her to finish the sentence.

"He doesn’t get to make decisions for me,"I snapped. "Reschedule everything. I want a full calendar by noon."

Clara nodded with a mumbled, "Yes, ma’am."

"And…?" I prompted, eyeing her hesitance.

" Someone's waiting —

"You heard the news right?"

The words barely registered before my attention snapped to the two employees loitering near the lobby.

"She deserves it," one of them snickered.

" I’ve watched that clip like, five times. Total disaster."

My jaw clenched. My fists balled at my sides. The audacity.

"you might as well say it to my face," I said, my voice slicing through the air.

They both spun around, pale as ghosts. One dropped her phone.

"M-Miss Hampton, we didn’t mean—"

"Save it," I cut in coldly. " Before the end of the day, I want your resignation letters on my desk."

"But—"

"Did I stutter?"

"N-No, ma’am." They scurried off like cockroaches.

Clara stood frozen beside me, wide-eyed.

I turned to her. " You were saying something?

"Yes, ma’am," she said, recovering quickly, falling in step behind me as I resumed walking.

"Someone is here, I told him you weren't coming in but he insisted on waiting." She blurted out breathlessly.

My brows furrowed.

"Who?" I asked, pushing the door to my office open and stepping in.

"Him."

As if on cue, the chair swiveled around, and I came face to face with the one everyone feared—except me. The very person who had everyone at his feet, like loyal lap dogs.

My arch-nemesis, Zachary Wellington.

His lips curled into a slow smirk as he stood up. "It's nice to finally meet you in person, Valerie."