Chapter 2

"You may now leave," I said calmly.

Monica finally lost her composure. Her face flushed red, not with embarrassment, but with rage. She had been the golden child her entire life. No one had ever rejected her in public before.

"Fine."

She glared at me viciously as she snatched the termination letter off the desk, adding, "I'll remember what happened today, Ms. Campbell. I just hope you won't regret it."

Once she left, I dismissed the other four interns as well.

Ingrid clearly still struggled to process what had happened. She kept trying to persuade me.

"Ms. Campbell, why did you do that? Kovane Group may not be what it used to be, but it's still a major corporation. They've still got more than most. Publicly firing the Kovane family's daughter isn't a wise move."

"Are you finished?" I asked coldly, instantly sealing her mouth shut. "Make copies of every project Monica handled during her internship and bring them to my office."

That afternoon, Ingrid had just delivered the files when my office door was shoved open from the outside. I looked up to see a well-preserved woman striding in on a pair of high heels.

She wore a tailored suit. The diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist was brilliant, almost dazzling, and her makeup was so immaculate that it concealed her true age.

That would be Selena Langford. 20 years had passed, and life had clearly treated her well.

"So you're the head of this company?" Selena said.

She walked straight to my desk, sat down without being invited, and casually tossed her luxury handbag onto it. "Who gave you the nerve to fire my daughter?"

I ignored her. Taking my time, I picked up my cup and poured myself some water. "Mrs. Kovane, you're just as full of energy as ever. It seems you've taken very good care of yourself all these years."

Selena froze. She stared at my face for some time, but ultimately didn't recognize me. She had long since forgotten about me.

20 years ago, I had been nothing more than a scruffy six-year-old girl. With a single sentence, she had me thrown out of my own home.

Now, I was the CEO of a conglomerate worth billions. How could she possibly recognize me? Instead, she assumed I knew her because she was Graham's wife.

"Since you know who I am, let's not waste each other's time."

Selena spoke with effortless grace and an arrogance of someone who had spent decades living a life of privilege. "Monica is my daughter. The fact that she was willing to work for your company should be an honor for you.

"With her abilities, making her an ordinary employee would be a waste of talent. Just promote her straight to a managerial position."

I chuckled. "You think she's deserving of that?"

Her face shifted. "What did you just say?"

I set my cup down and met her eyes. "I said she's undeserving."

Selena shot to her feet, her face turning pale with fury. "Don't mistake my courtesy for weakness! My daughter chose to work at your company because she thought highly of it!

"Do you know how many projects Kovane Group handles every year? One word from my husband, and the benefits your company would receive would be enough to keep you comfortable for a lifetime!"

I watched her ugly display in silence and couldn't help but wonder if she had looked just like this when she threatened Mom into giving up her place as Mrs. Kovane back then.

"I'm sorry, but I have no interest in partnering with Kovane Group."

I pressed the button on my desk phone. "Send two security guards to my office."

The guards arrived moments later and grabbed Selena by the arms.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn't expected that someone would actually lay a hand on her, given who she was.