If Aspen had never found out that Colin had something to do with Sophie's death, she might have walked away from Fuller Group with nothing. But now, even a single cent missing was out of the question."You're delusional!" Colin scoffed and shoved her hard in the shoulder, knocking her back onto the couch.Then, without hesitation, he tossed a folder right at her. "Sign it, and you're officially the project manager."The corner of the document cut Aspen's cheek as it hit her face. It wasn't deep, but it still drew blood. She winced and picked up the file, flipping through every page carefully. After confirming everything was correct, she calmly signed her name at the bottom.Without missing a beat, she opened a drawer and pulled out the settlement agreement she had prepared days ago. As she handed it to Colin, she said, "Per our agreement—fair and square." The exchange was straightforward, yet Colin still felt a jolt of fury when he saw the perfectly prepared settlement agreemen
Colin stumbled backward from her shove, but there was no emotion in his eyes. There was no anger, no sadness—just icy indifference as he stared at her losing control right in front of him.After she slammed the door in his face, he scoffed, a mocking sneer on his face. "I knew it. You really are insane."Aspen had once lived with that tone of voice nearly every day—his contempt, his mockery, his emotional abuse. There was a time when it nearly broke her, when she really thought she might lose her mind. Yet, the real tragedy was that she never fought back. She had swallowed it all—quietly and obediently, like a fool.Nonetheless, she wasn't that woman anymore. Without hesitation, she grabbed one of her heels from the floor and hurled it straight at Colin's face. Words were useless now. Violence, even small and symbolic, was the only thing that made her feel even slightly in control of her rage and pain. Colin's composure shattered, and he lost all pretense of calm. He spun aroun
After throwing those heels at Colin, Aspen felt an incredible sense of relief wash over her. Once she finished her slice of chocolate cake, she booted up her laptop and got straight to work on the new project. Since Colin had agreed to her terms, she was determined to make this project a real success.Aren had already given her a full breakdown of Crescent Holdings, so Aspen had a clear understanding of what the company was looking for. With a defined target, it was easy to strategize and precisely tailor her approach.After just a brief moment of thinking, her fingers started flying across the keyboard. Tomorrow, she would be meeting the tech team in person. These tech guys were usually pretty straightforward. With them, it was less about politics and more about skill. Whoever had the most talent got the most respect. When it came to first impressions, Aspen had every intention of earning their respect through sheer capability. By the time the night was over, Aspen already ha
"Thanks," Aspen said with a light laugh. Then, she clapped her hands together and addressed the room. "Since we're all here, let's get to work. Come on, everyone—gather around. Let's kick things off with a quick meeting."Aspen pulled out a USB drive and handed it to Zephyr as she spoke. "Mind helping me with this? Thanks.""Of course! I'm on it!" Zephyr immediately took the drive and hurried over to connect it to the big screen. Within seconds, the contents of her drive popped up on the projector for everyone to see."I may be new here, but I know our top priority right now is securing a partnership with Crescent Holdings and helping Fuller Group complete its transformation," Aspen began, her tone calm but firm. "This is a model I put together last night. Take a close look, and feel free to share your thoughts. We're going to build this program out together."Aspen jumped straight into work. Most of the tech guys in the room were the no-nonsense, data-driven type, the kind who d
Aspen knew that the better she performed, the stronger Fuller Group would become. That way, with time, it would only become easier to get what she wanted. With her goals clearly mapped out, all her actions became sharper, more methodical....Meanwhile, at Jefferson Corp, Eric burst into Aren's office, looking visibly flustered as he reported, "Mr. Jefferson, are you aware that Aspen's already joined the tech department at Fuller Group?" Aren glanced at him and couldn't help but smirk. He blinked slowly and said, "What's the panic? Weren't you the one who used to complain about her the most? Why are you secretly keeping tabs on her now?"Eric got even more worked up. "I don't care about her personally, but if she's in the tech department and starts teaming up with Colin, we're screwed. We won't have the power to stop them."Although he didn't like Aspen, he had to admit that she was the real deal when it came to skills.Aren, however, looked completely unbothered and even a litt
Ever since Aspen had married Colin, all she had been surrounded by was negativity. Most of the people in his circle looked down on her just like he did. After all, she came from a middle-class background and didn't fit into their country club world of old money and power plays.Over time, even Aspen had started to question her own worth. But now, looking into Zephyr's eyes filled with admiration, she suddenly realized she was never the problem. She had always been brilliant; Colin and his people were just too blind to see it."Then keep working on it," Aspen said with a soft laugh. "Once you're done, I'll help polish it up, okay?" She had only been there for a few hours, yet everything was already organized. Not only had she laid out the long-term vision, but she had also delegated responsibilities for each team member, clearly assigning who should do what. With a leader this efficient and focused, the previously chaotic tech department was now running smoothly. Riley quick
"Colin is definitely not a great example of how a boss should act," Aspen said with a smirk. "You're just an overworked employee, and cussing him out is practically your right. Honestly, even I want to curse him too sometimes."She added, "But just venting doesn't help. It'll only get you into trouble, so I hope you can stay calm and think clearly about your next move. Oh, and about your bonus—don't stress. I'll cover it. No way I'm letting an employee feel unappreciated. You agree, right?"Aspen kept her tone light as she walked over and grabbed a few napkins, wiping the coffee off the table until it was spotless. At the end of the day, a job was a job—who one worked for didn't matter as much as how well they handled their business.Riley watched her from behind, lost in thought. Aspen had seen everything that had happened behind closed doors, and he couldn't help but feel a little unsettled.On the other hand, Aspen knew that if she hadn't transferred to the tech department, th
In the past, Aspen might have believed Gwyneth was looking out for her. But now, she knew exactly what Gwyneth's sarcastic tone really meant.Aspen didn't even bother responding to her. Instead, she looked straight at Colin and asked, "Is that what you think too?""If you're working here, you need to follow company policy. No one gets special treatment," Colin replied coldly, all business-like.Aspen let out a short laugh and said flatly, "Alright then. In that case, Mr. Fuller, why don't you lead by example? From what I heard, the bonus for the tech department was approved before I even got here, but when I submitted the paperwork today, you blocked it. Care to explain that?" She continued, "I just took over the tech department, and everything's running smoothly. So I'd really appreciate a clear explanation from you, Mr. Fuller. What exactly about this bonus breaks the rules or seems unreasonable?"Every word Aspen said was calm, calculated, and impossible to argue with. If they
Colin opened his eyes and looked at the steaming bowl of soup, but not a single trace of appetite stirred within him. He muttered, "I'm not hungry. You should have it instead.""Colin, just have a little." Gwyneth persuaded him gently, lifting a spoonful and holding it near his lips. "It's good for your stomach."Colin glanced at her, and seeing the tenderness in her face, something inside him softened. He parted his lips and took a sip. The soup was mild, with a slight sweetness, but it tasted dull and lifeless to him."Aspen's cooking was better," he murmured under his breath.Gwyneth's face froze, and her hand trembled—she almost dropped the spoon. She forced a calm tone while rage surged beneath her skin, asking, "What did you just say?""Nothing," Colin said quickly, realizing his slip-up. "The soup's good. Really."Gwyneth said nothing, continuing to feed him spoonful by spoonful, though her jaw was tight and her smile had vanished. She felt intensely uncomfortable. In no
Gwyneth stood at the doorway, eyeing Colin's drunken state with a flash of irritation—but it vanished just as quickly, replaced by a gentle smile. She said in a sweet voice, "Colin, it's me. Why are you drinking so much again? Didn't the doctor say your stomach can't handle it?"The light in Colin's eyes dimmed. He looked at her and gave a bitter, mocking smile. "You're back."He set down the glass and stumbled to the couch, collapsing onto it with a heavy sigh.Gwyneth walked over and sat beside him, reaching out to massage his temples. She asked, "Colin, something's bothering you, isn't it? You can talk to me."Colin brushed her hand away, the edge in his tone unmistakable. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me." He closed his eyes and leaned back against the couch, shutting himself off. Gwyneth's hand hung in the air for a moment before she slowly lowered it, her smile faltering.She took a deep breath and forced her voice to stay sweet. "Colin, I know things have bee
Colin's expression grew darker. He hadn't expected that, in just a few days of being hospitalized, his company would fall into such chaos. He paced back and forth in the room, seething with frustration. Deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that Aspen had something to do with all of this.That night, when Colin returned home, he found Gwyneth lounging on the couch, watching TV."Colin, you're back," Gwyneth said, rising to greet him. Her voice was laced with concern. "How are you feeling today? Any better?""I'm fine," Colin replied blandly. His mind was consumed with company issues, and he had no patience left for small talk."I heard about some things at the office today..." Gwyneth began carefully, testing the waters. "Sounds like things aren't going too well.""Yeah," Colin muttered, barely listening. "I heard Aspen's behind it," Gwyneth added in a cautious tone. "She and Aren are working together, trying to drive Fuller Group out of the market."Colin's eyes darkened
On the weekend, Aren took Aspen to the cemetery to visit Sophie's grave. Aspen crouched in front of the tombstone, gently caressing the photo on it as tears streamed down her face. "Sophie, Mommy's here to see you."Aren stood nearby, silently watching her with a heart full of sympathy. He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, offering wordless comfort. The two stayed at the cemetery for a long time, only reluctantly leaving as the sun began to set.On their way home, they passed by the hospital and happened to see Colin and Gwyneth walking in the corridor. Although Colin's face was still somewhat pale, his spirits had improved greatly. Gwyneth nestled close to him, and the two looked very intimate.Aspen felt a mix of emotions seeing this scene. She wasn't sure whether she felt sadness or acceptance. Aren noticed the change in Aspen's mood and squeezed her hand tightly.Colin also spotted Aspen and Aren. He paused for a moment as a strange sense of bitterness welled u
"What rumors?" Colin frowned and asked."Well, they're saying... They're saying you might not have much time left," James stuttered.Colin shouted angrily, "That's absolute nonsense! I'm perfectly fine!"James replied, "That's good, then. But for the company's stability, you should return to take charge as soon as possible."Colin said, "I understand. I'll be back soon."Colin's face turned ashen with rage as he threw his phone across the room. He wondered who would dare spread such rumors about him at the company....Colin lay in his hospital bed, staring at the ceiling in boredom. The company matters were like a tangled mess, making him restless and irritable. Gwyneth sat beside the bed, peeling an apple while making small talk with him from time to time."Colin, you've been lying here for several days now. When will you be discharged?" Gwyneth's voice was soft and gentle, tickling Colin's heart like a feather."The doctor says they need to observe me for a few more days,
Gwyneth asked, "Colin, what's wrong? You never treated me like this before. Why are you being so harsh with me now?"Colin said, "Go home and get some rest. Stop bothering me." Gwyneth's tears burst forth. She hadn't expected Colin to be so cold-hearted. She ran out of the hospital room crying.Riley watched Gwyneth's retreating figure and sighed. He walked to Colin's bedside and said, "Mr. Fuller, please calm down. Ms. Sanders is just concerned about you."Colin felt hungry but had no appetite, which only fueled his anger. He shouted, "You get out too! I don't want to see you!"Riley couldn't help but roll his eyes. He had worked for Colin for so many years with little appreciation but plenty of hard work, yet Colin treated him this way. It was truly disheartening. He said, "Alright, I'll go. Get some rest."Then, he turned and walked out of the hospital room, gently closing the door behind him.Colin lay in his hospital bed, listening to the sound of the closing door. He fe
"I'm tired and need to rest." Colin closed his eyes, effectively dismissing her.Seeing this, Gwyneth had no choice but to wipe her tears and leave the hospital room, looking back several times as she went.By the time Riley returned to the room, Gwyneth had already left. He looked at Colin lying in the hospital bed and secretly lamented his situation. The company matters were already keeping him busy enough, and now he had to take care of this demanding boss. His luck couldn't get any worse."Riley, where did you go? Why did it take you so long to come back?" Colin opened his eyes and asked as he looked at Riley. Riley placed the takeout porridge on the bedside table. "I went to buy you something to eat. The doctor said you can't have solid food, so I bought you some soup."Colin glanced at the bowl of porridge and frowned. "I'm not eating this. It's full of artificial seasoning and tastes terrible.""What would you like to eat, then? I'll buy it for you," Riley asked patient
Aspen watched Aren's gentle manner and felt a warmth surge in her heart. She thought how wonderful it would have been if she had met Aren earlier. But this world had no room for "what ifs"—only results and consequences. All she could do now was cherish the person before her and build a good life with him.After they finished shopping, they returned home. Aren went straight to the kitchen to cook. Aspen sat on the living room couch, watching him work busily, her heart filled with happiness. She thought to herself that simply being with Aren like this, living a quiet, ordinary life together from time to time, was truly wonderful....Colin returned home and felt irritated at the sight of his cold, empty rooms. He remembered how clean and tidy the house had always been when Aspen was there. But now, it was cold and lifeless.He sat on the couch and questioned his current situation for the first time. He began to wonder whether his choice to be with Gwyneth had been right or wrong.
Colin remembered how good Aspen used to be and all the things she had done around the house. He suddenly sat up, feeling that he couldn't go on like this anymore. When he saw the empty space beside him on the bed, he realized that she was truly gone. Colin fell back onto the bed in defeat as tears slid down his face. He suddenly felt ridiculous—he had pushed Aspen away with his own hands, so what right did he have to try to win her back now?...Meanwhile, Aspen was busy in the kitchen. She was experimenting with new recipes, wanting to make something special for Aren.Aren leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching Aspen work, his heart filled with warmth. He asked softly, "Pen, what are you making?""I'm trying out some new recipes," Aspen replied without turning around. "I want to make something delicious for you.""You don't need to put in that much effort," Aren said, walking to Aspen's side, almost reaching out to hug her before pulling his hand back. "I'd be fine wi