Chapter 3 : Get in the car my Queen

Julian’s eyes widened, his ego visibly bruised by her rejection. Is she out of her goddamn mind? I am Julian Cross.

“Oh, listen to her!” Mrs. Cross shrieked, completely losing her mind at Althea’s defiance. “She’s acting all high and mighty! Julian, she must have stolen something from this house! That’s why she doesn’t want the condo!”

In a fit of frantic greed, Mrs. Cross turned and rushed toward the entrance, where Althea’s two suitcases were sitting. She violently ripped the zippers open, tossing Althea’s simple clothes into the air. She dug her manicured hands deep into the fabric until she finally pulled out a small velvet jewelry box.

“Is this jewelry the reason you suddenly feel too important to accept what my son is giving you?”

Althea’s eyes widened as she rushed to her side.

“Those are the only things I have left of my mother!” she screamed, reaching for the box. “Those are for my mother!”

“Your mother, my foot,” Mrs. Cross muttered, pulling the box away from her.

She tossed the box onto the floor. It opened on impact and the pieces scattered everywhere across the floor.

Althea quickly bent down, desperately trying to pick up each pearl one after another. These were the only things she had left of her mother.

Mrs. Cross moved to her side, snatched the pieces Althea had already picked up and threw them back onto the floor.

“These are probably some fake-ass pieces of jewelry anyway.”

Althea looked at Julian without saying a word, silently hoping he would stop his mother from doing yet another horrible thing to her. But he simply stood there without a word, just like he always did.

Maybe this was how little he loved her.

Anchoring herself against the breaking storm inside her, Althea stood up and wiped away a stray tear. She refused to beg anymore.

“Get her out of this house immediately.”

That was all Julian could say before he turned and started walking toward the elevator.

Althea stood there, looking at the maids. Their faces were lowered, too ashamed to look at her.

Without a word and without a backward glance, Althea turned her back on the Cross family. She wasn't about to make a fool of herself for a family that had made a fool of her for years.

She walked straight toward the massive front doors.

She hadn't been given a single break. After four years of pouring her heart, soul, and brilliant mind into this ungrateful family, this was exactly how they paid her back. They had stolen her credit, insulted her dead mother, and stripped her of everything.

She pushed the heavy doors open and stepped out onto the driveway. Behind her, the door closed and locked her out. With nothing to her name.

Althea stood on the empty asphalt, the afternoon air hitting her damp clothes. . She pulled out her phone to see where she could go, but the screen instantly flashed a warning. The red battery icon blinked once, twice and then the screen went completely black at it dead.

She stared at it in disbelief. Of all the things that could go wrong today, even her phone had abandoned her.

Her bank account was nearly empty, she had nowhere to stay, and she couldn't even call a taxi. With a bitter sigh, she gripped her suitcase and dragged it all the way down the long, private estate road. Reaching the main entrance of the exclusive gated community, she paused. Ahead of her lay a miles-long walk down the highway.

Just as she gripped the handle of her suitcase to prepare for the long, humiliating trek, the heavy purr an engine sounded behind her.

A sleek, customized black sedan rolled down the driveway and slowed beside her. Its tinted windows concealed the driver, and the car was unlike any she'd seen around the estate since she and the family had moved there two years ago.

The vehicle glided to a smooth, abrupt stop right alongside her, blocking her path just as she tried to step forward. It had driven so close and so fast that it almost clipped her.

Adrenaline spiked through Althea's veins. After everything she had endured today, she was ready to unleash her raw anger on this careless driver. She glared at the tinted glass, bracing herself to snap.

Then, the passenger window rolled down with a quiet hiss.

A man in a perfectly tailored suit sat behind the wheel. He looked far too composed for someone who had nearly obstructed a woman dragging a suitcase down a private road.

Althea turned toward him, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

Then he smiled.

For some reason, that only annoyed her more.

“Need a ride, Mrs. Cross?” he asked, his deep voice carrying an unmistakable note of amusement. “Or should I call you the real brains behind Project Helios?”

Althea froze, her hand tightening around the handle of her suitcase until her knuckles turned white. How could he possibly know that? "Who are you?"

“I'm an admirer of true genius.” He leaned slightly toward the open window. “And the CEO of Logistics Global. Your husband's biggest competitor.”

Logistics Global.

Even Althea knew the name. The company had been competing with Cross Industries for years.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing you haven't already earned.” His smile faded into something more serious. “I know Julian has been taking credit for work that isn't his. I know Julian is nothing but an empty suit, Althea. I saw the coding override on the Heritage Board’s network this morning. Julian didn't save that 3.4 billion dollar contract. You did."

He reached over and unlocked the passenger door from the inside, letting it swing open invitingly.

"Your husband is currently inside celebrating a stolen victory. How dare he give your life's work to another woman," the CEO said, his dark eyes locked onto hers with unwavering intensity. "Get in. Let’s talk about how we can make Julian pay for what he took from you. At the very least, let me drive you to your destination."

Althea stared back at him, the shock of his words ringing in her ears. For four years, she had been invisible. But this powerful stranger had looked through the shadows and seen her pain. He had recognized her worth when her own husband treated her like garbage.

Destination? She didn't have one. She had nowhere to go, no money, and no plan.

But as she looked back at the gilded prison she had just escaped, a spark of pure fire ignited in her chest. Fuck it. She had absolutely nothing left to lose.

Althea lifted her chin, stepped forward and got into the car.