LOGIN“Apart from grandmother,” I continued, turning slowly, letting my gaze pass over each member of the family seated there, “which one of you has ever truly cared for me?”No one answered.Not a single person.“I want to know,” I pressed, my voice rising slightly. “Just one of you. Tell me what you have done for me that did not come with humiliation attached to it. The only person I owe anything to,” I said, my throat tightening despite my control, “is grandmother. And I will remain grateful to her for the rest of my life.” My eyes moved back to the rest of them. “But the rest of you?” I let out a quiet, bitter breath. “Apart from pain… servitude… and mockery—what exactly have you given me?”“I told you,” Diana’s voice rang out sharply from the side, her lips curling in disdain. “She’s nothing but an ungrateful bitch.”Something inside me stilled. Then, I let out a chuckle, “Yes, I am. And that is exactly why I’m here. To take back everything that was taken from me… and set things righ
Clyde’s hand slipped from mine as he suddenly lunged toward Killain, “You son of a….”“You don’t need to get angry at him.” My voice rang out, firm and steady, cutting straight through his rage and stopped him mid-step. “He only did it so I could be here and clarify everything.”“Clarify what?” Clyde snapped, his voice sharp as he walked back to me, eyes glaring with anger. “There is nothing to clarify…”“I am still speaking,” I cut in.“And I believe I have the right to.”“No, you do not! Not in…”“Well, I belive she did,” Mr. Callum said, leaning forward slightly. “As a shareholder, she has every right to address this board.”“Yes, that’s true,” another director added.“Let her speak.”“We should hear her out.”Clyde’s eyes turned around the room as many were in support of me speaking and I could see his chest rising and falling, his anger still simmering just beneath the surface.“Thank you, Mr. Callum. Thank you, everyone.”I straightened, adjusting my grip on my bag, forcing my
****CHARLOTTE’S POV****“Allow me to introduce myself properly,” I said, my voice calm and clear as I let my gaze sweep across the table, a polite smile resting on my lips. “My name is Charlotte Harper, one of the employees of Wellington Company, and also…” I let the words linger for a beat, “I am Clyde Wellington’s wife.”For a second, silence fell over the room. All eyes were fixed on me, but I simply held my smile.Then,“His wife?” Director Lesley asked in surprise, leaning forward as he broke the silence.I gave a small nod.And murmurs followed immediately, people turning to one another.Some were shocked—they recognized me as one of the employees. Others whispered, asking, “Is she the one from the party?”I just kept my smile in place, letting it all wash over me.“But you’re Harper, so how…?” one of the shareholders questioned, confusion evident in his voice.“But you are Harper, so how….” one of the shareholders asked.“Yes, that's right. But that was because my dear husband
***CLYDE’S POV***The car finally pulled to a stop in front of the Wellington Group headquarters. A line of staff stood neatly outside the entrance, greeting arriving shareholders and board members with smiles.The door opened, and I stepped out, adjusting my jacket as my shoes hit the pavement. The building loomed above me—glass, steel, and legacy. And today, it would all finally become mine.My secretary followed closely behind as we approached the entrance, but just before we crossed the threshold, I stopped.“You’ll stay here,” I said quietly, not turning around.He hesitated. “Sir?”I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Make sure no unwanted guests get inside.”He frowned slightly. “Unwanted guests… do you have someone specific in mind?”I let out a slow breath, irritation flickering beneath the surface. “Are you really this dense? Charlotte is still out there. And you know how she is.”His expression immediately changed. “Yes, sir.”“If she shows up and starts talking,” I continu
I suddenly felt arms slide around my waist, firm and possessive, and my body jolted before I could stop it—only for the tension to melt the second I realized it was him.A soft breath escaped me as I shook my head, almost at myself. Maybe it was because all of this still felt so foreign to me. Like I had stepped into someone else’s life.Because after getting married at 20…no man had ever touched me this way.And now Alex…Alex wrapped his grip tightly around me slightly, like he felt my thoughts slipping too far. His chin rested on my shoulder, warm and steady, while his piercing blue eyes locked onto mine through the mirror.“Did you like the dress?”“Hmm…” I set the dryer down slowly, my fingers lingering on the edge of the dresser as my teeth pressed into my lower lip. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”“And.”I blinked at his reflection. “It’s exactly my taste.”“And?” he pressed again.My brows pulled together as my mind started racing. What else did he want?I’d never been given so
***CHARLOTTE’S POV***The first thing I noticed as I woke was the warmth wrapped all around me, and the arm draped securely over my body.I had never had this amazing and comfortable sleep I just had, not in years. But right in his arms, I slept like a baby.My eyes fluttered open, still slightly blurry, but not enough to miss the heat brushing against my face. It was coming from Alexander’s broad chest which was just beneath my head. And for a moment, I just lay there, because I couldn’t believe that right now, I just spent a night wrapped in his brace.I slowly raised up my gaze and looked at him, and the sight of him stole the breath right out of me.He looked… peaceful. Softer than I had ever seen him. His face was calm, almost boyish, like a sleeping child. His chest rose and fell steadily beneath me, each breath slow and even.Is this how he always looks every morning? He looked so different from the man I knew when he was awake.I didn’t even know when my hand moved on its ow
The memory still made my chest ache. But nothing compared to the day Genevieve was born. My daughter.My precious little girl.But the moment she came into the world, they took her away from me.I hadn’t even been allowed to hold her.Not once.Yes, I knew I had signed the contract. To leave immed
***FLORA’S POV***Charlotte’s lips curved into a small smile. One that seems so strange and for a moment I felt as if I was staring at a completely different person. The Charlotte I remembered could barely hold eye contact for more than a second. She apologized for things that weren't her fault. A
Compared to what I had endured… compared to what they had done to me… did he really think an ordinary penthouse could make up for it?Did he truly believe that a luxurious apartment and a few empty gestures could erase eight years of humiliation?Eight years of being treated like nothing. The scar
***CLYDE’S POV***Just for a second. Just long enough to make sure I had heard her correctly… or that I hadn’t somehow dialed the wrong number.“What?” I repeated, the disbelief obvious even to my own ears.I had been calling her for hours. Hours.At some point, a small, irritating part of me had e







