Chapter 2

"The nerve of you, showing your face here!"

The moment I pushed open the front door, a coffee cup came hurtling toward me and shattered at my feet.

Broken shards of porcelain flew up, slicing across my calf.

My mother, Yuna Long, sat on the sofa, trembling with rage.

"What on earth was that stunt you pulled at the engagement party today?

"Jason's such a wonderful man, and you humiliated him in front of everyone. Where does that leave me?"

I glanced down at the blood trickling from my calf without the slightest emotion.

It had been the same in my previous life.

No matter what Jason did wrong, Yuna always took his side.

Because Jason excelled at playing the part of the devoted, ambitious, and loving future son-in-law.

"Mom, Jason's seeing another woman."

I looked at her calmly.

"Denise isn't just his best friend. They've been sleeping together for a long time."

Yuna froze for a moment before her anger flared even hotter.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Jason already explained everything to me. Denise is his most trusted assistant at work.

"You've let those so-called friends of yours fill your head with garbage. You're always imagining things!"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Maria Lee, the housekeeper, went to answer it.

Jason and Denise walked in one after the other.

Jason was carrying Yuna's favorite gift basket of gourmet treats, his face full of remorse.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I should do a better job of being mindful of Claire's feelings."

He set the gift basket on the coffee table and bowed deeply.

"I've been so caught up with work lately that I neglected her. That's probably why she got the wrong idea."

Denise's eyes reddened as well.

"Mrs. Sharp, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have spent so much time working late with Jason to finish the proposal.

"If Claire really can't stand having me around, I'll hand in my resignation tomorrow."

The moment Yuna heard that, she immediately took Denise's hand with a pained expression.

"You sweet girl, none of this is your fault. The company's counting on both you and Jason. You can't quit."

She turned and glared at me with undisguised hatred.

"Claire, look at Denise. She's so thoughtful and mature! Then look at yourself. You're acting like some crazed lunatic!"

Watching this absurd scene unfold, I found it almost laughable.

My own mother was holding my fiancé's mistress's hand while calling me a lunatic.

"The company's counting on them?"

I walked over to the sofa and looked down at Jason.

"Jason, did you forget something? This company belongs to the Sharp family, not the Gordons."

Jason's expression darkened for a split second, but he quickly slipped back into his usual refined, gentlemanly facade.

"Claire, I know you're still upset. But I've nearly finalized the deal with Mr. Blackwood on the Southside development project.

"If I walk away now, Mr. Blackwood will pull his investment. Do you have any idea how much the company will lose?"

He was using the company to threaten me.

The moment Yuna heard the company might lose money, she panicked.

"Claire! What exactly are you trying to do? Your father died young. If Jason hadn't kept this company afloat all these years, it would've gone under long ago!

"Now apologize to Jason. Right now!"

I looked at Yuna's face, twisted with fury.

In my previous life, those very words had backed me into a corner.

In the end, I gave in and handed complete control of the company over to Jason.

And what did I get in return?