Chapter 4

The next day, I returned to the house Hunter and I shared to pack my belongings.

To my surprise, he was there with Candace and their entire group of friends.

Candace stood in my way, wearing a victorious smile.

“Jocelyn, don’t rush off just yet. You can keep living here if you want. Hunter and I are starting at Gluckstein Group next week, and we’ll probably move closer to the office after that.”

One of Hunter’s friends immediately chimed in, saying, “Candace, why do you have to be so soft-hearted? After the way she treated you, you’re still thinking about her.”

I picked up my ID and tried to walk around them, but Hunter blocked my path.

“Jocelyn, I’m giving you one last chance. Apologize to Candace.”

I looked at him. My throat felt as though it were filled with glass shards. Every word was painful to force out.

“I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize to her?”

The moment the words left my mouth, someone kicked me hard in the knee. I was already injured, and the unexpected blow sent me crumpling to my knees.

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and held me down.

Hunter looked down as he stood before me.

“Jocelyn, you brought this on yourself.”

People around me laughed as they stepped on the backs of my hands and shins. The wounds from the day before had barely scabbed over before they were forced open all over again.

“She really doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

“Candace was even planning to put in a good word for her at Gluckstein Group once she started working there.”

“Even getting her a cleaning job at a big company would’ve been doing her a huge favor.”

I trembled all over from the pain.

Hunter crouched down and reached out to wipe away my tears, but I turned my face away. His hand stopped in midair, and he sighed.

“Jocelyn, you’re always so stubborn. I’ll give you a week to reflect on what you’ve done. After that, I’m taking Candace to make our marriage official.”

Meanwhile, Candace looked down, idly playing with the engagement ring on her finger.

“Hunter, I really like this ring, and I don’t want to give it back. What should I do?”

Hunter smiled and patted her head.

“If you like it, keep it. As for Jocelyn, I’ll just buy her a plain band. Besides, she’ll jump at the chance to marry me no matter what kind of ring I give her.”

The others grew louder, egging him on.

“Hunter, aren’t you worried Jocelyn might actually get mad?”

Hunter did not even look up. He spoke just loudly enough for me to hear.

“She’s so difficult to get along with. Who else could stand her besides Candace and me? Why else would she try so desperately to fit in with us? All I have to do is beckon, and she’ll come crawling back.”

I dragged my suitcase out. Their mocking laughter drowned out the sound of the door closing behind me.

…

The new-hire welcome meeting at Gluckstein Group was scheduled for Monday. Hunter and Candace arrived first thing that morning.

Candace’s latest social media post was a photo of her and Hunter standing in the company’s main lobby.

Her caption read: A new beginning, taking on the world together!

Every comment below offered congratulations and well-wishes.

[Congrats to Candace and Hunter! You’ve got it all: love and career success!]

[I’ve always said you two were made for each other. Jocelyn isn’t even fit to shine your shoes.]

[Even a cleaning job at Gluckstein Group would be beyond someone like her.]

Candace grinned from ear to ear as she read the comments.

As the two entered the conference room, chatting and laughing, they immediately spotted me sitting inside.

Hunter’s expression darkened, and he snapped, “Jocelyn, who told you to come here?”

Someone standing beside him suddenly shoved him.

“Have you lost your mind? That’s the newly appointed general manager!”