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Chapter 13: Payback Time

Author: LORI D. LEE
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-18 21:54:09

Emelda’s POV

The events of the gala still burned in my mind as we drove home. Allen would pay for everything he had done to me.

Smith sat beside me, silent and steady, his presence a wall of calm against the storm raging inside me. Not a word. Not a glance that asked for explanations. He knew better than to intrude on my thoughts.

When the car finally turned into the long drive, the Jones mansion rose before us like a fortress reclaiming its queen. The iron security gates parted without hesitation, motion sensors sweeping over us as if bowing to my return.

At the marble steps, I reached for his hand, the warmth grounding me for the first time all night. “Thank you,” I said softly. “For everything.”

Smith’s lips curved into the faintest smile. “You don’t need to thank me. You handled that perfectly.

The front door opened before we reached it. Margaret stood there, still elegant despite the late hour. Her eyes searched my face.

"How do you feel?"

"Powerful." The word came out without h
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  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 22: Truth Unveiled

    EmeldaI stepped forward, keeping my movement graceful despite what Rachel had just accused me of. When I spoke, my voice was calm, clear, and completely confident."I appreciate Ms. Sanchez... concern... about my charitable contributions," I said, hearing several people in the crowd murmur at my subtle dig. "But since she's brought it up publicly, I'm happy to clarify."I paused, and in that moment, I could see it in Rachel's eyes, the dawning realization that she'd made a terrible mistake."Tonight, I'm pleased to announce a fifty million dollar donation to the Golden Ivy Foundation," I said , my voice carrying easily through the stunned silence. "The funds come directly from the profits of my latest innovations, innovations that I developed entirely independently, with full legal documentation of my intellectual property rights."The ballroom erupted. Not in the horrified gasps Rachel had expected, but in genuine amazement and enthusiastic applause. Fifty million dollars. Fifty mil

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 21: The Charity Trap

    "The allegations made by Mr. Carter are not only false but deeply insulting to every woman who has ever contributed to a company's success only to have her work dismissed."Allen's jaw clenched so hard his teeth might crack. The audacity of this woman. The sheer, unmitigated gall."Allen Carter systematically undermined my contributions to his company while we were together," Emelda continued, her dark eyes looking directly into the camera. "He made me question my own abilities, my own worth. But I have documentation of everything I contributed to Carter Enterprises."Rachel shifted beside him on the leather sofa, her manicured nails digging into the armrest. "This is a disaster."Smith Robinson leaned forward slightly, his presence commanding even through the television screen. "I've had the privilege of working with Emelda Jones on several projects.Her business acumen and innovative thinking are exceptional. The idea that she's somehow 'obsessed' or 'unstable' is not only laughabl

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 20: Game On

    Emelda"BITTER EX-GIRLFRIEND STALKS TECH CEO""She's Obsessed With Me, Says Carter Enterprises, Allen Carter""Lawsuit Nothing More Than Desperate Attempt for Attention"A smirk tugged at my lips despite the knot of anger in my chest. How utterly predictable. Allen had played exactly the card I'd expected,paint the woman as unstable, make her the villain in his carefully crafted narrative. I turned the page, scanning Victoria Martinez's expertly spun quotes. Words like "unhinged" and "delusional" jumped out at me, each one designed to chip away at my credibility before the case even reached court."Petty," I murmured to the empty office. "So incredibly petty."Did he really think this would work? Did Allen Carter honestly believe he could wage a media war against the Jones family and win? The arrogance was almost admirable in its blindness.My phone buzzed against the polished desktop. Smith's name appeared on the screen, and I felt that familiar flutter of warmth despite the storm

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 19: Playing Dirty

    The revelation lingered in my mind long after Mother left, her words echoing like stones dropped into still water. He requested you. I tried to focus on the magazine in my lap, but the letters blurred together. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Smith's face, the quiet intensity, the way he'd shielded me at the coffee shop without making it feel like weakness.Sleep came fitfully, full of dreams I couldn't quite remember.My phone buzzed against the nightstand, pulling me from restless slumber. Morning light filtered through the curtains, soft and hesitant. Smith's name lit up the screen, and something fluttered in my chest, a sensation I'd forgotten I could feel.Good morning, Emelda.I hope you slept well after yesterday. Would you like to spend some time together this week? There's a charity launch coming up,the Golden Ivy Soirée at The Marcellus Estate. No pressure.I stared at the message, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. The careful politeness of it, the way he left me an

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 18: Chosen Not Trapped

    Smith’s hand landed lightly on my wrist, firm enough to get my attention but not enough to draw Jessica’s eyes away from the phone she clutched like a lifeline.“Don’t turn around,” he murmured, voice barely more than breath. “There’s a man across the street. He’s been watching us for the last five minutes.”Ice trickled through my veins.Jessica stiffened, lowering her phone. “Do you think…”“Yes,” Smith cut in. His jaw was set, eyes still locked on the window. “Allen.”The name tasted bitter.Jessica’s voice dropped. “He must’ve sent someone to follow me. Or maybe you. Either way, we shouldn’t stay here.”Smith stood. “Exactly. Let’s move.”I pushed back my chair, trying to keep my movements casual even as my pulse pounded. The last thing I wanted was to give whoever-it-was the satisfaction of seeing fear.We left quickly, weaving between tables and out into the late afternoon air. The coffee shop door swung closed behind us with a little bell that sounded far too cheerful.Smith’s

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress     Chapter 17: Behind Enemy Lines

    The ringtone cut through the heavy silence between Smith and me like a blade, its sharp electronic melody piercing the tension that had settled over us like a suffocating blanket.I grabbed my phone from the table, my fingers fumbling slightly with the device, grateful for any excuse to escape the weight of his words and the way they made my chest feel tight."Hello?""Emelda? This is Jessica Martinez from Carter Enterprises."My stomach dropped. Jessica had been Allen's head of HR for three years, but before that, she'd worked under me when I was still building the company culture from scratch. We'd shared countless late nights and coffee runs, planning employee wellness programs and team-building events."Jessica." I turned away from Smith, pressing the phone closer to my ear. "This is unexpected."Her voice was shaky, nothing like the confident woman I remembered. "I need to talk to you. It's about what's happening at the company.""What kind of things?""Not over the phone. Can we

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