LOGINThe hotel called, politely reminding me that the condoms used last night were unpaid and had been charged to my membership card. I was stunned. I'd been working late until midnight and hadn't set foot in any hotel. I confronted my husband, the only person who knew my card code. Nathan Phelps looked at me, bewildered. "Honey, that hotel costs over $10,000 a night. I'd never go there. It's probably a system error. Someone must have mistyped the card number. I'll file a complaint tomorrow." Unconvinced, I called my best friend, who managed the hotel. "Tracy, check who Nathan was with at the hotel last night. I'm catching him red-handed."
View MoreJoseph looked at me, his eyes warm but firm. "It's fine. Hartman Group won't collapse over this. But, Alva, I'm done fighting you. Go ahead with your research. I'm behind you."His words touched me. I'd hurt them chasing my dreams and a love that wasn't real.Not anymore.I threw myself back into research, leading my team on a new project.Tracy told me the hotel overhauled its security and ID verification after the incident, ensuring no more impersonations.Feeling guilty, I asked if the scandal hurt the hotel's reputation. She laughed it off. "Relax, the blame is on those two creeps, not you. We're now known for protecting guests, and business is better than ever."My mom started bringing lunch to my lab, knowing I'd forget to eat when engrossed. She became my personal alarm clock, ensuring I ate regularly....My team developed a groundbreaking automated medical device, its launch shaking the industry.At the press conference, I stood confidently, explaining our work to a c
"No chance," I said, closing my eyes to block out his pathetic face. "It's not up to you."The police arrived, hauling off both Nathan and Carrie.During my hospital stay, my parents and Tracy took turns to care for me, avoiding Nathan's name. They just did everything to lift my spirits, determined not to let the ordeal scar me.On discharge day, my mom held my hand, her eyes misty. "Alva, come home. Your dad misses you. Can we have a family dinner?"Her new wrinkles tugged at my heart. They'd given me everything growing up, their only wish that I be safe and happy.But I'd been stubborn, diving into research and cutting them off for five years after they opposed my career. I'd even married without inviting them, just to prove a point.I knew they were just worried about my well-being. They'd only wanted me to find a reliable partner so I could pursue research without worries.I hadn't thought much when I chose Nathan, who seemed kind at first. It was a big mistake.His mother
I stared at the stark bank transfer records, shocked. "You embezzled company funds?""I didn't." Nathan's voice cracked, shrill with panic.A stern voice echoed from the doorway. "We'll see about that!"Joseph stood there with a grim expression, flanked by two police officers. His gaze swept over Nathan and Carrie, then softened on me with concern."Officers, the evidence is submitted. Handle them accordingly," he said.Nathan's façade crumbled, replaced by panic. He lunged at Carrie, frantically trying to rip the diamond necklace and watch off her, nearly knocking her over."Alva, believe me," he pleaded, his voice trembling. "I didn't know. I thought these were cheap fakes. I'll give them back."Carrie shrieked, clutching her neck. "Nathan, stop! You're hurting me!"The bodyguards acted swiftly, kicking Nathan's knee and sending him crashing to the floor with a yelp."How dare you hurt my daughter?" Joseph's voice was ice, carrying the weight of his authority. "You think I'm
I managed a weak smile, but before I could speak, the door burst open, revealing Nathan's dark face.His eyes blazed with accusation, not remorse. He stormed to my bedside, pointing a finger at my nose. "Why didn't you tell me your parents run the Hartman Group? If you'd said so, I wouldn't have crossed them or the Frye Group. Now I'm fired; my career was ruined. Everything is gone! Happy now?"His shamelessness made my stomach churn. I enunciated, "I told you multiple times. You never listened. You thought my family didn't matter. You brought this on yourself, Nathan."He exploded, deflecting the blame. "My fault? If you weren't always in your lab, looking like a disheveled mess, obsessed with your experiments, would I have strayed? You never cared about my stress. You had all these connections, but never helped me. You wanted me to fail!"Carrie slunk in, playing the victim. "That's right. Marriage is a partnership. Nathan stopped loving you ages ago but stayed out of duty. And y
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