4

Chapter 4.

My chest tightened as I walked through the glass doors of my company the next day. I had been gone for three years, while I left the company in Derrick's hands.

My name was still emblazoned across the wall in bold gold letters: Laurent Industries. It was my father’s legacy, the only thing I had left of him.

But the moment I walked into the lobby, I knew something wasn’t right. The receptionists wouldn’t even meet my eyes.

And once I got into my office, I saw some men in black suits waiting for me.

“Mrs. Clara,” one of the men said as they rose from the couch.

I frowned as I asked, “And you are?”

They exchanged glances, then handed me a leather folder. “We are representatives from Merry Loans, and we're here to discuss repayment.”

“Repayment?” The word tasted bitter on my tongue. I hadn’t borrowed a dime in my life. So what was going on?

When I opened the folder, though, my heart stopped in my chest as I saw the outrageous numbers scrawled across the papers.

It was the type of loan that would bleed a company dry. And at the bottom was my company’s name—my inheritance.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head as if denial could make the numbers vanish. “This… this isn’t possible. I didn’t sign this.”

“Oh, but your husband did,” the taller man said smoothly. “Derrick Anthony applied for a loan, using your company as collateral. And now, madam, the debt falls to you.”

I felt the world spin as my knees threatened to buckle. Derrick. Always Derrick.

How could he do such cruel things to me? Was this what he meant by I don't have the means?

The man who vowed to love me, to protect me, to build a future with me—yet he poisoned every piece of my life he touched.

“How much time do I have?” I asked. My voice was steady, even though my hands trembled against the folder.

“Three weeks.” The shorter man replied. “Either you pay, or the company is ours.”

What the hell? I had just three weeks to save a company worth generations of sweat and sacrifice.

I could almost hear my father’s voice telling me never to let the Laurent name fall into ruin. And yet Derrick had dragged it into the mud, just as he had done to me.

When the men left, I collapsed into the nearest chair. My fingers pressed into my temples as a massive headache ripped through my skull.

I will not cry.

~~~

That evening, I found myself standing before my parents’ graves in the rain. My hair clung to my face, my dress was soaked through, but I didn’t move.

Instead, I knelt in the mud, my tears mixing with the rain as I whispered, “Father… Mother… I don’t know what to do anymore.”

I continued crying, “I gave him everything. And now, he wants to take even the only thing you left me. Tell me, how do I fight this? How do I win back what he stole?”

Sobs after sobs rake through my being as I let it all out alone with no one but my parents' coffin.

I don't think I can do this. Why did you both leave me, huh? My breath hangs as I hiccup with tears rolling down my face profusely.

At some point, exhaustion descended on me, and I didn't know when sleep came.

I woke up with my cheek pressed to the ground. I groaned as I tried to stand up, and that's when my phone rang.

I saw it was an unknown number and I answered.

“I know what Derrick did. And I can help you,” a distorted voice spoke.

My breath caught as I quickly sat up. “Who are you?”

“Meet me, and you’ll find out,” the voice said and hung up. An address was sent to my phone a second later, and I knew exactly what to do.

~~~

The address led me to a secluded villa. My heels clicked against the stone as I approached.

When I rang the doorbell and opened the door, I froze as I stepped into a scene I wasn’t prepared for.

I should have waited.

A man and a woman were tangled in sheets, gasping in ecstasy. The man’s face was hidden behind a black mask, and when he noticed me, his movements stopped.

“Leave,” he ordered the woman.

She quickly gathered her clothes and left, leaving me alone with him.

I crossed my arms and asked. “Who are you? And what do you want with me?”

He rose from the bed and put on a robe. His mask concealed everything except his lips, which were smirking at me.

“What I want,” he drawled, “is to help you.”

I scoffed. “Help me? And what do you want in return? My body? My soul?”

“You think so little of yourself,” he murmured, stepping closer. “I already have more power than you realize. If I wanted your body, I would take it.”

My stomach twisted, “What is it?”

There was silence, and then, he slowly removed his mask. My blood ran cold immediately.

“Spencer…” I breathed.

He smirked. “Hello, Clara.”

It was like seeing a ghost. Spencer Anthony—the rebellious son of the Anthony family and Derrick's twin was standing in front of me when the world believed he was dead.

My heart was hammered. “You… you’re supposed to be—”

“Dead?” His laugh was bitter. “That’s what Derrick wanted. That’s what he made everyone believe.”

I staggered back, confused. Memories flooded me: Spencer’s charm, his recklessness, the way he left me shattered. And now here he was alive, telling me it was all Derrick’s doing.

“Derrick framed me for the drug dealing,” Spencer said. “He painted me as the disgraceful son so he could rise in Father’s eyes. And when I went to prison, he sent someone to kill me. But fate wasn’t on his side. That man owed me his life, and instead of ending me, he faked my death. Since then, I’ve lived behind a mask, building my empire, waiting for the right time.”

He leaned close, his eyes burning into mine. “And now, that time has come.”

It suddenly dawned on me that these were the exact same eyes I saw at the church.

“You were at the church.” I gasp, not waiting for a confirmation.

“Yeah, not a bright move you did there. But at least I got to see his blood.” He shrugs, his lips tilting into a wicked smirk.

Who is this? And what did he do to the Spencer I once knew?

I swallowed hard. “So you want revenge.”

“I want justice,” he corrected. “I’ll destroy Derrick. I’ll strip him of everything he ever stole, just as he did to me. And you, Clara… you’ll have your daughter, your company back, and your life back.”

I stared at him, my thoughts spinning.

“Clara,” he came closer. “These aren't just empty words. I'm now the CEO of Almighty Consortium. And I also own Merry Loans, which means I can cancel your debt.”

“What do you want in return?” I whispered. This sounded too good to be true.

His lips curved as his hands went round my waist. “You.”

My chest clenched, and I pushed him away. “Never. I will never go back to the man who cheated on me.”

For a moment, I saw pain and regret in his eyes. Then his voice softened, “You still don’t know the truth, do you? The reason I broke it off wasn’t because I didn’t care. My father ordered me to destroy your father’s company; that's why I dated you. But when I realized what you meant to me, I couldn’t do it. So I left. And Derrick took my place.”

My stomach dropped. Could it be true? Had Derrick married me only to fulfill the mission Spencer refused?

“I’ll prove it,” Spencer said. “Merge your company with mine. I’ll erase the debt. Together, we’ll rise above Derrick, and the courts will have no choice but to see you as the rightful guardian of Rose.”

My heart twisted. Was this salvation or another trap?

I drew a sharp breath and met his gaze. “If you betray me again, Spencer, I swear—I’ll be the one to bury you.”

His smirk deepened. “I would never.”

And even though he looked nonchalant, I could tell he meant every word.

They won't know what hit them.