04

Pedro Fern, Hadley’s brother, picked her up. Later on, they arrived at V city’s most opulent location, Diamond Estate.

 

Hadley is the Fern family's heiress.

When she was little, she was traveling with her maid to another country without her family. But the plane crashed, and she ended up in a deserted island while her maid never survived.

Her family thought she was dead, but they never stopped looking for her.

At age fifteen, Hadley was adopted by the Beck family who saw her on the deserted island and took pity on her. It happened the couple also lost their own daughter, and so they took her in as their child.

When she was nineteen, the couple’s lost daughter, Laura, was found and brought back. Hadley was older than Laura with two years. She took Laura as a  sister.

Not until their mother one day, severed ties with Hadley. It was during the time of Hadley and Andrew’s wedding so Hadley left to Andrew’s mansion. She still treated Laura like a sister even after her mother severed ties with her, but now Hadley realized Laura was as bad as her mother, if not worst.

Laura having an affair with Andrew despite the plenty men outside. Well no wonder, she and her mother had the same blood. 

When Hadley finally found her real family, she was already married to Andrew, so she stayed back with Andrew and only visited her family once-in-a-while. She never returned home.

 

Despite her best to fulfill her role as a nice wife while working diligently for Andrew. She had no idea that it would end this way.

Well it was all over now. Hadley would take over the family business and accept her true self now that she was back home, but for now she just wanted to rest.

She wondered what Andrew or the Beck family will do when they find out she’s the daughter of the Fern family In V city.

The Fern family is the number one most wealthiest and powerful family, and only one call from them could shake the entire country.

…..

It was an early autumn sunny day. After a month, Hadley made a full recovery. She left Diamond Estate.

She smiled as she looked at the brilliant sun through her sunglasses. She had been confined to her room and cut off from the outside world for an entire month. She was dressed in a crimson suit now.

She was grinning and had crimson lipstick on her lips. She headed to the Shaw Group to pack her belongings after getting into the opulent vehicle that was parked by the side of the road.

~~

*At the Shaw Group building's gate*

Andrew was coming out of the automobile when Hadley’s car zoomed in, the door opened and  Hadley came out.

When Andrew spotted her, he immediately stopped walking. He had been looking for her for a month. At last, she finally appeared.

He looked at the nice car behind Hadley and gave her a chilly expression. It was at least a million dollars in value. His piercing stare lingered on her shoulder as their eyes locked. He sneered with a look of contempt on his face.

"You’re here, Ms. Beck. Thought I’ll never see you again. I know you’ll come back to see me.”

Hadley felt a sharp pang in her heart. Remembering how Andrew looked at Laura dotingly, there was no numbness in her crushed heart. Rather, it was more painful.

"And who told you I came to see you? I'll pack my belongings and head out immediately," Hadley replied.

When Andrew saw the lack of interest in her eyes, his gaze grew harsher and colder. "Hadley, no wonder you gave up everything when you got divorced," he yelled. “You have a new boyfriend already, don't you? Shame on you!"

Hadley addressed him despite her anguish; he was grinning evilly. "You cheated on me, Mr. Shaw. Don't be too critical of me."

She then strode past Andrew and made her way to the Group.

A roar pierced the atmosphere. "Hadley Beck, stop right there! Did you block my number?" Andrew inquired, and rushed after her.

"Where were you last month?"

After the divorce, he was unable to get in touch with her. He then asked his assistant to find out where she was. However, their efforts ultimately proved futile.

Hadley was meant to be broke because she left with nothing. Andrew didn't know how she survived up till now.

Hadley looked at him icily, a sardonic smirk playing on her lips. "Are you curious about my whereabouts? Of course, I went to celebrate my divorce. It's a rare pleasure to be single once more. Isn't it time for me to go out and party with a gigolo who has flawless abs?”

In an instant, Andrew’s face darkened. "If you need money, I can give it to you. I won't let you disgrace yourself like that!" He barked.

Hadley gave a smirk. "Really? I was married to you once, Andrew Shaw. That truly is a shame.“

Andrew became enraged at once. He drew her in and gave her a passionate kiss.

Punishment, rage, and the long-suppressed yearning were all present in the kiss.

"Ugh..." Hadley struggled frantically and gasped, her eyes wide. She had regained some strength, but Andrew was still too strong for her. She was limited to pounding on his shoulders.

"Get... your hands... off me..."

"Drew!" Suddenly, Laura’s voice pierced the atmosphere.

Andrew didn't let Hadley go till then.

Smack!

Hadley gave Andrew a hefty slap in the following moment.

With a frigid, mocking smirk, Hadley said, "Mr. Shaw, we're already divorced. Keep your hands to yourself. I’m not like Laura. I have no desire to be someone's mistress.”

Andrew’s face became cold. He opened his mouth to speak, but Laura spoke before him.

"My dear sister, have some shame," Laura said, clinging to Andre’s arm when she walked up to him. “Don't bother Drew. Look Had, I'm his girlfriend now, but I know you still have feelings for him."

"Bitch, I'm not your sister!” Hadley shot back, "You're not my sister. Let's be precise. This  jerk is the one who keeps bothering me. I hope I never have to see him once more. And you two, a bitch and scumbag is a better combination."

Andrew glanced at Hadley in shock as his heart pounded. Did she not want to see him again? How come she wouldn't want to see him? But he didn’t know why he suddenly felt that way.

"Drew, my sister is still so angry with me," Laura murmured, looking wounded. “She thinks I’m the one who destroyed your marriage.”

Andrew gave Laura a purposeful peck on the cheek in response."Lau, don’t ever say that. You are not the one who destroyed my marriage. My marriage was always going to fail. Later, I'll buy you the ice cream you want."

 

Hadley refused to see the tragic sight play out, clenching her fists.

 

 What a big jokers!

Cuddling up to him, Laura grinned broadly.

 

Andrew then looked at Hadley and saw that she had somewhat changed. Hadley used to be a little distant and arrogant, but she was never this fierce. It was only then that he looked more closely at her attire.

In the scarlet costume, which precisely fit her oversized physique, Hadley looked radiant. Her current wardrobe was a sharp contrast to her former one, which was consistently understated but sophisticated.

The fact that she had chopped her hair shocked him much more. At one point, he expressed his admiration for her long hair.

Hadley held it for a long time. She looked competent, calm, and astute now that her hair was short.

 

After a while, Andrew  nervously said, "Hadley, we used to be husband and wife. You are now unemployed. I'll let you continue working at Shaw Group if you beg me.”

He was aware of her professional competence. He wasn't in a rush to replace her because she was unquestionably qualified.

But without looking at Andrew, Hadley took a black card out of her bag and gave it to Andrew’s assistant standing not far away.

"Give this to your boss," she said. "Let him see if I have any financial issue then."

Hadley didn't feel like spending time here. She therefore contacted Jemima Rexa, a coworker in the Shaw Group, to pick up her possessions.

Her colleagues used to gossip about her, calling her too fat. A pig. That she eats too much  and will never lose weight, but Hadly always pretended not to hear them. She didn't want to use the fact that she was Andrew's wife to intimidate them.

What mattered to her was that Andrew loved her... so so she thought.

She’ll noticed the stares before the whispers came. Their eyes lingering too long, lips curling into smirks each time she passes by. But Jemima was the only person who didn’t engage in gossips with the rest of their colleagues about her, so Hadley was only friends with her. 

Back then, Hadley used to wonder why Andrew didn’t reprimand her colleagues even though they knew she was his wife, but she never gave it much thought. But now, thinking about it made her laugh at her foolishness. 

It only proved he had been dating Laura for a very long time.

Jemima arrived shortly after with her belongings. Hadley confirmed that it was her right stuffs, then grabbed the package, thanked Jemima, got in the car, and drove off without turning around while Andrew, Laura and the assistant stood and watched her.

……

 Later that day, the assistant gave Andrew the black card with trepidation in his office. "Boss, this is the card you gave Mrs.... Ms. Beck previously," he reported. “She didn’t use any of the money in the card. And she also transferred $10 million inside too.”

Andrew’s phone suddenly beeped that moment. He took the phone on the table and opened the new message from an unknown number.

 

The message was: (Think of the cash as a farewell present for our years spent together. Mr. Shaw, let's be truthful. You were never good in bed and also have a terrible personality!)

 

Andrew had a cold expression on his face. He tried to call the number, but he was unable to. He is blocked.

How dare Hadley! The audacity from her!

After giving the bank card a long look, Andrew took the card and threw it in the trash with rage.

Just as his assistant opened his mouth to speak, he also got a message on his phone.

"Oh no, boss. The new product line's secrets have been stolen.”