Chapter 5

"From now on, Ms. Hawkins will manage all your jewelry, handbags, gowns, and luxury items. If you want access to anything, you’ll need to submit a 5,000-word application through the company expense approval system. You'll only be allowed to use your belongings after she approves and signs off on them."

My entire body shook with rage.

I immediately called Ryan.

Once again, Georgia answered instead. She sounded cheerful, almost amused. "Only a single day has passed, and you already have the strength to start harassing Mr. Newman again?

"I knew you were pretending to be sick for attention and money. And weren’t you claiming you were about to give birth? Your due date is next week.

"Oh, that reminds me, Mrs. Newman. There is one detail I neglected to mention. Given that your due date falls next Wednesday, I will only approve the reimbursement of your medical costs if the birth occurs on that specific day. If the baby comes earlier or later, you’ll have to cover the hospital bills yourself."

I swallowed the fury threatening to explode out of me. "Georgia, who gave you permission to touch my jewelry? Return my belongings immediately, or I’ll call the police and charge you with theft!"

Georgia laughed dismissively. "Your belongings? Ms. Langley, have you forgotten who you are? You’re just an ordinary employee who got lucky enough to marry Mr. Newman. Without him, would you even be able to afford ten-million-dollar jewelry sets or couture gowns worth millions?

"Honestly, considering how materialistic you are—you even use Mr. Newman’s money to buy coffee—I have every reason to suspect you’d secretly sell off the luxury items he bought for you.

"As Mr. Newman’s secretary, it’s my responsibility to protect his assets. So from now on, unless I personally approve it, don’t even think about touching any of those things."

"Georgia, don’t push this too far." I was grinding my teeth so hard my jaw hurt.

"Too far?" she repeated lightly. "Oh, by the way, I heard your mother is staying at the private hospital Mr. Newman invested in, right?"

She laughed cruelly. "Seriously. A broke woman dragging around a sickly mother like a parasite.

"Your mother’s been sick for years. Who knows how much of Mr. Newman’s money she’s wasted by now? To stop any more unnecessary spending, I already had someone discharge her from the hospital."

For a second, my entire mind went blank, then terror slammed into me like lightning.

"Georgia, are you insane?! My mother can’t survive without her oxygen chamber! You’re going to kill her!"

I hung up immediately and rushed straight to the hospital.

That was when I discovered Georgia had actually taken over my mother’s VIP suite and given it to her own mother instead.

Thankfully, several members of the hospital management were people I had personally promoted years ago. They transferred my mother into another room in time, saving her life.

Looking at my mother’s pale face lying in the hospital bed, something inside me finally snapped.

I turned to Bryson beside me and gave the order coldly, "Throw Mrs. Hawkins out onto the street. Every cent I spent paying off Georgia’s loans and covering her mother’s medical treatment over the years—recover all of it.

"And one more thing. I’m suing Georgia for attempted murder."

I gently tucked the blanket around my mother before standing up. By the time I turned around again, I had already regained my composure.

"Take me to the office. If there are wolves hiding beside me, then I’ll deal with them myself."

The moment I arrived at Sterling & Co. Holdings, every employee who recognized me froze in shock. Whispers immediately spread across the lobby.

"Why is Mrs. Newman here at the office?"