Chapter 4

I didn't tell anyone the day I moved out of the family estate. Calling it a move was generous.

I only had two suitcases. A year ago, I'd arrived with those same two suitcases. The suits in my closet were ones my mother had mistakenly bought in Blair's size and left for me. Even the scarf Andrew had given me was originally meant for Blair.

The family portrait on my desk had been retaken just to squeeze me into the frame. Blair stood at the very center. They'd placed me at the far edge.

I took only my documents and laptop. The watch Joseph had given me stayed behind on the desk.

The sign on the door still read "Guest Suite."

Perfect. Once I was gone, they wouldn't even have to change it back.

-

The day Renee returned to her former company, the West District Data Center officially broke ground.

Blair wore a custom-made suit as she cut the ribbon onstage. Andrew personally handled the project's legal procedures, while Joseph stood beside Blair and announced an additional investment on behalf of the Hamiltons.

Cameron posted on social media: [Some people only stir up trouble. The ones who actually get things done are the ones who solve problems.]

In the photo, everyone surrounded Blair. She had finally secured the seat on the board she'd always wanted.

Renee's mother, Vera Stein, sent a video of the ceremony to the family group chat.

[Blair took the most important step of her life today. If you still consider yourself part of this family, come back and apologize to her.]

-

I left the group chat.

At the office, Desiree pushed the partnership agreement across the desk toward me. "You've been gone for a year, and the department's been a complete mess. Some people said you were too rigid. I think risk management needs someone with the guts to refuse to sign."

I lowered my head and signed my name.

Desiree looked at me. "What are you going to do about the Collins?"

"Nothing."

"You're really not going back?"

"They don't need me." I capped my pen. "And I don't need their acknowledgment."

The Collins, however, remained convinced that I was merely throwing a tantrum.

-

On the third day after construction began on the data center, regulators conducted another surprise inspection.

They discovered that the fire safety documents were fraudulent. The project was immediately suspended, and the investors demanded that the person responsible for risk management come forward.

Blair waited for Renee in the group's conference room for three hours. When Renee didn't show up, Blair finally called her.

"Renee, let's put the project aside for now. Dad said that as long as you come back and sign off on it, we can reconsider your position in the family trust," she said.

"What happens after I sign?" Renee asked.

"We'll get through the crisis in front of us first. Your name can stay below mine for now. If the right opportunity comes up in the future, we can change it."

Renee let out a quiet laugh. "You want me to shoulder the responsibilities of the legitimate eldest daughter, yet you won't even give me the title of the legitimate eldest daughter. Blair, you're the one who's good at being flexible."

Blair's voice turned cold. "We're family. Do you really have to take things this far?"

"You're family. I'm not." With that, Renee hung up.

…

That night, Renee's father, Gideon Collins, issued his final ultimatum in the family group chat.

[9:00 a.m. tomorrow. Get your ass back to the group and sign. If you don't come, I'll have the family attorney remove your name from the family trust entirely.]

Andrew immediately followed with a message.

[Renee, don't push Dad this far.]

Joseph tried to persuade her too.

[Blair just joined the board. She can't be saddled with responsibility for fraud right away.]

Cameron was even more direct.

[You spent 25 years growing up alone out there because you wanted a family, didn't you? If they remove your name from the family trust, you'll regret it someday, and there won't be anywhere left for you to cry.]

None of them noticed that Renee had already left the family group chat.

…

At 9:00 a.m. the next morning, Renee didn't show up.

In front of the entire board, Gideon called the family attorney. "Remove Renee Collins' name."

Vera suddenly looked uneasy. "Shouldn't we wait a little longer?"

Gideon scoffed. "She lived out there for 25 years. Isn't being recognized by us what she's been waiting for all this time? Let's scare her a little. She'll come running back."

Andrew personally went to Renee's room. Less than a minute later, he came rushing downstairs, his face deathly pale. "Dad, all her belongings are gone."

Vera shot to her feet. "What do you mean? When did she move out?"

"Yesterday morning," the housekeeper answered softly.