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Chapter 4: Prove It

ผู้เขียน: Mahi
last update วันที่เผยแพร่: 2026-07-23 21:16:30

 

Morning arrived with clear skies.

For the first time in three years, Elena stood before the mirror wearing a tailored black business suit instead of the elegant dresses Damian had preferred.

She looked at her reflection.

The woman staring back at her was no longer Mrs. Cross.

She was Elena Marchetti.

She took a deep breath before walking downstairs.

Marco was already waiting in the dining room.

"You look exactly like your mother," he said with a proud smile.

Elena smiled faintly.

"I hope that's a compliment."

"It is."

He handed her a folder.

"Your first day back."

She opened it.

Inside were reports, project updates, and a schedule packed with meetings.

"So much work?"

Marco chuckled.

"The company has been waiting for its Vice President."

Elena closed the folder.

"Then let's not keep them waiting."

Marchetti Group Headquarters...

The moment Elena stepped into the lobby, conversations stopped.

Employees stood respectfully.

"Good morning, Miss Marchetti."

"Welcome back, Miss Marchetti."

She smiled politely.

"Good morning."

She entered the executive elevator.

Inside, she looked at her reflection in the polished steel doors.

Three years ago...

She had left this building to become someone's wife.

Today...

She returned as a leader.

The elevator doors opened.

The entire executive team was already waiting.

Marco stepped forward.

"I'd like everyone to officially welcome our new Vice President."

Applause filled the conference room.

One by one, the department heads introduced themselves.

Finally, the HR Director spoke.

"We've been waiting for this day, Miss Marchetti."

Elena nodded.

"Thank you."

She looked around the room.

"I know many of you have questions."

"Yes, I went through a divorce."

"Yes, it was painful."

She paused.

"But my personal life will never affect this company's future."

"I came here to work."

"And I expect results."

The room fell silent.

Every executive straightened in their seat.

Marco smiled proudly.

His daughter had returned.

Stronger than ever.

Meanwhile...

Cross Group.

Vivian walked into Damian's office carrying breakfast.

"You skipped dinner last night."

"I'm busy."

She placed the tray on his desk.

"You've been thinking about Elena."

Damian didn't even look up.

"I don't think about people who are no longer important."

Before Vivian could reply, Priya knocked.

"Mr. Cross."

"What?"

"The Marchetti Group just announced Miss Elena Marchetti as their new Vice President."

Vivian laughed.

"So what?"

"It's just a title."

Priya hesitated.

"They also announced several new international partnerships."

"The company's stock has already started rising."

Damian finally looked up.

"So fast?"

"Yes, sir."

Priya quietly left.

Vivian crossed her arms.

"She's only trying to prove something."

Damian remained silent.

For some reason...

He remembered how confidently Elena had handled business meetings years ago.

He had almost forgotten...

She had never been weak.

Back at Marchetti Group...

The morning meeting ended.

As everyone prepared to leave, Elena stopped them.

"One more thing."

The room became quiet again.

"I've reviewed every report."

"There are three projects losing money."

"We'll shut them down."

Several executives exchanged surprised looks.

"Miss Marchetti..."

"Those projects belong to our oldest clients."

"I know."

Her voice remained calm.

"But business isn't built on emotions."

"It's built on decisions."

Marco smiled.

No one argued again.

Later that afternoon...

Elena stood alone in her new office.

Everything still smelled fresh.

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in."

Her assistant entered.

"Miss Marchetti, someone sent flowers."

She frowned.

"I didn't order any."

The assistant placed the bouquet on the desk.

There was no name.

Only a small white card.

Elena opened it.

Her smile disappeared.

Congratulations on your promotion.

Don't forget...

You'll always be second choice.

She read the message twice.

Then calmly folded the card.

"Throw the flowers away."

The assistant blinked.

"Miss?"

"I said..."

"Throw them away."

"They smell rotten."

The assistant immediately carried them out.

Elena looked through the glass wall toward the city.

"So..."

She whispered.

"The games have already begun."

Across town...

Vivian smiled as she looked at another bouquet waiting beside her chair.

"Did she receive it?"

A man on the phone answered quietly,

"Yes, Miss Vivian."

"And?"

"He said she threw the flowers away."

Vivian's smile slowly faded.

Instead of looking hurt...

Elena hadn't reacted at all.

Vivian tightened her grip on the phone.

"Interesting."

"So she's learned not to cry."

She smiled coldly.

"Let's see..."

"How long that lasts."

Far away...

Elena picked up another file and continued working as if nothing had happened.

She had finally understood one truth.

The best revenge...

Was becoming someone her enemies could never defeat.

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  • Too Late to Want Me Back   Chapter 52: The Thursday File

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  • Too Late to Want Me Back   Chapter 51: Ten Past Seven

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  • Too Late to Want Me Back   Chapter 50: What You Do About Me After

    "Say it again for the record," the chair said."I'm not taking it.""Mr Vale, with the twenty percent you hold a controlling position. Without it you don't.""I know what I hold.""You've spent five months proving that share is yours.""I proved it was never his," Damian said. "That's a different thing."David read it into the minutes in a flat voice, and every word of it took something away from the man standing at the end of the table.Luca sat through all of it with his hands between his knees, understanding none of it."What's happening?" he said, when the room started moving. "David. What just happened?""Do you want it in the legal words or the real ones?""The real ones."David turned his chair round."He's just given you ten percent of Marchetti Group," he said. "You can't sell it for fifteen years. When the company pays out, you get a tenth of it, whether you turn up to a meeting or not, and nobody in this building can take it off you, including him."Luca looked at him."Tha

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  • Too Late to Want Me Back   Chapter 48: Nobody's Boy

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  • Too Late to Want Me Back   Chapter 47: At the Gate

    Alexander stopped four feet from him and didn't come any closer.Damian came down the steps and stopped at the bottom of them, which was as far as he was going to go."Say it out here," Luca said. "Not inside. Not in an office.""Here is fine.""They all know, don't they. Every one of them knows and I'm the last.""Yes.""Then say it."Alexander looked at him for a moment."I'm your father."Nothing moved on the whole street."I didn't marry your mother and I never lived with her, and I've never once in all these years been in a room where I could say that sentence." He didn't soften a word of it. "I'm not going to ask you for anything and I'm not going to explain myself, because there isn't an explanation that survives being said out loud to your face."Luca stood very still."All right," he said."All right?""I've got questions. Small ones. Answer them the way you answered that.""Go on.""I was six. I had a chest thing and I was eleven days in the little hospital on Via Serra." Lu

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