All Chapters of Return Of The Betrayed Heiress : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The black SUV pulled up to the towering glass building that dominated the city skyline. Even through the tinted windows, I could see the gold lettering that spelled out "Jones Group" across the marble entrance. My stomach fluttered as I stared up at the structure that would one day be mine."Ready?" Mother asked, her hand finding mine.I nodded, though my mouth felt dry. The transformation over the past week had been remarkable. The cream-colored blazer fit perfectly, the heels no longer felt like torture devices, and when I caught my reflection in the car window, I barely recognized myself. Dalia's lessons had worked. I looked like someone who belonged here.The driver opened our door with a slight bow. As I stepped onto the sidewalk, I felt the weight of curious stares. Business people in expensive suits paused mid-conversation. A few discreetly pulled out their phones."Chin up," Mother whispered. "You're a Jones."The lobby was all marble and crystal, with fresh orchids arranged o

Emelda’s POV The events of the gala still burned in my mind as we drove home. Allen would pay for everything he had done to me.Smith sat beside me, silent and steady, his presence a wall of calm against the storm raging inside me. Not a word. Not a glance that asked for explanations. He knew better than to intrude on my thoughts.When the car finally turned into the long drive, the Jones mansion rose before us like a fortress reclaiming its queen. The iron security gates parted without hesitation, motion sensors sweeping over us as if bowing to my return.At the marble steps, I reached for his hand, the warmth grounding me for the first time all night. “Thank you,” I said softly. “For everything.”Smith’s lips curved into the faintest smile. “You don’t need to thank me. You handled that perfectly.The front door opened before we reached it. Margaret stood there, still elegant despite the late hour. Her eyes searched my face."How do you feel?""Powerful." The word came out without h

Author's POVThe silence stretched like a coiled spring. Glass fragments from Allen's shattered phone glittered on the carpet. The spider web crack in the wall seemed to mock everything falling apart.Rachel cleared her throat. "What are you going to do about this?"Allen stared at the broken phone. His shoulders sagged. The fight had drained out of him completely."Allen?" Rachel's voice climbed higher. "You have to do something."He looked up at her with hollow eyes. "Like what?""Fight back. Counter-sue. Something.""With what ammunition? She has everything, Rachel. Every email. Every document. Every proof of what I did."Rachel’s chest tightened. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to be untouchable by now, safely ensconced in Allen’s world of privilege and power.Now it was crumbling beneath her feet.“There has to be a way,” she whispered, desperation threading her voice.Allen didn’t turn. His gaze stayed fixed on the city skyline beyond the glass wall. “Ma

The ringtone cut through the heavy silence between Smith and me like a blade, its sharp electronic melody piercing the tension that had settled over us like a suffocating blanket.I grabbed my phone from the table, my fingers fumbling slightly with the device, grateful for any excuse to escape the weight of his words and the way they made my chest feel tight."Hello?""Emelda? This is Jessica Martinez from Carter Enterprises."My stomach dropped. Jessica had been Allen's head of HR for three years, but before that, she'd worked under me when I was still building the company culture from scratch. We'd shared countless late nights and coffee runs, planning employee wellness programs and team-building events."Jessica." I turned away from Smith, pressing the phone closer to my ear. "This is unexpected."Her voice was shaky, nothing like the confident woman I remembered. "I need to talk to you. It's about what's happening at the company.""What kind of things?""Not over the phone. Can we

The revelation lingered in my mind long after Mother left, her words echoing like stones dropped into still water. He requested you. I tried to focus on the magazine in my lap, but the letters blurred together. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Smith's face, the quiet intensity, the way he'd shielded me at the coffee shop without making it feel like weakness.Sleep came fitfully, full of dreams I couldn't quite remember.My phone buzzed against the nightstand, pulling me from restless slumber. Morning light filtered through the curtains, soft and hesitant. Smith's name lit up the screen, and something fluttered in my chest, a sensation I'd forgotten I could feel.Good morning, Emelda.I hope you slept well after yesterday. Would you like to spend some time together this week? There's a charity launch coming up,the Golden Ivy Soirée at The Marcellus Estate. No pressure.I stared at the message, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. The careful politeness of it, the way he left me an