Semua Bab Hi to Your Bride, Bye to Your Child: Bab 1 - Bab 6

Twelve years ago, Leon pulled me out of a burning building and raised me. I decided that after the 99th time he cast me aside, I would walk away for good.…I finally stepped into St. Sire Private Clinic in New Lyon. Alone, I scheduled the abortion procedure and signed my name, Isabella Rossi, on the consent form. This was my final chance—to him, and to myself.At the end of the hallway, a few elegantly dressed socialites were whispering to the nurse, stealing glances at me."That's her," one of them murmured. "Leon Vincent's ward in a gilded cage.""I heard she's extremely ambitious. Did she really think she could compete with the daughter of the Harringtons?""She really doesn't know her place, does she? A lowborn orphan girl thinking she can climb the ladder by getting pregnant with Mr. Vincent's child? What a joke."I didn't even look their way. I kept my head down, held in everything I was feeling, and walked straight out of the hospital.Back at the penthouse, the butler,

I began packing my luggage. Moments later, Frank rushed in, panic evident on his face. "Ms. Rossi, have you seen the news?"I pulled out my phone to check the trending news. Then, I saw the top finance headline in bold text."Leon Vincent's Ward, Isabella Rossi, Accused of Repaying Kindness With Betrayal—Suspected of Leaking Core Pharmaceutical Data, Causing Vincent Group Over 100 Million Dollars in Losses."The accompanying image was my university ID photo. The next news alert immediately took over the screen."Socialite Elena Harrington Hospitalized Due to Emotional Distress as Vincent Group Stock Plunges—Blamed on Betrayal by Leon Vincent's Ward, Isabella Rossi."The photo showed her in a hospital gown, leaning weakly near a window with tears in her eyes. Her talent for drama and framing was unreal.I switched off my phone, folded the last outfit I had packed, and put it into my suitcase.Subsequently, I learned that the Drake family, Vincent Group's business rivals, who had

Leon lifted his bloodshot eyes. "Talk."Melvin slid a tablet across the desk. "The data breach wasn't an external attack, after all."He tapped the screen, where a detailed network flow diagram lit up. "The data was transferred through an internally authorized port to an encrypted server."Melvin hesitated, then added, "We traced the server's IP address, and it led us to an offshore shell company owned by Harrington Group."Leon's eyes locked on the screen before Melvin tapped an audio recording and hit play. Elena's venomous voice poured from the speaker, loud and clear."I want him to think it was that bitch who did it. That way, he'll hate her forever and cut her out of his life for good. Once Vincent Group is in trouble, he won't survive without my father's help. By then, everything he has will be ours."The recording ended.Rage churned deep in Leon's chest, but on his face, there was no fury. Instead, only a terrifying, ash-gray calm that was worse than anger settled on hi