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All Chapters of THE WOMAN THEY CAST ASIDE: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

20 Chapters

Chapter 11

The first week nearly broke her. Four in the morning, every single day. The trainer arrived before the sun did. His name was James. Former military, hard face, no patience for excuses. "Get up," he said the first morning, standing over her bed. "Training starts now." Emma had never exercised properly in her life. A yoga class here and there. The occasional walk. Nothing that counted as real training. This counted. They ran around the lake together, her lungs burning, her legs screaming with every step. "Keep going," James said, barely out of breath himself. She wanted to stop. Wanted to collapse right there on the path. Instead she thought of Lawrence, celebrating his engagement without a second thought for her. She kept going. After the run came weights, core work, more running after that. Her muscles tore and rebuilt themselves and tore again. Every night she could barely make it up the stairs. By the third week, the urge to quit disappeared. By the fifth we

Chapter 12

The clock read 4:30 when Emma's eyes snapped open. Sleep had become a luxury she could no longer afford, not with so much ground still left to cover. She showered quickly, the hot water washing away the last of her drowsiness. The bathroom mirror reflected her new self back at her. Sharp haircut, features no longer hidden behind long, heavy hair. Emma Vale. Even after weeks, the name still felt like trying on someone else's clothes. Not uncomfortable. Just new. By five, she sat at the desk in her suite, going through yesterday's notes. Pages full of terms she'd barely understood weeks ago now made real sense. Derivatives. Hedge strategies. Arbitrage opportunities. The language of finance was slowly becoming her own. A soft knock broke her concentration. "Come in," she called without looking up. Simeon entered, two steaming cups in hand. "Thought you might need this." He set a coffee beside her notes, the smell filling the room. "Another early start?" "The markets wait for no one,

Chapter 13

Lawrence Carter's office overlooked the city skyline, but today he barely noticed the view. His attention stayed locked on the quarterly report, numbers that refused to add up no matter how many times he ran through them. "This can't be right," he muttered, scrolling through the spreadsheet for the third time. The manufacturing division showed a twelve percent drop against projections, while operating costs had climbed despite recent cuts. "Mr. Carter?" His assistant's voice came through the intercom. "Ms. Hale is here to see you." His stomach tightened. Rose. With her endless talk of venues and flowers and guest lists. The wedding she insisted needed to happen within weeks. "Send her in," he said, closing the report with a quick click. The door swung open and there she stood, a tight dress hugging every curve, smile bright enough to light the whole room. "There you are," Rose said, crossing the office with practiced grace. She perched on the edge of his desk, legs crossing in a

Chapter 14

The kitchen smelled like butter and vanilla when Emma found Sara staring down at a cookbook. "What are you doing?" Emma asked. Sara looked up, frustrated. "Trying to figure out chocolate chip cookies. Dad's birthday is next week and I want to surprise him. But this recipe looks impossible." Emma walked over and glanced at the page. "It's not impossible. Want some help?" Sara's face brightened. "Really? You know how to bake?" "I raised three kids. I know how to bake." The words slipped out before she could stop them. Three kids. Past tense. Like they didn't exist anymore. Sara must have caught the pain behind it, because she reached out and touched Emma's arm gently. "Will you teach me?" Emma nodded, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat. "Let's start with the ingredients." They worked side by side. Emma showed her how to measure flour properly, how to cream butter and sugar until it turned light and fluffy, how to crack eggs without shells falling into the bowl. "I'v

Chapter 15

The blow caught Emma in the stomach, driving the air straight out of her lungs. She doubled over, gasping, black spots dancing at the edges of her vision. "Again," her instructor said, not unkindly but without any sympathy either. "You dropped your guard." Emma straightened, fighting to control her breathing. Sweat trickled down her back, soaking through the gray tank top she wore. Her muscles screamed in protest as she raised her hands into the defensive position she'd been taught. "Ready," she managed between breaths. Katya nodded, sharp features giving nothing away. The former military specialist circled Emma on the training mat, hunting for weaknesses, openings, any sign of vulnerability. Exactly what a real attacker would look for. "Remember," Katya said, her accent making every word land harder, "in real fight, no one waits for you to be ready. No one plays fair. You must be prepared always." The next attack came without warning, a sweeping kick aimed at her legs. This time

Chapter 16

That afternoon, Emma went back to the gym on her own. Katya had already left for the day, but the equipment still sat waiting. Emma wrapped her hands carefully with the protective tape Katya had taught her, then walked over to the heavy bag hanging in the corner. The first punch landed tentative, her form correct but lacking any real commitment behind it. The second hit harder. By the fifth, she was putting her whole body into every strike, exactly the way Katya had shown her. Right cross. Left hook. Knee strike. Elbow. With every impact, Emma pulled up a specific memory. The way Lawrence had dismissed her interest in going back to law school. The times he'd cut her off at dinner parties to "clarify" something she'd already said perfectly well. The conversations he'd had with their children about important things, never once including her. The moment he had introduced Rose as "the love of my life" while she stood frozen in her own living room, shopping bags still slipping from her

Chapter 17

"Lawrence! Where are the imported cigars I asked for? Daddy loves them after dinner!" Rose's voice echoed through the house, sharp with urgency. Lawrence Carter stood in the kitchen, tie loosened, hair disheveled from running his hands through it too many times. The counter in front of him was covered with shopping bags, proof of his fourth emergency trip to the store that day. Cigars. A specific whiskey. Aged cheese. Everything Rose insisted was essential for her parents' visit. "Check the brown bag," he called back, voice tight with restraint. The financial report he'd meant to review that evening sat unopened on his desk. Another day, another distraction pulling him away from it. Marie, the housekeeper who had worked for him and Emma for twelve years, hurried past with an armful of fresh towels. Her salary was modest next to Lawrence's wealth, but Rose had been hinting about hiring extra staff lately, full time help instead of the weekly service. Another expense he didn't need.

Chapter 18

Dinner that evening was an education for Samuel. The Lowes made no attempt to hide their amazement at the food, the wine, the service. Josh photographed each course with his outdated phone, narrating enthusiastically the whole time. "This here's some kind of steak with a sauce I can't even pronounce. Costs more than our monthly electric bill, I'd bet. And the wine, Carol, what was that called again?" "Something French, dear. From nineteen ninety-something." "Château Lafite," Lawrence supplied. "A good year." "Good? It's miracle juice." Josh held his glass up to the light. "And to think our Rose drinks this stuff every day now. Our girl who grew up on powdered drink mix and tap water." Rose winced visibly. "Daddy, please." "What? I'm proud of you, princess. You set your sights high and got exactly what you wanted." Josh winked at Lawrence. "She always said she'd marry successful. Had it planned since she was twelve. Cut pictures of fancy houses right out of magazines and stuck the

Chapter 19

The clock on Emma's laptop read 4:47 when the words finally blurred together into meaningless shapes. She blinked, rubbed her eyes. The financial reports still made no sense at all. How long had she been awake? Twenty hours? Twenty two? She'd started yesterday morning at five. Training with James. Then lessons with Voss. Then dinner with Simeon and Sara. Then back to her room. To study more. Because she wasn't good enough yet. Wasn't smart enough. Wasn't ready. Her phone alarm would go off in forty three minutes. Time for another training session already. She stood up. Her legs wobbled. When had she last eaten? Dinner. Yesterday. Whatever yesterday even was at this point. The room tilted slightly. She grabbed the desk for balance. Just tired. That's all this was. She changed into workout clothes, hands shaking as she tied her shoes. James would be waiting by the lake. Like always. Five thirty. Rain or shine. Emma splashed water on her face and looked in the mirror. Dark cir

Chapter 20

The Grandview Estate looked like something pulled straight from a magazine. White roses everywhere. Crystal chandeliers overhead. Silk draping every wall. Tables set with china that cost more than most people's cars. Two hundred guests, all dressed in designer clothes, jewels glittering under the lights. Lawrence stood at the altar in a navy suit, custom tailored, thirty thousand dollars, worth every penny of it. He looked good. Felt good too. The wedding march began. Rose appeared at the back of the ballroom. White dress, thousands of crystals sewn straight into the fabric, the train stretching fifteen feet behind her. Josh walked beside her, uncomfortable in his rented tux, but beaming with pride anyway. Lawrence watched her approach. She looked perfect. Young. Beautiful. Everything Emma hadn't been in years, at least in his eyes. The tiara on her head caught the light. Antique, set with diamonds and sapphires, it had belonged to Emma's grandmother once, passed down through gen

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