All Chapters of When I Went Home: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

By the time Marcus Vale came home from work that night, I had already packed two large suitcases.He stopped short when he saw them."Why did you come home without waiting for me?"There it was again.He had a way of turning the page all by himself, as if nothing had happened, and then expecting me to step down from whatever anger I had and keep playing the role of the loving girlfriend.But I did not want to play along anymore."Didn't your little assistant pass along my message?"His brow tightened at once, as if I had touched a nerve."I'm trying to talk to you properly. Do you have to be sarcastic?""Hannah is from your hometown. You're the one who asked me to bring her into the company. Why are you acting like this now?"He was not wrong.Hannah Price was from the same mountain community as me. The community chair back home had always told those of us who left for the city to look out for one another.So when she graduated and could not find work, I brought her into ou

Chapter 2

"Now the client is demanding a twenty percent discount, and our gross margin is only thirty percent.""This is a project we've followed for more than six months. If we keep going, we lose money. If we walk away, we may lose the client completely."I nodded as I pushed open Marcus's office door.Hannah was lying sideways on the office sofa bed, while Marcus sat beside her, feeding her water by the spoonful.That sofa bed had been bought years ago, when we first started the company, because Marcus wanted to force me to rest.He had said, "My office is your private lounge."Even after the company grew, moved, and built out its own headquarters, I brought that sofa bed along.Now another woman lay on it, and he guarded her with the tenderness that used to belong to me.My chest tightened for a second.Strangely, it no longer hurt.When Hannah saw me, she immediately sat up."Constance, don't misunderstand. I fainted because I felt so guilty, so Marcus was only giving me sugar wa

Chapter 3

Contracts, files, and project materials were scattered across the floor.All of it was built piece by piece with my own hands.Who gave her the right?"Put everything down."I crossed the room in three strides and slapped Hannah across the face."Who allowed you to touch my things?"Hannah held her cheek, but her eyes were stubborn."Marcus said you lost a major deal, so you no longer deserve this office. He said you should work in a cubicle in the common area."Maybe someone had already told him, because Marcus arrived moments later.His eyes flickered when he saw the mess."Hannah, I told you to notify her. Who told you to move her things?"Hannah lowered her hand, revealing the red mark on her face, and looked at him pitifully.His heart softened at once."Constance, I made the decision. If you want to vent, vent at me."But rules are rules. Hannah sent the cost sheet, yes, but your team submitted the file. You bear direct responsibility."He sighed and placed both ha

Chapter 4

Or maybe they wanted to provoke me.They went everywhere together.Whenever Marcus attended an event, Hannah appeared beside him as his female companion.She even started acting like the lady of the company, ordering people around and waiting for me to leave so she could take my place.Riley complained about them several times.I patted her shoulder."Hold steady. Let her get arrogant."After Hannah's fifth attempt to provoke me failed to get a reaction, she finally could not keep pretending.She stormed into my office without knocking."Marcus doesn't want you anymore. Why are you still clinging to this place?"I casually straightened the newest designer blazer on her shoulder."Men are simple. Their money goes where their love goes."Don't tell me you forgot. I own forty-nine percent of this company. What do you have?"Want to bet? If he is willing to give you ten percent of the company, I'll give up my shares and leave."If he refuses, you leave. Dare?"Her face went

Chapter 5

Marcus and Hannah had followed me in. Both of them looked as if they had just heard the funniest joke in the world.Hannah shook the two equity agreements in her hand.One was the fifteen percent that now belonged to her.The other was my voluntary waiver of my own shares.Marcus looked at me with a hint of pity."Constance, if you're going to lose your mind, at least know when to stop. Do you really want this getting around? How are you supposed to hold on to your place as Mrs. Vale after this?"See?The moment I gave up the shares in my name, he could not wait to put on the airs of Mr. Vale.As if from now on, I could only crawl at his feet like some ornamental wife, a dependent accessory whose survival relied entirely on him.But I, Constance Rivers, had never been anyone's accessory.Grandma found me when I was an abandoned baby.By six, I was already helping her cook.By ten, I could study while picking mushrooms to help cover household expenses.Later, I barely manag

Chapter 6

Marcus said, "Constance, you really should learn from Hannah how to act like a woman."Before I could answer, Olivia Hart's voice cut in."I think you're the one who should learn how to act like a man."She walked into the office with four bodyguards in black suits.The receptionist knew her and naturally did not dare stop her.She was wearing sunglasses, so I rubbed my forehead.She took my arm and removed the glasses with theatrical flair."You cheating scumbag and bargain-bin mistress," she said brightly. "You are both fired."Marcus's anger nearly burned through his face."Olivia, for Constance's sake, leave now."Otherwise I'll call the police and report you for bringing a group here to cause trouble."Olivia shrugged carelessly and took a folder from one of the bodyguards.She threw it at Marcus."Open your eyes. I now hold sixty-four percent of this company. I am the largest shareholder."Even if I cannot personally erase your existence, I can strip you of manageme

Chapter 7

Riley choked up and hugged me."Thank you, Ms. Rivers. I know you've secretly covered the hospital bills for me more than once over the years."I patted her back."Visit me when you have time. My hometown is beautiful."I smiled at the other colleagues who had stood up for me at the critical moment."I ordered afternoon tea for everyone. If we're meant to, we'll meet again."When my plane landed, I met Owen Cole the community chair had mentioned.He was dressed neatly and waved hard when he saw me.I unceremoniously tossed my suitcase to him."What, did you also come back because no one wanted to marry you at thirty?"He dodged my playful punch with ease."Of course. If I didn't come back, my dad was ready to chase me all the way to the city."Owen Cole and I had grown up together.No one knew me better.He was the only boy from our village to attend university.I was the only girl.In elementary school, we studied together and always fought for first and second place.

Chapter 8

Only if they recognized Hollow Creek from the heart could they make videos that moved people.When I went to the entrance to Hollow Creek to pick up the creators, I saw Marcus Vale, dusty from travel.I had not seen him for a year.But I had heard plenty about him.Olivia and Riley had taken turns telling me about life after I left.Olivia could have worked remotely, but she went to the company every day just to make Marcus and Hannah miserable.Hannah used to do nothing but serve Marcus tea and water.Now she had to do actual work.But she had coasted for the last two years and had long since lost whatever ability she once had.Even without deliberately catching her mistakes, there were plenty.With Olivia assigning someone to watch her, she could not stand it after two months and resigned.She forced Marcus to legally marry her.But somehow, Marcus refused to hold a wedding.Almost no one in the industry knew she was Mrs. Vale.Marcus himself was overwhelmed.Word spre

Chapter 9

He laughed at himself."Everyone called me Mr. Vale with respect, and that blinded me."At some point, people in the company seemed closer to you. Clients came in and asked specifically for you. Even my parents said I only had today because of you."So I went from fighting beside you to seeing you as someone I had to beat."But what could I beat you in? Only your feelings for me."That's why I deliberately dragged my feet on proposing. That's why I refused to go back to your hometown with you."Because I thought at least in that one thing, I could win."Ridiculous, isn't it?"I was competing with the person I loved."I stood."If you're done, leave."I don't hate you, but I will not be friends with you either."I have spent my whole life charging toward my goals. The years by your side were already my pause."Marcus stayed silent for a long time before walking out.His back looked bent.I thought time had left its marks on him after all.I waited a few minutes before fo

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