Chapter 15A light tap on my shoulder pulled me back from sleep.“Ma’am, we’re home.”My eyes opened slowly. Paul stood by the car door, waiting. I didn’t even realize when I had dozed off.I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “How long was I asleep?”“Not long. Do you want me to get an umbrella?” Paul asked.I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. And thanks for today.”“You don’t have to thank me, ma. Just doing my job,” Paul answered with his usual calm expression.I stepped out of the car, greeted by a cool breeze. A light drizzle was falling, making the ground smell fresh and earthy.“Andrea, darling.”I turned to see my mother standing at the front door, smiling warmly.“Hi, Mom,” I replied, forcing a small smile.“I heard the car drive in, and I just knew it had to be you,” she said, walking forward. “I’m sure you’re cold, darling. Go get changed, and I’ll make some hot tea for you.”I nodded and made my way upstairs. Once inside my room, I shut the door and leaned against it. The quiet was nice
Chapter 16 I couldn’t make sense of the situation. My heart pounded, my hands trembled, and sweat gathered at my temples. I knew this feeling. It was fear.I looked at the screen again, staring at the message. If the sender wanted to scare me, they had succeeded.My grip on the phone tightened. My breathing was unsteady.It had to be Jason.Who else would benefit from tormenting me like this? But how did he get my number? Only my parents and Jake had it. I had texted Claire before, but I was sure it wasn’t her. She had always stood by me… there's no way she gave it to him also I hadn’t been able to reach her lately.That left Jake.I hated the thought, but it lingered in my mind. Could Jake have given Jason my number? A part of me refused to believe it. I had seen the tension between the two of them. Jake hated Jason just as much as I did—maybe even more. It didn’t make sense for him to help Jason.But if it wasn’t Jake, then who?My mind raced through the possibilities. Could it be
Chapter 17 I sat in my father’s study room, staring at the folder he had given me. I had asked him for some materials about the company before meeting with the board. I wanted to get myself ready. The folder was filled with company reports, market analysis, and upcoming projects. I had spent the last few hours going through them, trying to familiarize myself with the business I was stepping into.The Sinclair Corporation wasn’t just any normal company. It was an empire that had been passed from generation to generation, and now it was in my hands. It was a huge responsibility that needed my commitment. I had been trying to avoid this path all these years, wanting to make a name for myself on my own terms. But now, things have changed. I needed power, and this was the first step toward reclaiming control of my life.A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.“Come in,” I called.The door opened, and my mother stepped in, carrying a tray with a cup of juice and some cookies.“I th
Chapter 18 I stood before the mirror, adjusting my outfit one more time before heading downstairs to meet my father. The white blazer fit perfectly, and beneath it was a silky navy blue blouse, paired with high-waisted trousers. The entire outfit looked elegant and professional. My mother’s fashion sense was still top-notch—she had gone shopping yesterday and picked everything out herself. She called it her gift to welcome me into the company. By the time I made my way downstairs, my father was already waiting in the living room. My mother stood behind him, and they seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. “Oh dear, look at you,” my father said with a big smile. “I can see you’re ready, Andrea.” “More than ready, Dad.” “Good morning, Mum. Good morning, Dad,” I greeted them both. “You look gorgeous, Andrea,” my mother said warmly. “Thanks, Mum.” “Let’s be on our way,” my father said after checking his watch. He stood up, adjusted his suit, and pressed a quick kiss to my
Chapter 19 I followed Jake down the hallway. To my surprise, he didn’t say much, he kept a straight face as we walked. The office was large, with glass walls separating different departments. Everyone looked busy with their tasks—some typing away on their computers, while others discussed work in low voices. But the moment I passed them, the atmosphere shifted. People turned, stealing glances at me. Their whispers grew softer, their eyes filled with curiosity, hesitation… and something else. I could hear them. “That’s her… Jason’s ex-wife.” “I heard she cheated on him and lost her mind.” “Why is she here?” “Didn’t she disappear after the scandal?” I kept walking, my face blank, my posture straight. None of this surprised me—I had prepared myself. People would talk. The lies Jason spread about me had already been planted in their minds. Bad news always spreads faster than the truth. But beneath the whispers, I sensed something else. Fear. They gossiped, but not lou
Chapter 20 Jake’s POVI sat in my office, staring at the document in front of me, but my mind was elsewhere. I wasn’t thinking about work or the paper in front of me. My thoughts were on Andrea.I was surprised when she honored my invitation to come to the cafe because she seemed not to like having me around. But I didn’t blame her at all. She was always kind of mean when I talked to her, but I knew Andrea wasn’t the type of woman to hurt other people’s feelings. Jason just made her toughen up. I knew she was still that nice, soft girl deep down.I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes for a minute. The memory of our meeting came back to me so clearly. She had walked in dressed simply, but there was something about her that made it impossible to look away. Andrea had always been beautiful, no doubt, but when she was with Jason, he just saw her as his wife, nothing more than that. But that day, it wasn’t her beauty that caught my attention—it was the fire in her eyes. The way she r
Chapter 21Andrea’s POVHuhhh… I let out a deep breath of relief. I was finally done for the day. The day had been longer than I expected but I made it through with a smile. My first day was over.I stood up, closed my laptop, and gathered my things. Stretching my stiff shoulders, I looked around the office one last time to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything. Satisfied, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.As I stepped into the hallway, I adjusted the strap of my bag, which kept slipping off my shoulder. The heels of my shoes clicked against the shiny floor, echoing softly in the quiet space. Just as I reached the elevator, the sound of approaching footsteps made me pause. The familiar scent of cedarwood and leather reached me before I even turned my head.Jake.I glanced sideways to confirm, and sure enough, there he was—walking beside me with his usual composed expression.“I see you’re leaving,” he said smoothly, his deep voice breaking the silence.“Yes, I’m done for the
Chapter 22 It’s been a week since I started working in the company. It hadn't been a perfect journey so far. I made some mistakes and learned new things. I had been going from one meeting to another. My father had introduced me to the staff, so I was officially known as the heiress of the Sinclair Corporation for those who were not yet aware. But my father thought it would be wise not to let the press know yet for my own sake. He knew the amount of attention I would be getting from the public and in situations like this, the negativity can affect my wellbeing.I was grateful that he wanted to remove me from the public eye first until I was ready. Though employees still went around talking, I tried my best not to let that bother me. I had a motive here, and being bothered about what people had to say wasn’t one. There was another thing on my mind the whole week I had been avoiding Jake. From the moment I stepped into the company until I left, I made sure not to run into him. I change
Chapter 84Claire povI leaned against my window, watching Andrea’s car disappear into the traffic. My heart pounded against my ribs. Damn, that was close—I almost got busted.If I hadn’t thought quickly, if my voice had wavered even for a second, Andrea would’ve seen right through me.I turned away from the window. Jason needs to know what just happened.I grabbed my phone from the table, my fingers moving fast. The screen lit up—Jason’s name glaring back at me. I tapped the call button and pressed the phone to my ear. It only rang twice.“Hello Claire ““Jason, Andrea saw you leaving the boutique,” I said immediately.“Huh?” He sounded nervous, caught off guard. “She saw me?”“She saw you walking out of the boutique,” I repeated, pacing the floor.“I heard you the first time, Claire. Did she… Did she suspect anything? Did she question you?”“Of course, she did. Do you think Andrea would see you walking out of my boutique and turn a blind eye? She asked what you were doing there.”“W
Chapter 83I sat in the car, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. Claire and Jason can’t stand each other—that was one thing I was very much aware of. They were like cats and rats, so the question popped into my head again: Why was Jason walking out of Claire’s boutique?I shifted in my seat, chewing the inside of my cheek. My head was spinning with questions I couldn’t answer. The more I thought about it, the more restless I felt.Sitting here wasn’t going to give me answers. I opened the door and started walking down to the boutique.The receptionist welcomed me with a smile when I got in.“Good afternoon, ma. Welcome to Claire’s.”I returned a polite nod. “Hi, I’m here to see Claire.”“One moment, please.”She picked up the phone, I could tell by the way she looked at me that she recognized me.I waited, arms crossed, eyes drifting toward the hallway. A second later, she looked up.“You can go ahead.”I walked past her desk, my pace steady—even though my thoughts we
Chapter 82“Did you really think I’d let Jason off that easily?” Jake asked, his voice calm but laced with a hint of mischief. “A press conference doesn’t clean up what he’s done. That was just… step one.”I sat up straighter, my eyes narrowing. “What do you mean by step one?”Jake shrugged, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “That press conference? That was me killing two birds with one stone. Your name’s cleared. The public believes you. But as for Jason… this is far from over.”“You already gave him the file,” I said slowly, suspicion creeping into my voice. “So what else is left?”He turned to face me more fully, his expression unreadable, eyes sharp. “Did I?” he asked.I let out a frustrated breath, throwing my hands up. “Can you please just stop answering my questions with another question, Jake? You have something up your sleeves. I can feel it.”He chuckled and lifted both arms, rolling up his sleeves dramatically. “I’ve got nothing under my sleeves, Andrea.”“Jake…”
Chapter 81Andrea’s POVI nearly choked on my coffee when Jason’s face popped up on my screen.He looked expressionless . Cold. Like he was reading a script straight off the teleprompter with no soul behind it.But I knew better.Beneath that polished suit and deadpan expression, I could see the cracks. The stiffness in his shoulders. The way his eyes avoided the cameras. He looked like a man holding his breath underwater—desperate not to drown, trying to make it seem like this was all under control.It wasn’t.He was miserable, and he felt like a damn loser for standing up there. I could see it in the way his jaw twitched after every sentence like he had to force the words out without spitting. He didn’t want to do this. This wasn’t some noble act of redemption. He didn’t have a choice.And the way he was acting—like he was one broken, lonely ex-husband who had no choice but to drag my name because of how pained and heartbroken he was? So pathetic. Some things never change. Even now,
Chapter 80 Jason’s POV I stood in front of the mirror, tying the knot for the third damn time. No matter how tight I pulled it or how clean the fold looked, it still didn’t sit right on my chest. My hands paused. I stared at my reflection—sharp suit, clean shave, everything in place—but I still looked like hell. I looked like a man about to step into a war he already lost. “Jason?” Claire’s voice floated in behind me. I didn’t turn. She walked in, her heels clicking against the marble floor. I caught her reflection beside mine—flawless, hair pinned up, makeup soft and polished. She wore a cream-colored dress that hugged her in all the right places. “You look tense,” she said gently, wrapping her arms around my waist from behind. “Everything’s going to be fine.” I didn’t say anything. My eyes were locked on the tie, my knuckles clenched around the fabric. “Jason,” she said again, a little firmer this time. “You’ve got this. Just go in, say what you planned, and walk out. You’r
Chapter 79Claire’s POVJason’s arm was heavy across my waist, his breath warm and steady against the back of my neck. He was snoring softly—completely at peace, like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t just slammed me against the wall a few hours ago and wrapped his hand around my throat like I was an enemy in his way and not a woman he claimed to love.I lay there wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Every time I closed my eyes, I could feel it again—his fingers digging in, the panic clawing up my throat, the way my legs gave out under me. My heart wouldn’t slow down. My chest still felt tight, like I hadn’t fully caught my breath since.Though he had apologized and promised it would never happen again, could I count on his words? I had never seen him like this before—not toward me. For the first time since we became an item, I was scared. I was terrified of him.I shifted slightly, careful not to wake him. I turned to look at him. He looked so calm in his sleep. Like nothing was ea
Chapter 78 Jason (POV) The bookshelf was upside down, with books scattered all over the floor. The TV remote lay cracked nearby, its batteries having rolled somewhere under the couch. Shards of glass glinted under the light from the broken lamp. One of the picture frames had been smashed to pieces—the photo ripped and tossed across the room. I didn’t care. I grabbed the edge of the dresser and yanked it, dragging it a few inches before slamming it back against the wall, I needed something else to hit. Something else to throw. My whole body buzzed with anger—chest rising and falling, hands shaking. How dare they walk into my office like they owned the damn place Waving that stupid file in my face like it was a weapon. Threatening me. I was sure they were laughing inside, having cornered me. I slammed my hand against the wall. Pain flared, but I didn’t feel it. The door burst open. “Jason!” Claire’s voice rang out, high-pitched and sharp with panic. “What the hell happened?!
Chapter 77Andrea’s POV“Andrea, you’ve barely touched your food,” my mum’s voice cut through the quiet dining room.My fork froze halfway to my mouth. I blinked like I was just waking up from a long nap. The scent of roasted chicken and garlic rice hit me all over again, for a moment i forgot i was having dinner with my parents.“Oh… sorry,” I muttered, setting the fork down slowly. “I didn’t realize.”“You’ve been staring at the wall for the past ten minutes,” my dad said, setting down his glass of water. “Are you alright?”I nodded too quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine.”But I wasn’t here. Not completely. My mind was still stuck in Jason’s office—replaying every word, every twitch of his jaw, every glance exchanged between him, Jake, and me. The way his pride cracked when he saw the file. The look in his eyes when he realized we weren’t bluffing.It was like that memory had taken up all the space in my head. I barely remembered anything else right now.“You’re not letting all this scandal n
Chapter 76 Jake’s POV I pulled the car to a smooth stop in front of the Sinclair house and glanced at Andrea from the corner of my eye. She hadn’t stopped smiling since we left Jason’s office. Andrea leaned her head back against the seat, her lips curved, eyes distant but calm. There was a different kind of peace in her expression now—not the fragile calm that looked like it might break at the edges, but something solid. Like a weight had finally been lifted. I watched her for a moment longer, the corners of my mouth twitching into a satisfied grin. “You’ve been smiling all the way here,” I said to her. Andrea blinked and turned to me, her smile widening just a little. “I’m still taking it in. I didn’t know it would feel like this… standing up to him.” “I told you,” I said, turning fully now to face her. “Jason’s bark is louder than his bite. And today, you proved that.” She opened her eyes and looked at me. There was something different in her gaze now—lighter, freer. Like s