If I could have suppressed my feelings earlier, convincing myself that Hugh's defense of me was simply due to his upbringing and character, Carol's question now made my heart waver.But love?During those years together, I was his wife. Yet when other women appeared, he abandoned me without hesitation. I couldn't believe he loved me now.Or... even if he did.Esther was gone, out of the picture, and suddenly he remembered my worth.He started to love me again?This kind of love only made me feel nauseous, disgusted, and cheap!I couldn't accept it, no matter what.Hugh didn't answer, remaining silent for a moment before speaking. "Remember why we're here today. If you mess this up, I'll kick you out immediately.""Mess up? I'm insulting her for our benefit," Carol snarled, glaring at me. "This woman is deliberately working against us. Without her involvement, Ada would definitely entrust her wedding to us." She turned to me, her eyes full of venom. "You shamelessly schemed you
I found myself suddenly in the spotlight as a guest of honor for a top designer. Hand in hand, I entered Ms. Rose’s private room, and I couldn’t help but feel confused. Something wasn’t right. Why was this woman going out of her way for me?After about thirty minutes, it finally dawned on me why she seemed so invested. Back when I was still in school, there was a massive car accident. The car in front of us exploded, and the one behind us was at risk of catching fire at any moment. The situation was dire. There was a little boy trapped inside, whispering for help. I could see blood streaming from his leg, and his lips were pale—he was losing blood fast. If we didn’t stop the bleeding, he’d die, even if the car didn’t explode.No one dared to move forward, even the rescue team concluded it was too risky. But I couldn’t just watch him die there. I grabbed a medical kit and rushed in to help him. I managed to stop the bleeding, and with the help of two police officers I called over, we
The moment we got home, Hugh ripped off his tie, his eyes blazing with anger."Listen up," he growled. "Stay out of this from now on. Dad put me in charge, not you. Don't overstep."His words lit a fire in me. "If you weren't so hung up on your loser ex-wife, Rose would be working on our project right now!"Ever since running into Shelia, Hugh had been like a different person. It was clear his mind wasn't on the job anymore. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been dumb enough to start a fight at Rose's party.What an idiot!"You fell for that trash Esther before. If I hadn't been there, would you have just handed this project to Shelia on a silver platter? God, you're such a moron!"I could see the vein throbbing in Hugh's forehead. It was almost funny. As if he had any right to be mad!"If it weren't for you, we might still have a shot at talking to Rose. But now? You've probably blown our chances completely," I taunted."Ha! A chance to talk? You mean a chance to help Shelia steal A
Three days went by, and Mom and I showed up at Hugh's meticulously planned shindig, decked out in our fanciest dresses. The Thornton Hotel's reputation had taken a nosedive after the Esther mess, and Hugh had been busting his butt trying to fix it.The harder he worked, the more I wanted to laugh.No matter how much sweat he poured in, I'd end up with all the credit because Dad only had eyes for me. What Hugh had to struggle for, I could snag with just a bit of sweet talk.As the party kicked off, there was a buzz outside. I peeked out to see a line of fancy cars parked up front, with excited fans screaming Ada's name. I held my head high as Mom tugged my arm, reminding me, "Don't let Hugh hog the spotlight. We need to wow Ada, and don’t forget to strut your stuff. Everyone needs to know you're the face of Thornton Group tonight."I rolled my eyes. "Chill, Mom. I'm not some amateur. I'm the Thornton Group heiress—I've got this."Ignoring Mom, I strutted towards Ada's car, soaking
I had already discussed the wedding dress details with Ada. While the dress was important, what she valued most for this wedding was the ceremony itself, as it held special meaning related to her mother. The dress was just a way to gauge how much care the planners put into the event. So, Thornton Group still had a chance.I’d promoted Ada’s attendance at Thornton Group’s welcome party heavily, turning it into a great marketing opportunity. I was doing my best to restore our reputation and generate profit, yet my family seemed hell-bent on sabotaging me. It was laughable.As the party began, I saw Carol strutting around, pretending to be busy, probably thinking everything today was because of her efforts. I figured as long as she stayed out of trouble, the night would go smoothly, so I kept close to Ada."Hugh, I came to this party for you. You’re my hero," Ada said with a playful curiosity, "but why isn’t your name listed as the host?""True bosses are always in the background," I
I was caught off guard when Ada called me in the middle of the night, especially after all the hype about her staying at the Thornton Hotel. However, I didn't hesitate to give her my address as soon as I picked up.Thirty minutes later, she was at my door, looking frazzled."I'm so sorry to barge in like this, Shelia," she said, her voice tight. "I couldn't sleep, and you're the only one I felt I could turn to right now.""Don't sweat it," I assured her. "Come on in and take a load off. We can talk as long as you need."After a couple of glasses of wine, Ada finally started to open up."I was planning to choose between Thornton and Warner for my wedding, but Thornton's really let me down. Shelia, I feel like you're the only one I can trust with this."Normally, hearing a client pick me would be thrilling, but seeing Ada so stressed took the wind out of my sails."Don't worry," I promised. "I’ll do everything in my power to make sure your wedding is flawless and memorable.""Tha
When Ada announced that KS would be handling her wedding, I laughed. Hugh was finished! He’d insisted on taking this project, only to fail spectacularly. It was amusing, really—now he wouldn’t be able to strut around in front of Dad.He had claimed that Ada’s partnership fell apart because of me, which was absurd. But now that this deal had blown up in his face, he would probably be kept out of the company for a long while.With my spirits high, I called over two male models, including the one who had danced with Shelia at the party. I gave him a sly smile."Well? Are you waiting for me to undress you?"Without hesitation, he stripped off his clothes and slipped a leather collar around his neck. "Of course not, ma’am," he replied, then began crawling over to me on his knees.I reveled in the power, watching Shelia’s former dance partner act like an obedient dog, completely under my control. It was the perfect way to boost my mood.I injected the good things on the table into my v
Shelia's POV:These past few days, I’d been pouring all my energy into Ada’s wedding, barely catching any sleep. But as the plans came together, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. This was the first project I’d taken on since the divorce, and it held a lot of meaning for me. I cared deeply about making it perfect.Just as I lay down to rest at home, the doorbell rang.Zachary was standing at my door with a bag of food, and as I opened it, he brought out a bouquet from behind his back with a smile."Congratulations, Shelia," he said, handing me the flowers.I beamed. "I love your little surprises." He had a knack for romance."You look exhausted, Shelia. Have you been eating properly?""Well, I tried to eat well, but most days I get so busy I forget," I admitted with a shrug.He rolled up his sleeves and headed straight to the kitchen. A warm feeling spread through me. Back when I was with Hugh, I was always the one cooking, and he never took care of me. I used to convince