Seeing Aspen so full of energy and purpose, Aren was instantly drawn in.It had been a long, long time since he had seen her like this. As she stared at the laptop screen, her eyes sparkled with determination, like someone ready to conquer anything in her path.Aren had only ever seen this version of Aspen back in university. The years she had spent in that marriage with Colin had completely worn away every bit of her brilliance.Just thinking about it made Aren furious. His brows furrowed tightly and he mentally cursed Colin over and over again.After working for a while, Aspen finally spoke up. "All right, I'm heading back.""Back? Back where?" Aren asked."To the Fuller residence." Aspen packed up the USB drive and raised an eyebrow at him. She added, "That's just the kind of person I am. When I want something, I'll do whatever it takes to get it."If she hadn't been pushed this far, Aspen would never have known this side of her existed. Now, she even felt a twinge of regret—
"You really think this whole playing-hard-to-get act will make me want you?" Colin's eyes burned with fury as he tightened his grip around Aspen's neck.It was the first time Aspen had ever seen him so emotionally unhinged in front of her. Before, he had always been cold and detached, as if he didn't have emotions at all. However, Aspen knew better—he wasn't calm. He just never cared enough to show anything to her. Looking at him now, so overwhelmed and out of control, Aspen found it ridiculous.She didn't panic even when he had his hand around her throat. Instead, she grabbed his wrists tightly and said, "Colin, do you know something? Sometimes I honestly wish you would kill me. At least if I was dead, I wouldn't have to feel all this pain anymore.""You…" Colin stared at her in slight disbelief. She was so close, and yet it felt like he didn't know her at all.She had already stolen the spotlight at the banquet earlier. But now, as they stood face to face, she was even more stu
Aspen heard the sound of a car driving away from inside the bathroom. Her expression shifted slightly, and at last, she let out a breath of relief.She never would have imagined there would come a day when she feared and rejected Colin's touch. They had been so close once, but now, things had come to this. She didn't know why, but the realization left a bitter taste in her heart. She clenched her jaw as her face darkened with emotion.After washing up thoroughly, she finally lay in bed and fell into a comfortable slumber. She had made up her mind to eat well, rest well, and gather her strength. Only by doing so could she honor Sophie's memory and the final words Sophie had said to her before she passed.Sophie…Just thinking of Sophie made Aspen's heart ache terribly. Especially now that she was in the house where she and Sophie had spent so many years together. Even though Aspen had wiped all traces of Sophie before leaving, as she lay in bed now, she felt as though Sophie's pre
At the moment, Aspen had nothing to wear except the gown from the night before.Just then, the doorbell rang downstairs. She hurried down and opened the door, only to be surprised to see Aren's second assistant, Eric Webb, standing there."What are you doing here?" she asked."I came to bring you some clothes. This is from Mr. Jefferson." Eric handed over a shopping bag without further explanation.When he looked at Aspen, his gaze was complicated, laced with both reproach and wariness."If you don't want to be with him, then don't mess with him. Not everyone is like you—able to fall in deep one moment and pull away like nothing the next."He and Aren had been classmates, and they had even spent time together abroad. Eric had seen with his own eyes how obsessed Aren was with Aspen. He also knew how devastated Aren was when she got married.But still, it was their personal matter. Even if Eric thought Aren had lost his mind, it wasn't his place to say too much.He was Aren's fri
Aspen picked a car that looked decent enough, and she could feel the difference the moment she got in. She immediately clenched her teeth. "Damn it, what kind of miserable life was I even living before?"Soon, she pulled up in front of Fuller Group. If this had been in the past, she definitely wouldn't have had the right to walk through those doors.But today, she was driving Colin's car. No one dared to stop her at the entrance to the underground garage. In fact, the security guard even gave her a bootlicking salute. It was completely different from how they used to treat her.It was then that Aspen finally understood—real dignity was something one gave oneself. She couldn't count on others to give it to her.Thinking back, she also realized why so many people had looked down on her before. It had been her own doing. She had been too mild, too agreeable, and too easygoing. It had made people forget what the title "Mrs. Fuller" was actually worth.After all these years of marriage
"Hello everyone. Since today is the shareholders' meeting, and I happen to be the largest shareholder of Fuller Group, I thought it was only right for me to show up."Aspen smiled gently. This time, she didn't fight for a seat at the front. She simply found a spot in the corner and sat down.But even seated off to the side, she was impossible to ignore. It wasn't just her commanding presence—it was the calm confidence she radiated. The ease and poise with which she carried herself made her shine effortlessly.Even Colin, who had barely spared her a glance in the past, was taken aback by her now. He even felt a flicker of pride. After all, she was his legal wife."Mr. Fuller, shall we continue?" Aspen caught Colin staring at her and felt a wave of disgust rise in her chest. Still, her expression remained perfectly professional.That finally snapped Colin out of it. He knew Aspen showing up at a moment like this was a very bad sign.Before, he could sit here alone and speak on be
Aspen was the largest shareholder, so she didn't need anyone's approval to join the company. If it had been in the past, she might have cared about Colin's opinion. But now, she couldn't care less what he thought.Everyone had started off by targeting Colin, but after hearing what Aspen said, their attention quickly turned to her. They simply couldn't accept that a woman—who, as far as they were concerned, knew nothing—could just walk into the company and get a job. Even if it was an ordinary position, it still felt outrageous to them."Mrs. Fuller, it's best if you just stay home, do the laundry, and cook.""You don't know anything about the business. Isn't that just going to cause more problems? The company is already in a tough spot. Can you not make things worse?"Faced with all this hostility, Aspen remained expressionless. She had already made it through far harder times. What were a few useless words to her now?"I'd like to remind you all that I'm the largest shareholder
If even Fuller Group collapsed now, all of Colin's little schemes would surely go up in smoke as well."You really are manipulative," he sneered."Yes, I am manipulative. So what? Do you have a problem with that?"Aspen didn't back down for a second, staring him down without blinking. With so many eyes on them, what could he possibly dare to do?In the past, the one thing Aspen feared coming from his mouth was that phrase—that she was manipulative. But now? Now, it sounded like music to her ears. It was a compliment, a badge of honor. It sounded great. She loved hearing it!"Fine. I agree." Colin gave in instantly.It was only because he had done the math in his head. Giving in to Aspen meant nothing more than adding one extra desk in the marketing department. But the cost would be much higher if he refused.Besides, he didn't believe Aspen would actually sit quietly at a desk and work. This whole act—this grand entrance and her so-called career comeback—was just a convenient
So Colin and Zac had planned this thoroughly after all.Aspen kept her expression neutral, nodding obediently as she softly said, "I know, I know. I won't cause trouble. I'll behave."Even though she was outwardly compliant, her mind still raced. She had thought escaping out to the hallway would mean safety—but now it was clear she had to get out of this restaurant entirely to survive.The moment Zac pocketed the check and key, his demeanor shifted violently. He slapped Aspen hard across the face, then began tearing at her clothes right there in the corridor."What the hell are you doing?" Aspen struggled in horror while staring at him in disbelief. Was this man mentally unstable?Zac showed no mercy, striking her again with another brutal slap. "Stupid bitch, you really thought I'd fall for that? News flash—I'm not that gullible. First, I'm having my fun. Then, we'll visit the notary office!"He pinned both her wrists with one hand while undoing his belt with the other, clearly
"Ah! You bitch! How dare you ambush me?"Zac's eyes burned from the pepper spray, instantly preventing him from attacking her. He clutched his face, howling in pain.Aspen didn't hesitate—she turned and bolted for the door. Outside was a long hallway—she would be safe if she could just make it there.But reality proved crueler than hope. Zac quickly recovered and chased after her, viciously yanking her back by the hair."You shameless whore! You really think I'll let you get away with this? If I don't give you a proper lesson today, you'll never understand who you are dealing with! Hand over what I want, or you'll regret it!"Words alone couldn't satisfy Zac's rage. He slapped Aspen twice, hard enough to make her vision swim.Gritting her teeth through the pain, Aspen glared. "It seems like you're eager for more prison time.""You really think you're walking out of here alive?" Zac suddenly laughed.At first, Aspen thought this was just Colin's way of teaching her a lesson. But
Aspen shook her head and walked into the break room. She finally calmed down after gulping down two large mouthfuls of cold water.Though she had no idea what had gotten into Colin, Aspen still headed to the restaurant specified in the text after work.They had eaten at this restaurant once before. Back then, Aspen had loved the food so much she longed to return.Unfortunately, the place had strict rules—no one was allowed in unless they had membership. Even as Colin's wife, she never got her own membership card, and Colin never shared his with her.Returning now left a bitter taste in her mouth. She had gone home and told Sophie all about it after that meal, promising they would come back together as a family someday.Sophie had waited eagerly, day after day, hoping to eat there with both her parents. But in the end, she never got to taste its dishes again.The thought of Sophie sent sharp needles of pain through Aspen's heart, making it hard to breathe. A server led her to th
Aspen found Candice's starstruck expression both amusing and peculiar. "You're a grown woman. Isn't the way you're looking at me a bit over the top?""Ms. Nicholls, you don't understand! I almost quit before meeting you!" Candice sighed, stealing a glance at Aspen to gauge her reaction before continuing, "Our field is inherently unfair to women. They've always excluded me and bullied me..."Aspen understood completely. In many men's eyes, technical work remained their exclusive domain, leaving women at an inherent disadvantage.Even so, they had all earned their places through skill. Aspen refused to consider herself inferior.She took Candice's hand with an encouraging smile. "You may work slower, but your accuracy is unmatched. We women have our own strengths. You're still green now, but you'll prove yourself with experience. Soon, no one will dare look down on you.""I didn't believe that before, but I do now after seeing you." Candice's eyes shone with admiration as she gazed
"Thank you, everyone. But how's the work I assigned coming along?"Aspen cradled the bouquet Zephyr had given her while conducting an impromptu work inspection.The team couldn't help but laugh at her immediate focus on business. Who would have thought Aspen's first priority after returning would still be work?They then eagerly presented their recent achievements like treasures. Each member was an expert in their technical field, and while there were minor errors, the overall approaches were sound. After carefully reviewing everyone's data, Aspen sat down to verify the calculations herself.Meanwhile, Colin returned to the office in a foul mood. He stormed into the tech department only to find everyone—including Aspen—completely absorbed in work. His abrupt entrance made him seem out of place amidst the focused atmosphere.Seeing Colin's dark expression, Zephyr and several male colleagues immediately stood up, instinctively positioning themselves to protect Aspen should things
Riley was utterly astonished as he watched Aspen's crisp, decisive movements. He could hardly believe how much she had grown.He had expected her to meekly accept the situation, but instead, she had turned around and demanded accountability.Meeting Riley's shocked gaze, Aspen smiled faintly. "I'm allowed to protect my legal rights, aren't I?""Absolutely! You absolutely should—it's only right!" Riley immediately voiced his support.Satisfied, Aspen nodded. "Let's go. We have work back at the office, so there's no need to wait for them.""But we only have one car.""They can take a cab."Aspen pulled open the driver's door and slid into the seat. She arched a brow at Riley with an amused expression. "You're welcome to hail a cab too. Just know the fare won't be reimbursed."Riley wasn't an idiot. Why would he take a cab when there was a perfectly good car right here?Besides, he wasn't the one behind the wheel, so the reins were in someone else's hands now. Why should he go th
Gwyneth had been giving Aspen a provocative look, yet she was completely unprepared for the latter to resort to physical force. Her expression shifted instantly.When she spotted Colin approaching from the corner of her eye, she immediately dialed back her aggression, adopting a pitiful tone instead. "Ms. Nicholls, I only sat up front because I get carsick. Please don't be angry.""You could always drive—that way you'd still be in the front." Aspen crossed her arms, watching Gwyneth with mocking amusement."I..."Gwyneth stared at her, stunned by how airtight Aspen's logic was. There was simply no way to counter it."Mr. Fuller has a busy schedule today. Since you're so considerate, why are you still wasting time? If you're carsick, then you drive. I'll be sitting in my rightful seat."Aspen had no patience for this performance. She pulled out disinfectant wipes, meticulously cleaned the passenger seat, and then planted herself firmly in it.Watching this, Gwyneth turned teary-e
Nothing infuriated Colin more than seeing Aspen smile at another man—especially when that man was Aren Jefferson.He stepped forward and wrapped his arm possessively around Aspen's waist, right in front of Aren. The tension in the room instantly thickened.But to Aren, the gesture just reeked of childishness. Unfazed, he stood and gave Aspen a casual wave. "I'll get out of your hair, then. See you later.""Hold it. Stay away from my wife from now on." Colin tightened his grip on Aspen as he issued the warning."Wife? Funny—I wouldn't have guessed."Aren actually paused, his gaze flickering between them before he let out a dry laugh. "I've been here every day this past week, bringing Pen home-cooked meals. And where were you? Some husband you are.""You…" Colin's grip tightened as he held onto Aspen's hand.Since he was cornered, he doubled down. "That's between me and my wife. It's none of your business.""Your marital drama? Sure, that's not my concern. But when it comes to my
Gwyneth smashed several cups in her fury.Zac waved dismissively as he watched her throw a tantrum. "She's just a worthless bitch who can't keep a man's attention. Colin's money is practically yours—how could we let her walk away with it? Gwen, just say the word, and I'll teach that whore a lesson she won't forget."Gwyneth fixed Zac with a stare before saying, "You should be careful this time. Don't botch it and make things worse for us. Understood?""Relax, she's just some trashy woman. I can handle her!"Zac clenched his fists, remembering how Aspen had landed him in jail last time. Now it was payback time. He ought to settle old and new scores together.…The week passed quickly. During this time, Aspen obediently rested at the hospital—eating, sleeping, and recovering so well that she even gained a little weight.Aren specially cleared his schedule, arriving with flowers to pick her up when she got discharged.He walked in just as Aspen was changing. Her fair back stretche