Chapter Eighteen

Katherine 

I stormed right into Richard’s office with fury and determination, my heels clicking furiously against the floor. My blood was seriously boiling with rage, and my hands clenched into fists. Emilia was seated across from Richard, her face was calm—way too calm—like she hadn’t just destroyed my family and it made me even more pissed off.

"You!" I spat, pointing a finger right at her. "You did this! You got my father arrested! Didn't you?"

Emilia blinked twice, taken aback, but before she could even speak, Richard stood up defending her.

"Katherine, that is enough." His voice was cold, firm. But I wasn't going to let him intimidate me, he was in on it since she was his wife.

I turned to him, my jaw tightening. "You’re defending her? After everything she’s done? Of course, you're defending her, you both conspired against him."

Richard sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your father’s arrest has nothing to do with Emilia. Would you just chill out, are you forgetting who you're speaking to?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, please. Ever since she showed her face here, my life has fallen apart, gone to shambles Now my father’s in jail, and you expect me to believe she had nothing to do with it?"

Richard’s dark eyes locked onto mine. "Believe it or not, the truth doesn’t change at all."

He walked around his desk, stopping directly in front of me. His expression was unreadable, but his next words shattered everything in me.

"I was the one who had your father arrested."

My breath caught. "What?"

Richard’s voice was steady. "We conducted an internal investigation. Apparently it turns out that your father has been embezzling money from the company for years. Millions, Katherine. We have substantial and. undeniable proof of his crimes."

I felt the room spin.

No. This couldn’t be true.

"You’re lying, you're lying, that's what you do isn't it?" I whispered, but my voice lacked confidence.

Richard didn’t flinch. "I don’t lie about business."

Emilia remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Humiliation burned through me. Everyone had seen my father dragged out in cuffs. Now, they would know he was a fraud. And that would affect me seriously.

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the building, my head low, sobbing.

...

I sat up curled up on my plush couch, staring blankly at the glass of red wine in my hand. My apartment was quiet, way too quiet, the silence pressing in on me like a heavy weight. The dim glow of the chandelier reflected off the sleek marble floors, but none of it brought me comfort of any sort.

My father was still in prison.

I still couldn’t believe it. One moment, he was running the company like he had done always, powerful, fear and respected among his peers. The next, he was being dragged out of the building in handcuffs, humiliated in front of everyone including me.

And I could do nothing to stop it. Nothing at all.

I gritted my teeth, taking a slow sip of my wine. My mind kept replaying the moment over and over again in my head, my father’s bewildered face, the murmurs from the employees, the judgmental looks from people who were nothing but bunch of pathetic low-lives. They were all enjoying our downfall, whispering behind my back, smirking when they thought I wasn’t looking.

They thought I was finished.

But I wasn’t. I was far from finished

I was still Katherine Smith, and I wasn’t going to let this break me.

The sound of the front door opening pulled me from my thoughts. My heart leaped, and I quickly turned, relief washing over me when I saw who it was.

Jayden.

He stepped inside, his usual confident aura filling the room. His tailored suit was crisp, his dark hair perfectly styled. He looked like he had just walked out of an expensive business meeting.

I wasted no time. I shot up from the couch and rushed into his arms, wrapping myself around him. I felt a bit if relief now that he was here

"Why didn’t you come sooner?" I murmured, resting my head on his shoulder. Still sobbing.

I expected him to hold me tighter, to comfort me the way he always did when things got rough. But instead, he just stood there, stiff and silent.

Something was wrong. I could sense it

I pulled back, frowning as I looked up at him. "Jayden?"

His expression was unreadable, his sharp eyes locked onto mine with something cold—something unfamiliar.

"What’s wrong? Is everything okay" I asked, my voice uncertain.

He sighed and took a step back. "Your father is in jail." He said looking at me straight in the eye.

I tensed, my hands curling into fists at my sides. "Yeah, I am aware of that," I said sharply. "Why are you reminding me of that huh?"

Jayden didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned away, walking toward the bar in the corner of my apartment. He grabbed a crystal glass, poured himself a drink, and took a slow sip before speaking again.

"Your father is..well was an important figure in the company," he began, his voice eerily calm.

I folded my arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He swirled the amber liquid in his glass before continuing. "And him being important made you important." He paused, then smirked. "And by extension, it made me important as well."

A strange chill ran down my spine. Something about the way he said it made me uneasy.

I frowned. "What are you saying, Jayden?"

He sighed, shaking his head slightly, as if he pitied me. "Katherine, look here," he said smoothly, turning to face me fully. "Your dad is in jail now. He’s useless to me now. And that makes you useless to me also."

I blinked. His words didn’t register at first.

"W-what?" I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. "What are you even saying?" 

Jayden took another sip of his drink, completely unfazed by my shock. "I can’t be seen hanging around someone as useless as you. Talk more of being engaged to someone useless. I can't have that Katherine."

The disgust on his face hit me like a slap.

I staggered back, my stomach twisting painfully. "You’re joking right," I said, shaking my head.

His lips curled into a smirk. "Do I look like I’m joking? No I can assure you, I'm not." 

My hands started to shake. "No, no, no," I muttered, stepping forward. "You can’t do this to me, Jayden. We’re supposed to be together."

He raised a brow, unimpressed. "Says who?"

Tears burned my eyes as I grabbed his shirt, gripping it desperately. Pushing him frantically "You promised me, Jayden! You said we’d get through everything together! You fucking promised me damn it!" I said in total despair.

Jayden sighed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah I said that but that was before your father turned himself and you into a total disgrace, you both are now laughing stocks if the company" he said, yanking his shirt free from my grip.

I stumbled back, my breathing ragged. "You can’t do this," I choked out, pointing at him.

He tilted his head, mockingly. "Oh, but I can. Watch me" 

He lifted his drink to his lips, gulped down the rest, then set the glass on the bar with a clink.

"I’m breaking up with you," he said casually, as if he were ending a business deal.

My world shattered right there.

The air left my lungs. I felt like I had been slapped, punched, knocked down all at once.

"N-no," I stammered, shaking my head wildly. "No, you don’t mean that! You can't mean it." 

I reached for him again, but he shoved me away effortlessly. I fell to the floor, my knees hitting the cold tiles with a dull thud.

Tears streamed down my face as I looked up at him in horror.

"Jayden… please," I begged, my voice cracking.

But he only smirked. "Sorry, love," he said with a mocking shrug. "But you’re no longer useful."

He turned on his heel and headed for the door.

I watched in disbelief as he walked away, my heart pounding so hard it hurt.

Just as he reached the entrance, he glanced back over his shoulder, flashing me one last, cruel smile.

"Toodles," he said smoothly before stepping out, closing the door behind him without a second thought.

I sat there, motionless, my breath coming out in shaky gasps.

It was her. Emilia

This was all Emilia’s fault.

Ever since she came into the company, my life had taken a drastic turn for the worst. First, that my cousin —Nora—got fired because if her meddling. Then, my father was arrested. And now, Jayden had just tossed me aside like garbage. All thanks to her.

My hands curled into fists.

I wouldn’t let this go. Never.

I would surely get my revenge on her and everyone she knows.

I swore it.