The Betrayed Heiress

Scarlett’s povI barely felt my legs as I stumbled out of the boardroom, my chest felt awfully tight. The walls of Delacroix Enterprises, the very foundation of my life, now felt stuffy. My hands clenched at my sides as I fought back the the tears threatening to roll down from my eyes. I wouldn’t cry. Not here. Not now.“Scarlett,” Victor called from behind me, his voice cold, distant. “Don’t make a scene.”A bitter laugh bubbled in my throat. “A scene?” I turned slowly, my eyes locking with his. “You just handed my life’s work to Celeste and tossed me aside like I am some piece of garbage. And you’re worried about a scene?”Damian stood beside him, arms crossed, his face unreadable. Celeste, of course, was smirking, enjoying every bit of my humiliation.“You should be grateful,” Celeste purred, stepping forward. “You were only ever a placeholder, Scarlett. You kept my seat warm, but now the rightful heir is back.”I felt a sharp pain in my chest, but I refused to let them see my weak

I sat in Adrian’s office, staring at the files in front of me. The glass windows allowed me to see the beautiful view of the city, but I barely noticed. My mind was too occupied with everything I had just figured out."You're hesitating," Adrian said, his voice measured. He leaned back against his desk, his arms crossed, watching me his piercing gray gaze. "Why?"I lifted my chin. "I’m not hesitating. I’m thinking.""Thinking and hesitating are not so different," he muttered. "If you want to win this, you have to stop doubting yourself. Victor, Celeste, Damian—they never doubted themselves when they ruined you."I exhaled, my grip tightening around the pen I held in my hand. He was right. If I wanted revenge, I shouldn’t harbor second thoughts.Adrian walked around the desk, stopping beside me. "You need to understand something, Scarlett. Business is war. There are no half-measures. If you want to take them down, you need to be committed to assuring you achieve that. Completely."I t