"Darling, you are truly a gift to this family." The booming voice of Margaret Lancaster, her mother-in-law, filled the room. "At last, Damian has found a woman who can give him an heir." The smile on Elena's face slowly disappeared when she heard the voice from inside the room. She was about to give Damian—her husband of ten years—the best news of her life. Elena's hand tightly grasped the envelope containing the results of the doctor's examination. She was pregnant with her fourth child. Elena stopped in the doorway. Her eyes froze at the sight before her. A blonde woman with a perfect body was sitting gracefully on the sofa. She was so very perfect. She was Isabella Monroe. A top model who often graced fashion magazines. And now, she was sitting confidently in Elena's house, among her family. "Ah, Auntie, you're too much," Isabella laughed softly, her voice soft yet full of satisfaction. "Don't call me auntie, dear. You are now my daughter-in-law." "Right, call us Mommy and D
"Fine! We divorce, and take your three useless daughters!" Damian's voice echoed in the room, cold and heartless. Elena stood up straight, staring at Damian without a single tear on her face. Then she nodded slowly and turned away without another word. There was no point in prolonging a conversation with a man who didn't even appreciate his own flesh and blood. Her steps were quick up the stairs, heading straight for her children's rooms. Olivia, her eldest eight-year-old daughter, was reading a book on the bed. Katty, six, was playing with a doll, while Delya, the youngest at just three years old, slept soundly, her fingers still gripping the edge of her blanket. "Mommy?" Olivia looked at her mother in confusion. "Why does Mommy look angry?" Elena took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions before speaking. "Honey, we need to get out of here right now."Katty turned her head, her eyes wide. "Leave? Where, Mom?""To a better place." Elena smiled softly, even though her hear
Elena let out a long sigh as she looked at the small apartment that would now be home to her and her three daughters. It was a far cry from the luxurious mansion she had lived in for the past ten years."This is our home now?" Olivia asked quietly, her eyes sweeping the modest room.Elena smiled, trying to look strong in front of her children. "Yes, darling. Our new home."Katty looked at her mother in confusion. "Does Daddy not want to be our Daddy anymore?" Katty's tears flowed freely, further breaking Elena's heart.However, Elena tried to smile in front of her three daughters.Delya, who still didn't understand what was happening, hugged her mother's legs tightly. "I want Daddy, Mommy."Elena squatted down, gently stroking the little one's hair. "Daddy can't be with us right now, but Mommy is always here for you, okay?"Olivia took Elena's hand, trying to encourage her mother. "It's okay, Mom. Mommy will be both mother and father to us," Olivia said.Elena smiled, holding back her
The next day, in front of the registry office, Elena stood tall with her head held high. Her hands clutched tightly around her small bag, while beside her, Damian stood proudly.An officer came in with two divorce certificates, handing them over one by one."This is the divorce certificate, sir, madam. You are now officially divorced," the officer said formally.Elena accepted the deed with a faint smile. Damian, meanwhile, just let out a long sigh, putting the divorce certificate into his coat without looking at it again."You think you can survive without me?" Damian said in a mocking tone.Elena turned her head, raising one eyebrow. "Of course."Damian chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. "Don't be silly, Elena. Without my money, you wouldn't have survived. You shouldn't have refused the compensation I gave you."Elena smiled sarcastically. "Oh, so now you're worried?" Damian shook his head slowly, as if taking pity. "I'm just thinking realistically. You have no one, no p
Only a day after Elena was officially divorced, her ex-husband's wedding invitation had already reached her. "You're invited to that asshole's wedding?!" Tamara's voice rose as Elena showed her the gold invitation with the engraved names of Damian Lancaster and Isabella Monroe. Elena just smiled wryly. "Of course. How could I not be invited? That jerk and that bitch want to see me hurt." Tamara snorted. "So, you're coming?" Elena nodded. "Yes." Tamara was wide-eyed. "El, are you crazy?! What for?!" Elena looked at the invitation coldly. "I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted to see how quickly someone would replace me and remind myself that I'd never be caught in the same stupidity." Tamara sighed. "Well, then, you should come and show that bastard that you're okay. You need to look more classy." Elena smiled as she understood what Tamara was saying. "Alright, then I'll leave Olivia, Katty, and Delya to you.""Okay!"***As night fell, Elena stepped into the ballroo
After returning from the party, Elena sat down at her desk, staring at the blank paper in front of her. Her hand was already gripping the pencil, but her mind drifted towards the man she had just met tonight-Nathaniel Drake Sebastian. "Did I offend him?" she muttered under her breath. He didn't apologize when he bumped into her at the party, instead he just walked away. The man was definitely not the type to be ignored. Had Nathaniel asked her to make this suit as a form of punishment? Elena let out a long breath. "Never mind, I just need to keep my promise." Tamara, who was sitting on the sofa with her laptop on her lap, gave Elena a curious glance. "El, have you figured out what kind of design you want to make?" Elena tapped her pencil against the table. "I don't know what she likes yet. But I can guess from his style. A man like Nathaniel must like something classic, elegant and high quality." Tamara nodded in agreement. "He always looks neat. Seems like the type who do
Elena entered her apartment with tired steps, but there was a glint of satisfaction in her eyes. She had just returned from Nathan's office after receiving a big offer as his personal designer. It was a great opportunity for her career before she returned to being Queen Elisabeth. . As soon as the door closed, Tamara, who was sitting on the sofa, turned around. "Wow, you just got back. So, how was it?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest. "You said that Mr. Nathan made you an offer. Did you accept it?"Elena placed her bag on the table, then flopped down on the sofa with a deep sigh. "Yes! I accepted his offer." Tamara stared at her in disbelief. "Are you serious? You're going to work for that guy?" Elena nodded. "Yes. It's a great opportunity, Tamara. Mr. Nathan is not just another businessman, he has a wide network. If I work with him, my career could take off even faster." Tamara still looked doubtful. "Are you sure? He's a notoriously cold and calculating man.
Tamara patted Elena's shoulder gently. "Good decision, El. You don't need another man like him in your life. You can stand on your own, and you have me." Elena smiled a little. "Thank you, Tam. I'm lucky to have a best friend like you." Tamara chuckled. "It's obvious. Now, how about we eat out? My treat. I'm sure you and the kids could use a little entertainment." Olivia, Katty, and Delya immediately cheered with excitement. "Eating out? Yay!" Elena smiled at their excitement. "Alright, but don't order too much." Tamara glared. "Never mind, El. Let me spoil you once in a while!" With their hearts a little lighter, they went to a well-known family restaurant in town. It wasn't very fancy, but it was cozy and had delicious food. Once they entered, the waiter greeted them kindly and escorted them to an empty table in the corner. "Olivia, Katty, Delya, what would you like to eat?" Tamara asked Elena's children. "I want pasta!" Olivia exclaimed. "I want steak!" Katty sa
Inside the study, Damian sat leaning back in his chair, staring intently at the files on the desk. In front of him, Isabella was pacing back and forth, an annoyed look on her face."I told you, this isn't necessary, Damian," Isabella exclaimed, her voice rising.Yes, this woman strongly disagreed with Damian taking a DNA test. Just now her husband had said that he would DNA test Alva and himself, just to convince himself of the accusations against Elena. Damian didn't answer. He just picked up a form from the table - the DNA test consent form."I want reassurance, Isabella. I want to know... whether Alva is really my son or not."Isabella stopped her steps, staring at Damian as if he had just insulted her entire ancestry. "You're crazy! What a waste of time! It's obvious that Alva is not your flesh and blood! You didn't forget, did you? Elena, the designer queen, was hit with a case that she often climbed into the beds of businessmen to get financial injections. Certainly, Alva is no
That morning, the air felt stale than usual. Elena sat in the living room of her apartment, hugging her knees as she stared at the muted television screen. The business news scrolled quickly below, like a knife that kept slicing slowly into her sanity.~Stocks in a company owned by Elena Queen fell 3.4 percent this morning. The mall owned by Elena Queen also in the city center was reportedly empty of visitors. Analysts expect this to be an ongoing effect of the scandal that broke last week~Her cell phone rang. It was Tamara.Elena immediately picked up the phone."Elena, it's bad!". "I know, Tamara," she said quickly."Yes, but... Honey, you should see this morning's report. It's not just the central mall, our branches in Italy and Thailand are also dropping in turnover. They're asking - should we stop operations for a while?"Elena closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't panic... let's hold off for now. Let's set up a conference call this afternoon, and I'll explain myself."
That morning, at Damian's company headquarters, the atmosphere was different from usual. The staff looked more energized, as if a fresh breeze had just entered through the long-closed window.Damian walked into the boardroom, his suit neat, his face full of confidence. Several directors sat in a row, looking at him with mixed expressions of relief and disbelief."Good morning," Damian opened the meeting, his voice calm but steady."Mr. Damian, we just got confirmation," said one of the directors. "The new investor has officially injected funds. We can breathe easier starting this month."Damian nodded. "How much is the total investment?""Eight trillion, initial stage."David's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that number wasn't small, and he also knew... it didn't come without a price."Who introduced this investor?" asked Damian, though he already knew the answer.One of the PR staff sitting in the corner of the room raised a hesitant hand. "Mrs. Isabella, Mr. Damian. She presented o
A while later. "This can't be... This guy's too sneaky," Nathan muttered, his eyes glued to the laptop screen that had just displayed the latest report from the digital tracking team.Mira nodded, her expression no less frustrated. "That guy erased the trail before we could identify the last IP point. We came close to finding the exact location, but somehow, the account just disappeared. All the records just vanished, like a ghost.""That guy's no amateur," Nathan rubbed his tired face. "This is clearly the work of someone who knows how to hide their identity... or has the help of a cyber insider."Elena stayed at the far end of the room, standing hugging herself. Her gaze was blank outside the window, staring at the buildings that had been a symbol of her former glory-which now felt like they were laughing at her."We almost knew who it was, but we failed," Mira said quietly."That means that person is still one step ahead of us," Elena replied quietly, her voice like mist covering
This morning, the Queen Group's New York branch office looked different. Not because of the usual bustle of energetic employees, but because of the tense atmosphere hanging around every corner. The company's stock has plummeted, making investors nervous and the media pouring news like oil on a burning fire.In the main meeting room, Elena sits at the end of the table. Her hair, usually flowing in a beautiful bun, is now tied up in a makeshift bun. Bags under her eyes adorned her face, which was beginning to look tired. In front of her, the PR, legal and public relations teams sat with worried looks on their faces."What about the last update?" asked Elena, her voice hoarse but firm.Mira, the head of the legal team, sighed. "Our stock is down again, 12 percent since this morning. Some investors are starting to question Queen Group's reputation and are considering withdrawing support.""The demo at Queen's Mall is also getting worse," Jessy from the PR team continued. "The crowd is sta
It was the morning after a week ago that Elena had settled matters at the company's branch in Italy. The sun was only partially shining on the balcony when Elena's cell phone notification beeped. She had just finished a light workout, sitting in the lounge with a glass of detox juice in hand.Her phone screen is full of notifications from Instagram, Twitter and even email. Her WhatsApp group is also unusually busy.Soon, Tamara's call came in."El, have you seen the news this morning?" Tamara's voice sounded panicked."No, I haven't. Why?" Elena took a sip of her juice, still relaxed."You have to watch the news on Twitter. Now!"Elena frowned, then opened Twitter. Within seconds, her eyes widened. The hashtag #ElenaQueenScandal was trending at number one. Many gossip accounts shared lewd video footage-with the caption: "Allegedly Elena Queen with a middle-aged man, is this how she gets investors?""WHAT IS THIS?!" Elena stood up reflexively, almost dropping the glass."That video ha
At ten o'clock in the morning, Elena was already sitting in front of her laptop. Her hair was neatly tied up, light makeup adorning her face. Even though it was only an online meeting, her appearance still reflected the authority of a big company owner. In front of her, a cup of black coffee steamed slowly.The laptop screen displayed the serious faces of Queen Group's Italian management team. Holic sat in the center, wearing a dark blue suit. Next to him, several division heads were also ready with their notes."Good morning everyone," greeted Elena in a calm but firm voice."Good morning, Mrs. Elena," everyone replied in unison."Mistress Elena," Holic spoke up first, "thank you for taking the time this morning. We are ready to receive instructions."Elena gave a brief nod. "I have studied all the documents you sent last night. And, to be honest, I'm not satisfied. There are many irregularities that are obvious but you seem to have let them pass."Everyone in the room looked down. T
The clock read 00:42. Elena had just changed out of her evening gown into champagne-colored satin pajamas. Her hair was loose, her face fresh despite the creeping tiredness. She turned off the living room light and stepped into the room, accompanied only by the sound of water gurgling from the small garden outside the window.Just as she was about to lay down on the soft bed, her cell phone vibrated softly on the nightstand.Holic Calling...Elena frowned. At this hour?She answered immediately. "Holic? What's wrong? You're calling at this time of night."The male voice on the other side sounded panicked. "I apologize for disturbing you at this hour, Mrs. Queen. But... it's urgent. Our branch company in Milan... we have a big problem."Elena sat up straight. "What problem? Explain.""This week, three big clients abruptly withdrew their cooperation. One of them is the Belucci Group. They said they no longer trust our management structure. And... there were rumors of embezzlement from o
It was late at night when the inauguration party ended. The lights of the decorations were extinguished one by one, and the building was quiet, with only the sounds of the staff cleaning up.Meanwhile at home, Elena sat in the living room with a cup of chamomile tea. The dress she had worn to the event still clung to her body, but she had taken off her shoes. Her legs are propped up on the sofa, and she occasionally closes her eyes, trying to shake off the tiredness that sneaks up on her.Her children had already gone to their respective rooms. Alva, the youngest, even kissed Elena on the cheek before going upstairs. "Mommy is really pretty tonight," he said innocently before yawning widely. Elena just smiled as she ruffled her son's hair.Just as she was about to take another sip of her hot tea, one of the waiters came hurriedly."Sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Elena..."Elena opened her eyes. "What's wrong?""There's a guest outside, ma'am."The cup in Elena's hand almost slipped away. "W