CHAPTER FOUR
996 Words
I woke up early that morning, excitement coursing through me. It was my first day at work. Before I was disowned, I had graduated with distinction in Business and Finance—a qualification I had once been incredibly proud of.
Wondering how I ended up disowned? Well, it’s quite a story.
I graduated when I was twenty-one. At the time, I was already in a relationship with Louis. We had been dating for less than a year when he promised to marry me as soon as I graduated.
It wasn’t that my parents disapproved of him. Not at all. The problem was our tradition. In our family, every woman was expected to marry at the age of twenty-three. Marrying before then was considered a serious violation. If a family arranged such a marriage, they would face the consequences. But if a woman chose to marry early of her own free will, she alone would bear the punishment—disownment included.
My parents pleaded with me to reconsider, but I was young, stubborn, and convinced that love was worth any sacrifice. I refused to listen. In my anger, I said terrible things—words I still regret to this day. Furious and deeply hurt, my father disowned me, and I went ahead and married Louis anyway.
Though we received our marriage certificate, punishment followed swiftly. For three months, we were barred from working. No company would hire us. We were denied access to healthcare and even police assistance. To survive, we had to clean the city streets in exchange for food from the city council.
At first, it was unbearably difficult. I had been raised like a princess and knew nothing of hardship or manual labor. But I endured it. I believed I was doing it for love—for a man who, as I later learned, was worth less than the dirt beneath my feet. Looking back, I regret every moment I wasted on him.
Pushing those memories aside, I got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast.
Mom, Dad, and Amelia were already seated at the dining table, waiting for me. They hadn’t started eating yet. A small smile tugged at my lips when I noticed the irritation on Amelia’s face. For some reason, it was strangely satisfying.
“Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad.”
I kissed each of them on the cheek before taking my seat.
“Good morning, Princess,” they replied in perfect unison.
I turned to Amelia. “Good morning, Amelia.”
“Good morning,” she answered curtly.
Breakfast was much quieter than the lively dinner we’d shared the night before. Amelia finished first and excused herself to fetch her bag. Instead of returning home, she was coming to the office with us. Dad had insisted that we go together.
When we arrived at the company, my presence caused quite a stir. Employees stared openly, and whispers followed me through the halls as Amelia escorted me to my office.
She showed me around before outlining my schedule.
“At ten o’clock, you’ll meet the board of directors. Then at one, we’ll review the files, and I’ll officially hand over the projects and contracts.”
I nodded, taking it all in. Since I didn’t yet have an assistant, Amelia had arranged my schedule for the entire week. I knew she hated every second of it, but she had little choice. Oddly enough, I felt no guilt. Something deep inside me—my wolf—sensed danger whenever she was near.
“Oh, one more thing, Jade,” she said, handing me a file.
“Yes?”
“You’ll need to choose an assistant by tomorrow. These are the applicants.”
I raised an eyebrow. On my first day? How had they prepared so quickly? More importantly, how could they have known with such certainty that I would return?
I took the file and skimmed through it before handing it back.
“There’s no need for this, Amelia. I already have someone in mind.”
She stiffened. “But the CEO said your assistant should already be working here.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll speak to him myself. You may go now—I’ll meet you in the conference room.”
She stormed out, clearly furious. I couldn’t help but laugh. Watching Amelia struggle under my authority was unexpectedly entertaining.
We had never been close. In fact, we’d only seen each other during family gatherings. Even then, there had always been something unsettling about the way she looked at me. Jealousy, perhaps. Resentment. On the day I was disowned, she hadn’t even bothered to hide her satisfaction. That wicked smile had told me everything I needed to know.
She had never wished me well.
The board meeting went smoothly. Amelia introduced me and explained my role as the incoming president. To my surprise, the board consisted mostly of young men in their thirties—sharp, capable, and, admittedly, quite handsome. Fortunately, none of them seemed opposed to my return. They were attentive, respectful, and professional.
Later, around one o’clock, Amelia and I reviewed my responsibilities. She handed over project files, contracts, and reports—far more than I had anticipated. Just looking at the stack was enough to make me tired.
Once we finished, she finally asked the question I knew had been burning inside her all day.
“Why did you come back so suddenly?”
Her expression was serious, but I couldn’t help laughing. The irritation that flashed across her face only amused me more.
“Because I wanted to,” I replied coolly. “I’d rather reclaim what’s mine than waste another moment in a hopeless marriage. Does that bother you, dear cousin?”
Her jaw tightened.
“No.”
Without another word, she turned and left, clearly unsatisfied with my answer.
I, however, couldn’t have cared less.
Leaning back in my chair, I picked up my phone and called my best friend.
“Want to go shopping?”
- Writer
