He Was Just A Chapter

Chapter 4

Hazel’s pov

We were on the rooftop of Chloe’s apartment, resting on lounge chairs like it was a movie night. Chloe wore a silk robe and fuzzy socks. I hadn’t even bothered brushing my hair.

At 12:00pm sharp, the doors at the end of the aisle didn’t open.

A few guests shifted. The officiant cleared his throat, and Holden gave a little “she’s always late” shrug to try to make everyone calm. I could see the discomfort in his face.

“She’s not coming,” Chloe said to the screen. “Run, Ken doll. Run while you still have ankles.”

Holden’s smile suddenly dropped, right on cue, as if he had just heard Chloe’s warning.

By 12:07, the murmur was loud enough to hear through the livestream. Holden reached out to get his phone, and then I began to see his messages. “Where are you?” “Everyone is waiting for you.” “Come quickly.”

I didn’t respond. I just watched as my mother looked furious, Zora looked confused, and my stepfather stood up, probably to make a show of “finding me.”

By 12:30 Holden paced around and just then he pulled out his phone. I just sent him a message.

He read my text.

It’s over.

That’s it.

His face turned pale. Then red. Then pale again. I hadn’t blocked him but I hadn’t answered his calls either. Not the twelve he’d made in the last thirty minutes.

“What’s the face he’s making?” Chloe asked, leaning closer to the screen. “Is that heartbreak? Rage?”

“Regret,” I said.

My dad texted me a single word:

Epic.

I laughed out loud, the kind of laugh I hadn’t had in years.

I’d spent so long trying to be enough for people who wanted to make me small. I’d watched Holden flirt with Zora. I kept under the insults of my mother, my stepfather, and Holden. My dad and Chloe knew about these people; they tried to warn me in the past but I didn’t listen and now I am glad I finally chose myself.

“I might need to make popcorn and rewatch it later,” Chloe muttered.

“Call me when you want to do that,” I laughed.

Just then I received another text message from my dad. I glanced down at my phone.

Dad: “Come outside. Follow me.”

“What’s he up to now?” I muttered, glancing over at Chloe, who was already off to take a nap.

I grabbed my coat and headed out.

Sure enough, Dad was parked at the curb in a polished black SUV. It still weirded me out, seeing him in a tailored coat and polished shoes, looking like the CEO of a hedge fund.

He didn’t say anything when I climbed in. Just gave me a side glance, then pulled into traffic.

“You know, a little context would be nice,” I said after a few blocks.

“I wanted to show you something,” he replied. “A little surprise.”

We drove in silence after that, the vehicles flashing by in a blur. I watched him as he drove, calm and focused.

Finally, we pulled up to a gated property on the edge of the city. A massive iron gate swung open. Behind it was a modern estate that looked like it belonged in an architectural magazine. A driveway that curved like a runway, a sprawling garden, glass walls, and a tennis court.

“There’s a ranch at the back, by the way,” my dad said with a wide grin on his face.

I blinked. “Dad, uhm, whose place is this?”

He parked, then turned to me with a smile.

“Ours.”

My jaw dropped.

“You bought a mansion?” I asked, my mouth half open.

“Well yes, I am glad I can finally give this life to my daughter,” he said casually, getting out of the car.

I stepped out of the car, my heart pounding. I noticed the pool and the basketball court.

“You really did this for me?”

“Yes, dear for you,” he said, “and for every time they made you feel like less. This isn’t about showing off, Hazel. We are just showing our worth.

“ I don’t deserve you,” I whispered.

“You always did,” he replied, pulling me into a hug.

After the tour of the mansion, my dad handed me a thick envelope with a wink. I still remember the words “Start your empire.” I sat alone on the terrace, my notebook open, my fingers twitching.

I thought about all the platforms I could submit my novels to earlier that day. Maybe go indie, you know, start on my own after applying on reliable sites. Chloe had already contacted editors and acquisition editors on my behalf. I had barely processed it when my father gave me a chance to create my own brand.

I knew the best person to make this work and the key to my plan to ruin Holden and Zora. So, I went straight to Carter Ashford’s company.

It wasn't just a building; it was a fortress for opportunities and ambition. Sixty floors of glass and metal towering over the city. His logo sparkled in steel letters above the door. Ashford Production Limited. Simple, bold, and unsurprisingly elite.

Name any box office movie, top charting music, best seller books and top-performing content. They were all produced from his company. He knew how to make things work especially with technology and now he is a billionaire.

I walked through the entrance and into a lobby that smelled like money and control. Polished floors, silent staff, and a scent like cold steel and cologne. Everyone moved fast but precisely, like they feared disappointing the ruthless man.

“I’m here to see Carter Ashford,” I told the front desk. “Tell him it’s Hazel. He’ll understand.”

I didn’t expect to be ushered up so quickly.

Apparently, he did understand.

By the time I reached the top floor, my heartbeat was trying to keep pace with the elevator. But the moment the doors slid open, I steadied myself. I’d come back from the dead. Carter Ashford didn't scare me.

His office looked exactly as I remembered it the first time I entered. No clutter, the TV, the white leather couch.

And there he was, leaning against his desk, his sleeves rolled to the forearm, a Cartier watch flashing, his top button undone, like he’d walked off the cover of a Forbes magazine.

He didn’t move when he saw me.

Didn't blink.

But that smirk of his—God, that smirk tilted the air.

“Well,” he said slowly, his voice smooth, “you left golden boy at the altar and walked straight into my office. I have to say, Hazel… I’m intrigued; I didn’t think you had it in you.”

Carter stood up and leaned against the edge of his desk, arms crossed. “So,” he said, raising a brow. “What brings the runaway bride to the lair of the villain?”

I lifted my chin. “I’m ready to say yes this time.”

He walked closer, slow and assessing, his eyes never leaving mine. “You remember the deal.”

“I remember everything. Full creative control, joint ownership of any adaptations, and a 60-40 revenue split in my favor.”

I turned it down in the past but instead of running this on my own, I felt working with Carter would help me out until I am able to run a company on my own.

“So is that all?” he asked, moving closer to me.

“No, I want to make you a deal,” I replied.

Carter blinked once, then tilted his head. “Why?”

“Because I’m done being walked over and as Holden’s rival. I know you would like to get revenge as well.”

He leaned in, his voice low and teasing. “You want revenge?” His lips a few inches away from mine, close enough to taste. “Then make it worth my while. There has to be more in it for me.”