Under Her Rule

CHAPTER 3: THE GOLDEN ORPHAN

(Alex’s POV)

Weeks passed after that gala, and Louise didn’t just stay as an "assistant" in my father’s office. She became a constant shadow in our lives. Every company event, every board meeting, and even some of our private dinners—she was there.

At home, everything looked normal. My parents still shared the same table, still talked about the business, and still played the role of the power couple. But I wasn't blind. I could see in Mom’s eyes that something was wrong. There was this hollow look in her gaze, a silent scream that only I could hear. She was trying so hard to hold on to her dignity, but she was slowly being eaten alive by jealousy and fear.

Then came the annual visit to the De Salva Foundation.

This foundation was the crown jewel of my father’s legacy—an orphanage for abandoned children. It was where the De Salva name was carved in stone, a symbol of our "generosity." But honestly? We were just there for the cameras.

When we arrived at the orphanage, that’s when I found out the truth. Louise was a product of this very foundation. They said her mother abandoned her when she was just a baby—the typical "half-foreign" story of a child born from a fleeting fling with a foreigner. Louise was the success story. The orphan who became a scholar, who went to Switzerland, and who came back to serve the man who funded her life.

I was so irritated just watching her.

Louise was wearing a simple white polo and jeans. Her polo was tucked in, showing off her slender waist, and her blonde hair was tied up in a neat ponytail. She looked so simple, so approachable... and so incredibly charming. Ugh.

The kids were swarming around her. They were laughing, hugging her legs, and they seemed to genuinely love her. She looked like an angel that had returned to earth. Louise was talking to them, sitting on the grass, even holding their sticky hands without any hesitation. She was like a celebrity here.

Meanwhile, the three of us—Mom, Dad, and I—just stood at a distance, watching her "show." My Mom, Joanne, stayed far back. She was waving her hand gracefully, smiling for the photographers, but she wouldn't go near them. She didn't shake hands with the staff, and she definitely didn't sit on the grass with the orphans.

For Mom, we were there because of the legacy of the De Salva name. These people were just not on our level.

The event moved to the main hall for the program. My Dad was sitting in the middle of a circle of high-profile benefactors. And of course, who else would be right beside him?

Louise was sitting on a chair beside my father, her legs crossed elegantly. The way she sat was so poised, yet she looked so relaxed. She was listening intently to the conversation of those old businessmen, nodding at the right moments, and occasionally adding her own insights in that calm, intelligent voice of hers.

And Mom? She was several meters away, huddled with her "Amigas"—that group of socialite wives who did nothing but observe and gossip.

"Look at that girl," whispered Tita Malou, one of Mom’s closest friends. "You have to admit, Joanne, she’s a head-turner. But she should be thankful the Golden Foundation caught her."

"True," added Tita Stella, sipping her champagne. "If her mother hadn't been knocked up by a foreigner, she wouldn't look like that. She just got lucky with those foreign genes that leveled her up. Without that face and this foundation, she’d be just another orphan on the streets."

Mom didn't say anything. She just sipped her drink, her eyes fixed on Louise with a coldness that could freeze the sun. But I could feel the tension in her shoulders.

"Fred seems very... impressed with her," Tita Malou added, her eyes darting between my Dad and Louise. "Scholar from Switzerland, right? So charming. No wonder she's his right hand now."

I was standing a few feet away, leaning against a pillar. I wasn't interested in their toxic small talk. My eyes were fixed on the same target.

And then, it happened.

While Louise was talking to an investor, she slowly turned in my direction. Our eyes met for a split second. She didn't look away. Instead, she turned back to the person she was talking to, nodding as if she was listening intently.

Then, she did it again.

She looked back at me, and this time, she gave me a small, sweet smile—that "I see you watching me" kind of smile. It was so subtle that only I would understand. After that, she looked back at Dad’s colleague, her expression turning professional again.

I couldn't help it. I rolled my eyes so hard, feeling the irritation boil in my chest.

Plastic, I muttered under my breath.

Hate is a strong word, but every second I saw Louise taking the spotlight that belonged to Mom, my rage just intensified. She was playing everyone. The kids loved her, the benefactors admired her, and my Dad... my Dad was looking at her like she was the best investment he ever made.

She was the perfect "success story" to everyone else. But to me? She was just a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and destroy our family.

While she was busy smiling at Dad’s associates, I promised myself one thing: I would be the one to light the fuse. I wouldn't let some "orphan scholar" be the one to take down the De Salva legacy.

"Alexandra," Daddy called out to me, gesturing for me to come over to where he and Louise were.

I stiffened. I didn't want to go there. I didn't want to be part of their "happy corporate family" picture. But the benefactors were watching, and I didn't want to embarrass Mom.

I walked over, every step heavy with annoyance. When I reached them, Louise stood up. She was slightly taller than me because of her posture, and the way she looked at me... it wasn't just a look. It was a challenge.

"Alexandra, it's good to see you participating in the foundation's work," Louise said, her voice smooth and mocking. "The children really look up to your family."

"They look up to the money, Louise. Let's not get confused," I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

My Dad cleared his throat, a warning sign. "Alex, be polite. Louise has been doing a lot of work for the foundation's expansion."

"I'm sure she has," I smiled fake-ly, looking directly at Louise. "Switzerland must have taught her a lot about... expansion."

Louise just smiled back, her eyes twinkling with amusement. She wasn't affected by my insults at all. And that made me hate her even more.