Chapter 2

The doctor paused when she saw me.

"I pulled your file. The last time you were here to confirm the pregnancy, you were excited."

My expression froze.

Bitterness spread through my chest.

A month ago, while Dominic was away on business, I'd been feeling off.

The tests came back. I was pregnant.

I didn't tell him right away. I wanted to wait until after the wedding. I was going to give him the news as a gift.

I never expected this.

Vanessa came back.

He ran out on our wedding. Turned me into a joke in front of every guest.

I was still wearing the wedding dress. It made me look even more pathetic.

"I see things clearly now. That's all. Just schedule it."

The doctor looked at me for a moment, then nodded. "Alright."

"Tomorrow morning, nine o'clock. Procedure room one. Just give your name."

I nodded and went back to the ward.

I opened my phone. Our mutual friend group chat was buzzing. Vanessa was in it now. Dominic added her.

"Welcome back, Vanessa! Sterling, I always knew you'd end up back with Ashford eventually. Full circle."

"Yes. This is how it's supposed to be. You're one of us."

"Uh... Elara Hawthorne is still in this group. Just saying."

The chat went dead silent.

The irony wasn't lost on me.

These people only tolerated me because of Dominic. They never respected me. Not once.

A notification popped up. "You have been removed from the group by admin Dominic Ashford."

My lips went pale. Bloodless.

His message came through.

"I'll add you back in a month. Be a good girl."

I stared at the screen for two seconds. Didn't reply. After tomorrow's procedure, I'd have no ties left to him.

Day three.

My father regained consciousness. I finished the procedure. I went back to Ashford Group to hand in my resignation.

I'd barely sat down at my desk in the executive suite when the elevator doors opened. Vanessa stepped out with Dominic right beside her.

He stopped in front of me.

"Is your father's hypertension better?"

My fingers curled into a fist. My voice dripped with contempt. "Thanks to you, Mr. Ashford, he's better than ever."

Dominic's mouth tightened. His brow furrowed.

He clearly didn't like my tone, all edges and barbs.

He was used to me waiting on him hand and foot.

He pulled his gaze away, annoyed, and turned to Vanessa. His entire demeanor softened. He almost looked eager to please.

"She'll start as senior secretary in the executive office."

"Once she's up to speed, I'll move her into the project division."

Vanessa glanced at me.

"Perfect. I'm still learning. Dominic, have Ms. Hawthorne show me the ropes."

My head snapped up. I held my anger in check.

"I refuse."

Vanessa didn't flinch. Didn't get angry. She just waited, perfectly still, for Dominic to speak.

And right on cue, his voice cut through the air like a blade. No room for argument.

"You don't have the right to refuse."

"Elara, this isn't a game. You don't get to decide what you like and don't like."

He swept his cold gaze over my stunned face, took Vanessa by the hand, and walked into his office.

My hands and feet went numb.

Snow started falling outside the window. The cold wind blew in. I shivered.

I sat down, hollowed out.

The mocking laughter from the rest of the executive staff drilled into my ears.

That afternoon, I'd just finished writing my resignation letter when Dominic called me into his office, his face dark with anger. A file slammed onto the floor at my feet.

"Elara Hawthorne, do you think contracts are a joke?"

"You put three million on a three-hundred-thousand-dollar project. Everyone's scrambling to clean up your mess right now."

I picked it up and looked. A shock went through my body.

"Impossible."

I checked that file over and over. The dollar amount most of all. There's no way I made that mistake.

My eyes drifted to Vanessa standing off to the side. I caught the tiny curl at the corner of her lips. My pupils contracted.

"You."

No wonder she was so eager to learn this morning after I gave her something to do.

She sat next to me for hours.

She touched my computer.

"Elara Hawthorne!"

Dominic's roar locked every muscle in my body.

His face was blank.

"You made the mistake. Now you're trying to pin it on someone else?"

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and fought to keep my voice steady.

"Check the security footage then. Ms. Sterling might not know this, but that bobblehead on my desk has a hidden camera in it."