Chapter 2
The next morning, my eyes were puffy and itchy, still swollen from the night before.
When I arrived at the company, I bumped into a few senior staff members in the elevator. They kept glancing away, refusing to meet my eyes.
As soon as I entered my office, my assistant Tina rushed up to me, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"Emily, Charles is being way too unfair to you!" she choked out.
"What happened?" I asked.
She handed me a transfer order signed by Charles.
It said I was being moved to the logistics department, and Sophie would be taking over as acting design director.
Sophie's name was signed in big, bold letters, as if he was afraid no one would notice it.
I took the transfer order and marched to the CEO's office.
The door was left slightly ajar.
Sophie was sitting in my chair, the one I'd had custom-made because of my back injury.
She was playing a video game on my computer.
Charles was behind her, leaning down and holding her hand.
"Click here, silly," he said. His voice was so sweet that it was almost sickening.
His chest was pressed up against Sophie's back.
I knew that pose all too well. Back when he used to teach me how to play games, he'd always end up pulling me onto his lap.
As soon as I walked in, they both snapped their heads up at me.
Charles instantly dropped Sophie's hand and straightened up. "Emily, you're here."
I slammed the transfer order down on the desk. "What's this supposed to mean?"
Charles glanced at Sophie and said, "Step outside for a moment."
Sophie leaned in, clinging to his arm. "Charles, let me stay, please."
"Be good and do as I say," he said.
She got up reluctantly and gave me a sideways glance as she passed by.
Her eyes said it all: "You lost."
The door closed behind her.
Charles rubbed his temples. "Emily, this is just a temporary arrangement.
"Sophie just found out she's pregnant, and she's been really emotional. She doesn't feel safe here and wants a senior position.
"You know she can't handle any stress right now."
I looked into his eyes and said, "So, her feelings matter more than my position?"
"That's not what I meant!" Charles snapped.
"Why don't you stay in logistics for a few months? Once Sophie has the baby, you'll get your position back as design director," he added.
"Charles, do you even remember what you told me back then?" I said coldly. "You said the design department was your life, and I was the blood that kept it alive.
"Now you're draining me dry and trading me in for someone you barely even know. Maybe she just enjoys stepping into other people's marriages. Who knows?"
His face darkened instantly.
"Emily, watch your words!" he snapped. "Sophie is innocent. She's not what you think she is."
I let out a short laugh. "Innocent? Seriously? You've known her three months, and you're willing to ditch your family for her?"
"It isn't even a family. We don't have a child!" Charles shouted.
The moment those words left his mouth, we both froze.
Over the past ten years, I'd had eight miscarriages. After the last one, the doctor told me I'd probably never be able to have a child.
That night, he held me closely and promised me we had each other, and that was enough.
Now he was blaming me for not giving him a child. No wonder Sophie's baby meant so much to him.
I nodded slowly. "Fine, I'll accept the transfer.
"But Charles, you'd better remember this..."
I held his gaze, refusing to look away.
"However you throw me out today, tomorrow I'll make sure to throw you out the same."