Chapter 2

The security door slammed shut behind me. Outside, a late-autumn storm was pouring down. My legs shook so badly I couldn't control them. I had barely pushed myself halfway up before I crashed back down again and skinned my knee badly.

Blood ran down, mixing with the rain.

I pulled out my phone, planning to call my assistant. But the second the screen lit up, a bank alert popped up: [Your bank card ending in xxxx has been frozen due to unusual activity...] Right after that, every bank card, credit card, and even my mobile wallet was frozen one after another.

Richard had already stripped me of my financial authority at the company, and now he had cut off every single source of money I had.

Bracing myself against the wall, I limped out into the rain. I had no idea how long I walked. By the time I reached the office tower, all I wanted was to go inside and get out of the rain, even if it meant sleeping under my desk.

But the second I reached the entrance, a security guard stopped me.

"President Lee... no, Ms. Lee." It was Jake Warren, the guard whose mother had needed surgery. I'd loaned him over thirty grand out of my own pocket and kept him on at the company as a security guard. Now he spread his arms in front of the glass doors. "Mr. Hayes gave orders. Your access has been revoked. Your fingerprint and face scan have both been deleted."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Lee. I don't have a choice. I still have a family to support!"

Jake squeezed his eyes shut and shoved me hard. I was already weak to the point of collapse, and that one shove sent me straight backward into a muddy puddle. I lay facedown in the mud, unable to cry anymore.

All I felt was a deep, gut-twisting nausea.

"Urgh-" I braced a hand on the ground and started dry-heaving violently. A black umbrella suddenly appeared over my head. For a second, I thought someone was being kind. Then I looked up and saw glossy red heels, followed by Sophia's smug face.

She was wearing Richard's oversized shirt, the collar hanging open on purpose to show off the thick trail of hickeys on her neck. Richard stood beside her as Sophia covered her mouth and laughed. "Oh wow, sis. Why do you look like a stray dog?"

Richard's face twisted with rage. "Claire Lee, what are you puking for? You think I disgust you? What right do you have to find me disgusting?" He grabbed my hair and hauled me off the ground. Pain ripped across my scalp, forcing my head back so I met his violence-filled eyes. "Try throwing up one more time," he roared, rain dripping from his jaw.

I looked at him, at the face I had loved for ten years and looked at for ten years. Then I spat a mouthful of sour bile and mud right onto his custom suit. Richard's expression changed completely. If a moment ago he had only wanted to humiliate me, now he wanted me dead.

"Bitch!" He flung me aside and slapped me hard across the face. My ears rang instantly. My cheek swelled at once, and blood seeped from the corner of my mouth.

"Rich, don't get your hands dirty." Sophia hurried over with a handkerchief and fussed over his suit. Then she shot me a coy glare. "Rich was willing to leave you a way out, but you just had to ask for trouble."

Richard's chest rose and fell sharply. "Claire Lee, don't you think I'm disgusting? Fine. Then let's see just how tough you really are." He turned to Jake, his voice icy. "Open the door. Drag her inside."

Jake shuddered and hurried to unlock the entrance. Richard dragged me straight to the executive lounge on the top floor, the place where we used to sleep whenever we worked too late. The moment the door opened, the scene inside snapped my already frayed nerves completely. Women's lingerie and used condoms were scattered across the sheets and the carpet.

"Look familiar?" Richard shoved me onto the rumpled bed and admired my breakdown from above. "For the past six months, every time you were in the meeting room next door slamming tables with those old men to fight for funding, Sophia was lying on this bed waiting for me. Couldn't you hear us? We weren't exactly quiet."

Leaning against the doorframe, Sophia laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. "Sis, there were a few times I almost moaned out loud. Meanwhile, you were right outside going over your slides so seriously." I clapped my hands over my ears. I didn't want to hear another word.

"Take your hands off your ears!" Richard yanked my hands away and slapped the divorce papers and a pen down in front of me. "Sign it. Then clean this room up. Aren't you best at playing janitor? Back in the startup days, you even scrubbed toilets. Clean it well, and I might reward you with a meal."