Chapter 2

The door to the director's office closed behind me. The soundproofing was so good that the noise from outside vanished in an instant.

Instead of heading for his chair, Lucas turned around and looked at me.

The serious look on his face melted away, replaced by a kind of nervous respect.

"M-Ms. Quinn," he said, his voice barely above a whisper as he bowed slightly. "Are you alright?"

I didn't say a word. I walked over to the leather chair behind his desk and sat down. I gave the chair a spin and crossed my legs.

"Lucas," I said, meeting his eyes, "you know Melissa is my dad's mistress, right?"

Lucas's forehead was dotted with sweat.

He avoided my eyes, stammering, "W-Well, I-I only heard about it. Mr. Langley..."

"Tell me the truth," I cut him off. "Or I'll walk out right now, slap Melissa a few times more, and tell her you told me to do it."

Lucas's face went very pale.

"No, Ms. Quinn, please, you really can't do that." He waved his hands frantically, finally caving. "Yes, I know. Ms. Summers and Mr. Langley have been together for over two years. Most of the old staff know about it, but everyone keeps their mouths shut."

He shot me a nervous glance, dropping his voice even lower. "Mr. Langley really spoils her.

"Last week, Mr. Lawrence from the project team talked back to Ms. Summers about some project approvals, and the very next day, he got exiled to manage some warehouse way out in the suburbs."

I gave a cold, mocking laugh. "So in the company my grandfather founded, he's using my mom's and my share of the profits to keep a mistress on the payroll? And he lets her act like she owns the place?"

Lucas was sweating bullets, too scared to even respond.

"As for what happened today," I tapped my fingers on the desk, "don't tell my dad. And don't let a single word about who I am slip to anyone, especially Melissa. Understood?"

"Got it." Lucas nodded frantically. "Don't worry, Ms. Quinn. My lips are sealed."

"If even a whisper gets out," I stood up and walked right up to him. Even though I was half a head shorter, my presence was so overwhelming that he couldn't even meet my gaze. "Your days as director will be over.

"And remember it. At the end-of-year board meeting, my mom holds veto power."

Lucas's legs nearly gave out, and he almost lost his balance. "Y-Yes, I'll make sure it gets done."

My expression finally softened, and I gave his shoulder a quick pat. "Alright, get out there. You know what to say, right?"

"Y-Yes, I know," he stammered.

I nodded in satisfaction, pulled the door open, and walked out.

*****

Outside, nobody had left. Everyone was making small talk, but really, they were waiting to see what would happen to me.

Melissa stood not far away, arms crossed. She'd already fixed her makeup to cover the slap mark, but I could still see the smugness in her eyes.

When she saw me come out, her red lips curled into a smirk, ready to watch me crash and burn.

I kept my head down and walked right up to her, making sure my voice was loud enough for everyone nearby to catch. "Ms. Summers, I'm sorry. I got way too carried away now."

Melissa froze, caught completely off guard. Everyone around was caught off guard, too.

I put on a sincere look, with a touch of grievance in my voice. "Lucas scolded me. He said I shouldn't have hit you, but you really shouldn't have splashed wine on me. I accidentally brushed against you."

I looked up, my eyes slightly reddened. "We're all colleagues, and we'll be working together from now on. Let's call it even, okay?"

Melissa's expression shifted from smug to dumbfounded, then straight into utter disbelief. She locked her gaze on me, staring like I'd sprouted a second head.

Just then, Lucas stepped out of his office, cleared his throat, and put on his sternest face. "Alright, this ends here. Victoria, you shouldn't have hit her. Write a reflection letter and put it on my desk tomorrow.

"And Ms. Summers, as a senior staff member, splashing wine on a newcomer in public is a terrible look for the company. Victoria was defending herself. Bottom line, you both screwed up. Don't let it happen again."

He paused, then added, "From now on, everyone, keep up your professional image. Welcome party's over. Everyone, back to work."

With that, he practically bolted out of there, not even bothering to look back.

The whole place went dead silent. Everyone, Melissa included, was frozen in place.

A few seconds later, hushed whispers erupted.

"What the hell? That's it?"

"Lucas didn't even fire her?"

"Is Ms. Summers really going to take that lying down?"

"Who the hell is Victoria, anyway?"

Melissa's face flushed, then went pale. She bit down hard on her lip, her fingers digging into her palm.

She suddenly shot me a glare, her words coming out through gritted teeth. "W-What did you say to Lucas?"

I blinked, giving her my best innocent look. "Nothing, really. I told him what happened. Maybe Lucas likes to be fair?"

Melissa was trembling with anger, but she was so mad that she couldn't even speak.

I shot her a small, knowing smile and turned to walk away.

As I stepped out of the conference room, a loud crash echoed behind me. Melissa must've thrown something.

I didn't even glance back. The corners of my mouth curled up a little more.

*****

It was already ten at night when I got back to the Quinn Estate. The living room was still lit up with warm, inviting lights.

My mom, Grace Quinn, came out of the kitchen wearing an apron, carrying a steaming bowl of soup. "Victoria, you're back. How was the welcome party? Did you eat enough? I made you some soup. It's good for your stomach."

Mom came closer, then paused, looking surprised. "Why's your hair all wet? And your clothes? What happened?"

I suddenly realized I was still wearing the dress with red wine stains all over it.

"Oh, it's nothing," I said, brushing it off as I took the bowl. "A colleague accidentally spilled wine on me at the party. It's all sorted now."

Mom frowned, pulling me into the light to get a better look. "Are you sure? Nobody gave you a hard time, did they?"

"I'm really fine," I said, scooping up a spoonful of soup. It was warm and soft, with a hint of sweet yams. "Mom, your soup is the best."

Grace finally relaxed, giving me a gentle smile. "If you like it, have some more. I tidied up your room for you. The sheets and duvet cover are all fresh, in that lavender color you love. I also picked out a few new outfits for you.

"Try them on tomorrow and see if they fit."

I suddenly felt a lump in my throat. After three years overseas, nothing made me more homesick than Mom's soup and the way she fussed over me.

"Mom," I set the bowl aside and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you."

Grace gently patted my back. "Silly girl, you don't need to thank me. I'm glad you're home. Now that you're back, work hard at our company. I always got your back."

I nodded firmly against her shoulder. But inside, I felt nothing but cold.

Quinn Holdings was built from scratch by my grandfather. My dad, Richard Langley, was some broke guy who married into the Quinn family. It was Mom who gave up her say in the company, letting him rise step by step to where he is now.

But now, he was using the Quinn family's money to keep his mistress, allowing her to throw her weight around at the company. And maybe, he was crossing lines he really shouldn't.

I let go of Mom and looked at her gentle face bathed in the warm light. There were a few silver strands at her temples.

She was only forty-eight, but thanks to her careful self-care, she looked barely over forty.

She was kind and gentle, put all her trust in Dad, handed over most of the company's affairs to him, and was happy to devote herself to charity and our home.

She had no idea that the husband she loved so much had betrayed her long ago.

She had no idea that Melissa, the secretary who got paid a fat salary every month and always acted so respectful toward her, might be the one warming her husband's bed every night.

She had no idea that the family she thought was so stable and happy was already infested with termites, rotting away beneath the surface.

"Mom," I said quietly, "do you trust Dad?"

Mom paused, then gave me a gentle smile. "Of course, I do. Your dad might be busy sometimes, but he always takes care of us. Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing," I smiled back. "I'm asking. This soup is amazing. I want another bowl."

"Alright, I'll get you some more," Mom replied.

As I watched Mom walk toward the kitchen, my smile faded away bit by bit, my eyes deep.

If Richard and Melissa had the guts to have an affair, they had better be ready to pay the price.

I would take back everything that belonged to Mom, including the company. Not a single thing would slip through my fingers.