The elevator doors opened with a sharp ding, and before I could even look up from my paperwork, my father was already storming into my office. His steps were heavy, echoing across the marble floor.
My assistant followed behind him, pale and nervous. “Ma’am, I—I tried to stop him—”
“It’s fine,” I said quickly, though my stomach tightened.
My father’s glare found me instantly. “What am I hearing?” His voice was sharp and cold. “You’re filing for divorce? Where is this coming from, Charlotte? Are you out of your mind?”
I stood up slowly, straightening my blazer. “No, I’m not. I’m finally sane.”
There was a pause — long and heavy. His expression darkened. “You know our family doesn’t condone divorce,” he said, voice rising. “You’re making a fool of yourself. Do you have any idea what this will do to our reputation?”
I clenched my jaw. “So you condone cheating instead?”
His brows furrowed. “What did you just say?”
I bit my lip, my voice trembling but steady enough to hurt. “I said — do you condone cheating? Because that’s what your perfect son-in-law has been doing. With my stepsister.”
The air in the room went cold. He stared at me like I had just insulted his name. Then a harsh exhale came through, followed by his words — quiet, but cutting. “You sound just like your mother.”
His words hit like a slap, even before he gave the real one.
The sound echoed through the office. My assistant gasped softly from outside the door, but I didn’t tell her to come in. I didn’t move. I just stood there, holding my cheek, my eyes burning.
Flashbacks flooded in — I was a child again, standing by the stairs, watching him leave our house late at night. I didn’t understand back then that the woman he was visiting was Layla’s mother. I didn’t understand why my mother always stayed home, keeping her pain quiet behind forced smiles and business papers.
When Layla arrived years later, introduced as my “stepsister,” I thought I had gained family. She was sweet then — always smiling, calling me “sister,” helping me pick clothes, sharing secrets, even braiding my hair before school. Everyone adored her, and I did too. She was kind, gentle, and warm. I never realized that behind every kind word and perfect smile, she was learning how to take everything that was mine.
I didn’t know I had gained a reflection of my father’s betrayal.
“Dad,” I said now, my voice cracking. “Do you even hear yourself? You did this to Mom. You left her for your mistress, and now you’re defending Stephen and Layla like it’s normal—”
The sound of his hand slamming on my desk startled me.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he spat. “Didn’t I give you Stephen because you loved him? You begged me to approve that marriage! And now you’re saying this garbage?”
Tears stung my eyes. “Because I was a fool!”
He leaned closer, his voice rising. “If I had known, I would have given him to Layla instead. At least she’s grateful. She knows how to deal with him — and with the company. You see, the merger is happening soon, and you—”
“Then perhaps you should give him to her,” I said, cutting him off. “After all, they’ve already been cheating on me.”
His eyes widened. “What?”
I reached for my bag, pulled out the sealed envelope, and placed it on the desk between us. “Here’s proof. The DNA test. Jackson isn’t my son.”
He looked down at the envelope but didn’t touch it. His jaw tightened, his face unreadable.
“I told you,” I continued, voice steady despite my tears. “You chose Stephen because I loved him. But maybe Layla was the one you raised to be your perfect daughter. Maybe she’s the one who truly deserves him — because she’s just like you.”
He froze, his mouth opening but no sound coming out. The silence was thick. Heavy.
Before he could speak, I turned and walked away. My face burned, but my back stayed straight. I didn’t look back.
Hours later, I was still shaking when my phone rang again. Stephen’s mother.
“Charlotte, darling,” she said kindly, her voice always soft and polite. “We’re having a small birthday dinner tonight for my husband. I’d love for you and Jackson to come.”
For a moment, I wanted to refuse. I didn’t want to see Stephen. I didn’t want to see any of them. But Stephen’s mother had always been kind — the only person in that house who treated me like family.
So I agreed.
That night, I arrived wearing a white dress, my hair neatly tied. I smiled when people greeted me, laughed when they made small talk, and pretended my world wasn’t falling apart. Stephen stood beside me, his hand on my back, playing the role of the perfect husband.
We looked like a happy couple — the kind people envied.
But beneath the polite smiles, his grip on me tightened. Too tight.
“Come with me,” he whispered through clenched teeth.
He pulled me toward the balcony, away from the guests, and his mask dropped.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he hissed. “Why are you acting strange tonight?”
I gave him a cold look. “Strange?”
He stepped closer, his jaw tight. “Did you tell your father something? Why did he postpone the merger? You know how important that deal is!”
I tilted my head and smiled faintly. “Maybe because of Jackson,” I said softly. “Maybe he doesn’t want stress around your family while your son is sick.”
His eyes darkened. “Don’t play games with me, Charlotte.”
I shrugged. “Maybe I’m not. Maybe I just don’t care anymore.”
He stared at me, disbelief flickering across his face. “You don’t care?” he repeated slowly. “Is that why you were smiling at that man earlier? The one from the board? People were talking, you know.”
I smirked. “Ah, that one?” I leaned in, lowering my voice. “I guess so.”
His hand twitched, and I saw his anger flare. “You’re really losing it,” he muttered. “After everything, you think you can just ruin what we’ve built?”
“What you’ve built?” I corrected, my tone sharp. “Stephen, you built lies. All I ever did was believe them.”
He opened his mouth, but I didn’t let him speak.
I looked him straight in the eyes, my smile steady but cold. “Maybe we should just divorce.”
