"You're not a child anymore. How could you let your emotions cloud your judgment like this?"
"I used to brag about you, said you were more and more like me in my younger days, that one day you'd make a worthy heir to the Pruitt name. Then you pull a stunt like this? Do you have any idea how that makes me look?"
My father had me sent to the family chapel to kneel in penance. Family disciplinary rites.
The outcome was exactly what you'd expect.
The partnership between the Pruitt family and the Gilberts was restored.
My anger meant nothing. Less than nothing.
And now Ferdinand was certain that marrying him was still my best option.
That was why he was so confident I'd cave.
He watched me for a long time, his gaze flat and unhurried. Then a faint sigh slipped from his lips.
"Georgette, don't be difficult. Think it over, then sign the agreement."
"Can't we just go back to the way things were?"
His phone rang. He froze for a second, then answered without hesitation.
"Mabel, don't be scared. I'll come stay with you tonight..."
His footsteps carried him away, light and eager.
The sound faded until there was nothing left.
I lifted my eyes slowly and caught my own reflection in the glass across the room. Gaunt. Hollow. A bitter laugh escaped me.
Mabel James. A mere intern.
She'd turned a perfectly good birthday dinner into a disaster.
And now my marriage. My entire life.
She'd sent it all spiraling out of control.
After Ferdinand left, he didn't come back. Not for an entire week.
I heard that within three days, he'd spent thirty million dollars buying Mabel a brand-new mansion, keeping her tucked away in luxury like a hidden treasure.
"Ms. Pruitt, Mr. Gilbert actually came to our office and warned us directly. He said you'd better not fire Mabel James, or he'd personally intervene. Should we still go ahead with the termination we discussed yesterday?"
My assistant looked at me, uneasy.
I closed my eyes. "Leave me."
The document in my hand crumpled into a useless ball. I tossed it into the trash.
I just couldn't accept that six years of love had been wasted. That someone had stolen what was mine right out from under me.
I'd been exceptional my whole life. In every arena, I'd never lost to anyone.
So how had I lost to some nobody intern?
If I called off the engagement, it would inevitably deal a serious blow to both families' business interests.
I wasn't ready to give up that easily.
The agreement Ferdinand had sent over remained unsigned.
I sent him a message. Let's find a time to sit down and talk.
He replied quickly.
I happen to have business at your office around noon today. We can meet there.
As noon approached, I was waiting for Ferdinand when a commotion erupted outside my office.
"What's going on?"
My assistant rushed in, flustered.
"It's that intern, Mabel James. She's claiming she got food poisoning from seafood, and she's demanding that you take responsibility, Ms. Pruitt."
"But the company lunch we ordered didn't even have seafood..."
I frowned and started toward the door, but Ferdinand was already pushing his way in.
He saw Mabel slumped against a coworker's shoulder, sobbing.
"It was Ms. Pruitt. She knew I was allergic to seafood and she still forced me to eat that company lunch..."
Ferdinand's expression darkened until it looked like a storm about to break.
"Georgette, what the hell is going on?"
I looked at the lunch container on the table. I'd never seen it before. My brow furrowed.
"This has nothing to do with me."
Before I could finish, Mabel threw herself into Ferdinand's arms, crying.
"Ms. Pruitt must have found out about that night between us. She's trying to destroy me! I feel so sick, I can barely breathe..."
