Chapter 4
Jenna sat cautiously on the sofa, her expression timid. “Aunt Nina, it’s all my fault for causing you trouble. Maybe I should just go back abroad.”
Zac couldn’t hold it in any longer, his voice rising. “Nina! Can you stop being so selfish? Jenna just recovered from her illness, and you’re giving her attitude!
“The house you live in, the job you go to—everything you have is because of me. What right do you have to throw a tantrum here?”
I froze in place.
Up until now, I had only felt anger over everything that had happened, but his words brought a sudden and chilling clarity.
So, in Zac’s mind, I was nothing more than a woman dependent on him, someone who couldn’t accomplish anything without him.
But was it really just Zac’s influence that earned me the position of Director of Public Relations at Quinn Corporation?
Over the past three years, Quinn Corporation’s reputation had steadily improved, thanks to my efforts. I had single-handedly resolved several major PR crises. At one point, Zac’s competitors even offered me triple my salary to lure me away. It wasn’t until he publicly announced our engagement that the poaching attempts finally stopped.
And now, according to him, all my accomplishments amounted to nothing. I had been reduced to nothing more than a clinging, parasitic woman who relied entirely on him.
Heartbroken and exhausted, I turned to pack my belongings. “Since this is your place, I’ll leave.”
Zac’s expression changed, and he instinctively moved to follow me, perhaps to explain himself. Jenna quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him.
“Uncle Zac, I’ll talk to Aunt Nina. We’re both women, and it’ll be easier for us to have a heart-to-heart. What you just said wasn’t really how you feel.”
Hearing this, Zac hesitated, then relaxed and sank back onto the sofa. “Thank you, Jenna.”
Jenna immediately followed me into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
Seeing me take a few expensive coats from the wardrobe and fold them into my suitcase, she walked over and yanked them out, throwing them onto the floor.
Lowering her voice, she hissed, “Everything you own was bought with my uncle’s money. Do you think you could afford coats like these on your own? Don’t even think about keeping what isn’t yours. Women like you, gold diggers dreaming of marrying into wealth, I’ve seen plenty of them!”
With that, she stomped her foot on a pristine white coat.
I glanced at the coat on the floor. It was indeed a gift from Zac.
We had attended an auction together, and when he noticed my dress was too thin for the cold, he picked out the coat to match my gown.
Now, the once-pristine white fabric bore an ugly black footprint—a perfect reflection of what my relationship with Zac had become.
I shoved Jenna aside, packed the rest of my belongings into my suitcase, and turned to leave.
“Ah—!” Jenna let out a sharp cry.
Zac rushed in immediately, panic etched across his face. “Jenna, are you okay?”
I stood by the door, watching Jenna’s clumsy performance as she threw herself to the floor.
“Uncle Zac, I tried to reason with Aunt Nina, but…” Jenna whimpered, tears glistening in her eyes.
Zac helped her up, his face red with fury. “Nina, you’re absolutely vicious!”
I let out a cold laugh. “Jenna, using such cheap tricks on your uncle? Anyone who didn’t know better might think you’re in love with him.”
With that, I turned and walked away, missing the way their faces changed in unison.
It was meant as a jab at Jenna, but as it turned out, my words hit closer to the truth than I had realized.
Sitting in the back of a cab, I glanced at my phone, only to see an image of Zac and Jenna passionately kissing.
I had always chalked up Zac’s affection for Jenna to familial love. Never had it occurred to me that their relationship could be something more.
When I had bought the apartment, I installed surveillance cameras—not for spying, but for safety. I never expected to uncover such a shocking scene.
No wonder Jenna had reacted so strongly to Zac’s engagement. She had gone so far as to drag the Quinn family into a scandal.
Whether her goal was to push me out of the picture, stake her claim, or simply disgust me, she had miscalculated.
The footage showed them retreating into the bedroom. Not long after, a text from Zac popped up on my phone. “Be back in thirty minutes, or don’t bother showing your face again.”
So now he was threatening me with my job and our engagement?
I sneered and replied. “That was quick. Do your dead parents know you’re harboring feelings for your niece? You two are perfect for each other! Just don’t drag anyone else down with you.”
Hitting send, I turned off my phone without hesitation and headed straight to finalize my family’s marriage alliance.
When I returned to my parents’ house, the first thing I saw was my father’s stern expression.
Clearing my throat, I dragged my suitcase toward the stairs.
“Well, look who’s here! You finally decided to come home?”
I stepped forward and firmly took my father’s hand. “Dad, I’ve thought it over, and you’re absolutely right. A marriage alliance between the Walker and Mason families is the smartest move. Only by marrying the Mason family heir can we elevate our family to the next level.”
Yes, my family had an arranged marriage agreement with the Mason family, a pact made during my grandfather’s generation.
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