His Regret, Her Rise: The Heiress Awakens

ken resentment. Ryan watched my every move, a mixture of fury and confusion on his face. He didn't try to stop m

the first decent hotel I could find. The anonymity of the clean, impersonal room was a relief. I turn

ssed calls and a string of angry text messages. Most were from Ryan, oscillating b

ow away nine years. You need to learn what family values mean. Nicol

ve, and my financial security to her son, only to be called ungratef

at the architectural firm. Mr. Hughes, my boss, was a stern but fair man. He valued precis

nist buzzed my desk. "Stella, there's a Nicole Lester

n-law, and not for much longer. "I

," the receptionist adde

ding a large casserole dish wrapped in a tea towel. She scanned the room, her eyes landin

looked up from their desk

o a sensitive site plan. "Stella," she said, her voice just loud enough for everyone in the vicinity to h

ant to take the house away. Stella, please. Jayden and I... we have nowhere el

My colleagues were now openly staring, their faces a mixture of pity for Nicole and judgment for me. I could fee

s. "Nicole," I said, my voice low and steady. "This is my

're not answering your phone! I had to do something! I thought if I brough

trying to corner me, to use public shame as a weapon. And