The 100th Time's the Charm

A week later, I came home.

Yeah, she clearly didn't expect me back tonight.

Just as I was about to head for the shower, some guy walked out of the bathroom—wearing my bathrobe.

Alec. Of course. The guy she'd been wiring money to for eight years.

Donna rushed over and shoved me aside.

"He's just household staff," she told Alec, all casual. "He's gotten a little too comfortable—ignore him."

Then she yanked me to the couch and forced me to sit.

I had words. They just got stuck.

She brought another man home and downgraded me to the help.

I opened my mouth, but she slid in next to me, all desperate eyes and hushed whispers.

"He's a client. If I land him, it's a huge contract. Running a business as a woman isn't easy. You've never really helped me—just this once, please.

"He spilled something and needed a quick shower, that's all. Don't overthink it.

"And everyone in the industry thinks I'm single. I can't suddenly pop up with a husband."

Her excuses were airtight. Not a crack to slip through.

If I pushed back now, I'd just look petty.

So I dropped my gaze and started replying to urgent work messages.

Then Alec swaggered over, flopped down next to me like he paid the bills.

"Not many guys these days live off a woman's money," he said, full smirk mode.

He slid me a business card.

"Alec Humbert, tech dev at Leandro Corp."

Donna looked at him like he just invented air.

Neither of them had a clue.

Alec didn't know yet—he was too new to realize he just flexed on his CEO.

Donna never gave a damn. Everything was always about her. In her head, I was just that "lucky loser" who hit a $10 million jackpot eight years ago. She never even tried to know me.

She saw my blank face, saw I wasn't reaching for Alec's card, and snapped.

"You're just household staff. Alec giving you his card? That's respect. And now you're acting cocky? There's nothing to clean—just leave."

She shoved me toward the door and slapped a trash bag in my hands.

"Take this out on your way."

Right on top? Two used condoms.

Rage burned through me. I wanted to walk back in and slap the smug off both their faces.

Then Alec picked something up from the table.

"This must be expensive, huh?"

It was my pocket watch. My mom's. The only thing she ever left me. I'd cried over it more times than I could admit.

I polished that thing every day like it was sacred. One scratch and it wrecked me.

And Donna knew that.