Chapter 3
When Myra woke up the next morning, she stared blankly at the empty room, her mind foggy with disbelief.
She had turned twenty-four the day before. Sean had likely forgotten about it—or maybe he never even intended to remember her birthday at all. He had bought flowers for another woman and spent the night with her, leaving Myra with nothing but cold indifference.
She eventually got dressed and went downstairs, greeted by the cheerful voice of Eve. “Myra, you’re just in time for breakfast!”
Eve was the one bright spot in Myra’s otherwise grim existence in the family. Not wanting to appear sad in front of her, Myra nodded and sat down at the dining table.
“Myra, I know you’re upset about how Sean acted last night, but please don’t be sad. I’m always on your side. I’m sure one day, he’ll realize you’re the woman he should spend the rest of his life with.”
Myra’s eyes welled up, but she held back the tears, remaining silent.
Eve sighed and pushed a pair of chopsticks into Myra’s hands. “You should eat, dear. Sean left early this morning for a few things, but I’ll have the chauffeur drop you off at work later.”
Just then, Greta entered the dining room with the newspaper in hand. “Madam, here’s the newspaper you asked for.”
As Greta placed the paper on the table, Eve’s eyes caught the headline on the front page. Her expression faltered, but it was too late to hide it.
Myra’s body stiffened as she read the headline. Below it was a picture of Sean kissing a young female celebrity in front of a hotel. Clearly, he hadn’t come home at all the previous night.
“Myra—”
“Thanks for the breakfast, Mom. I need to go to work now,” Myra interrupted, her voice steady but firm. She grabbed her purse and stood up, heading toward the door without another word.
Eve stood frozen, unable to respond in time, watching as Myra drove away.
Greta, looking apologetic, approached. “I’m sorry, Madam.”
“It’s not your fault,” Eve replied with a sigh. She looked at Greta, her expression heavy. “Call Sean later and tell him that if he doesn’t come home tonight, I’ll disown him!”
Greta nodded quickly. “Okay.”
Myra and Sean’s wedding had been a low-profile affair for many reasons—few knew that the daughter of the Stark family was married to the heir of the Chase family. Even within Chase Group, few knew of Myra’s true identity; to them, she was simply the leader of Design Team A.
Later that day at work, Elsie, with a look of feigned apology, said, “I’m so sorry, Myra, but I won’t be able to join you for lunch today. I have an appointment with Director Chase at noon.”
Elsie had been in the restroom for nearly an hour before lunch, emerging with bright red lipstick. Myra winced at the sight but chose to remain silent.
After excusing herself, Elsie grabbed her purse and made her way toward the elevator, her hips swaying provocatively as she walked toward the executive lift.
“What’s she so smug about? Everyone knows how she became the leader of Team B—and it wasn’t because of her talent,” a woman on the side muttered derisively.
Myra’s face turned pale, but she said nothing. Grabbing her purse, she headed for the elevator as well.
After lunch, everyone returned to work in small groups, chatting in pairs.
“Myra! Look at this!” Tilly exclaimed, placing a tabloid in front of her. Tilly, the newest intern in the design department, had been one of the few loyal to Myra, especially after the incident at the banquet the night before.
Tilly sighed dreamily. “Oh, my gosh, Tony Hart is back in the country! He’s officially taking over the Hart Group! This guy is a legend! He went abroad at eighteen, graduated from Harvard at twenty-two with two PhDs in Management and Business Economics, and by twenty-six, he’d built his own empire—Hartwell Group. No one in the country has come close to replicating his success. And now, he’s coming back to take over Hart Group. And, more importantly, he’s so handsome and charming, with no scandals whatsoever! And he’s still a bachelor at thirty-five!”
Myra chuckled as she looked at Tilly, who had a starstruck gleam in her eyes. “So, do you have plans to woo him?”
Tilly’s excitement faded a little, and she scratched her ear awkwardly. “Of course not. A guy like that is meant to be admired from a distance. He’s not someone like me can date.”
“Does that mean you were excited over nothing?” Myra teased, her lips curving in a slight smile as she glanced at the tabloid cover.
Tilly, still flushed with excitement, waved her hand dismissively. “You know what I mean! He’s just… perfect!”
Myra smiled lightly, feeling a brief flicker of amusement in the otherwise heavy atmosphere surrounding her.