The company was thrown into disarray because of that troublemaker, Chloe.
My husband, Derek, not only stopped me from firing her but demanded I pay her compensation for emotional distress.
She already has mental health issues, and she’s a divorced single mom. Don’t add more pressure to her.
“If you ask me, give her three million as compensation, and a long vacation. It would really show your generosity as a leader.”
I stared at Derek, utterly disbelieving.
If Chloe hadn’t used a baby bottle to serve a client during a meeting, the company wouldn’t have been targeted and plunged into this crisis.
Watching her hide behind Derek, I sneered, “Anyone would think she’s your wife, not your employee.”
“Since you’re so keen on protecting her, then get out of my company, both of you!”
“And sign the divorce papers in the cabinet on your way out. My company doesn’t need imbeciles like you two.”
My words had barely left my lips.
Derek stood up, aghast. “How can you be so heartless? I’m just being empathetic to an employee, and you want to divorce me?”
“The company’s in trouble, and instead of figuring out a solution, you’re picking on an employee. Victoria, do you even act like a boss anymore?”
Watching his self-righteous display, I found it both laughable and pathetic.
“Derek, you’ve probably forgotten that everything you have now, I gave you.”
“You’re protecting Chloe so fiercely. Could it be there’s something shady going on between you two?”
I was raised from childhood to be an heiress. Derek was just a man my father brought into our family business to assist me as my husband.
I’d made it clear from the start that I didn’t want Chloe hired.
She had a knack for stirring up trouble.
Others would be working overtime on proposals, and she’d accidentally unplug the server.
When asked to submit a plan, she’d claim her baby had a “rumbling tummy” and needed her.
What was even more infuriating was when she put sick cats and dogs in the communal food storage area, leading to the entire staff being rushed to the emergency room.
There was no way I was keeping an employee like that.
But last month, while I was on a business trip overseas, Derek bypassed HR and shoved her into the client relations department.
And then that troublemaker used a baby bottle to entertain an important client, successfully bringing disaster down on the company.
Derek not only refused to fire her but demanded I pay her a hefty compensation.
He was truly insane.
“Victoria, how could you say such a thing?”
Derek’s face flushed crimson, his shouting voice growing weaker. “We’re husband and wife! This company is our shared effort…”
“Shared effort?”
I cut him off, a cold laugh escaping my lips.
“Don’t flatter yourself. Without the Albrights, you, Derek, would probably be couch-surfing or struggling on the streets somewhere…”
Before I could finish, Chloe, who was hiding behind Derek, suddenly burst into tears.
“It’s all my fault! I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have caused trouble for the company, and I shouldn’t have made Mr. Johnson uncomfortable… Ms. Albright, Mr. Johnson is just too kind. Our relationship is completely innocent. Please don’t be angry, and please don’t argue with Mr. Johnson because of me…”
As she spoke, she suddenly pushed Derek away and dashed towards the office’s floor-to-ceiling window.
Chloe braced her hands on the windowsill, turning to look at us, her eyes bloodshot.
“If my death can calm everything down, if it can help the company through this crisis, if it can make you two reconcile, then… then I’ll just die!”
Derek’s face went ashen, and he exclaimed, “Chloe! Don’t do anything rash!”
He rushed forward, pulled her down from the window ledge, and glared at me fiercely.
“Victoria, Chloe just used a baby bottle to pour some water for a client, right? A baby bottle isn’t dirty. How hard is it for a divorced single mother with a child? Can’t you show some understanding?”
“You’re not infertile yourself, are you, so you can’t stand to see anyone else doing well? Victoria, when did you become so vicious?”
I raised an eyebrow, watching him flail desperately, my eyes full of scorn.
“But I distinctly remember that it was *you* who got a vasectomy years ago. What do you mean *I* can’t have children?”
At my words, Derek’s arms, wrapped around Chloe, stiffened.
The venomous look in his eyes instantly dissolved into panic.
“Victoria! You… how could you bring up our private matters in front of everyone?! Are you insane?”
I sneered, a chill seeping into my heart.
He was the one who proposed it back then, to make me feel secure enough, that’s why he had the vasectomy.
Watching his frantic rush to protect Chloe, I asked, “You didn’t tell her, did you? What, afraid she’d find out and wouldn’t like you anymore?”
Chloe cried, stepping forward to grab my arm and explain, “Ms. Albright, I’ve already proven that Mr. Johnson and I have a completely innocent relationship. Why won’t you believe us?”
“And how can you mock Mr. Johnson like that? Even if Mr. Johnson can’t have children, he’s still so decisive and efficient! If I were his wife, I’d never mock him like you do!”
I shoved her away in disgust.
I hadn’t used much force, but she tumbled to the ground.
And she dragged me down with her.
A sharp pain shot through my knee. I was about to demand an explanation when I saw Derek frantically shield Chloe’s stomach.
Catching my gaze, Derek abruptly pulled his hand back.
I gave a self-mocking laugh, staggering to my feet.
He frowned as he watched me limp on my injured leg.
The leg injury was from saving him. Back then, he was young, reckless, and always getting into trouble.
I was kidnapped by his enemies, and the tendons in my leg were severed, leaving me paralyzed for a year.
It was also because of that incident that he had the vasectomy.
Derek reached out to help me, but I swatted his hand away.
He looked displeased, then forcefully scooped me up and placed me on the sofa. “How long are you going to keep this up?”
He pulled up my pant leg, looking at my seemingly uninjured leg, and sneered, “I knew it. I distinctly remember it healed ages ago, so how could it still hurt? Just stop pretending.”
“Victoria, when did you become so petty and calculating?”
Hearing his words, my heart completely died.
Even if the skin on my leg showed no outward damage, inside it was riddled with scars.
“Is Chloe’s child yours?”
I asked directly what was on my mind.
It wasn’t that I was being suspicious without cause. During the year I was recovering, Derek initially stayed by my side, consumed by guilt.
But later, he started using the excuse of being busy with work to stay out all night.
I looked at the pearl necklace around Chloe’s neck.
Derek had paid a high price for it at an auction. I thought it was a holiday gift for me.
But now it was on Chloe.
Perhaps during that year I was recovering, he fell in love with Chloe and had a child with her.
And the vasectomy was just a smokescreen.
Derek looked at me, his face pale. “What nonsense are you talking about? Fine, I don’t have to keep her, I’ll just fire her…”
Before he could finish, Chloe screamed, clutching her stomach.
Seeing this, Derek scooped her up without another word and rushed out.
I shook my head with a sarcastic smile and called my father.
“Dad, Derek is tainted. Cancel all the company shares we were going to give him…”
Before I could finish, I was suddenly struck from behind and everything went black.
When I woke up, I was tied up in an abandoned factory.
The throbbing pain in the back of my head hadn’t subsided when one of the kidnappers inserted a needle into my finger.
I wanted to scream from the pain, but my mouth was gagged.
Just as the second needle was about to pierce my skin, a voice came from the shadows: “Stop.”
I instantly looked up. Even though the person was masked and using a voice changer, I recognized him as Derek.
He walked up to me, his exposed brows furrowing slightly when he saw the blood on my hand.
But he quickly turned his back, clenching his fist as he spoke, “This is a small price for a boss with no empathy like you. Don’t forget where you came from.”
So, he kidnapped me to get back at me for Chloe.
Derek really had fallen for Chloe. But he forgot that everything he had was because of me.
I pressed the emergency button on my wrist. In less than ten minutes, my exclusive security team would track my location.
Just then, Derek’s phone rang.
Chloe’s soft voice came through: “Derek, why does this bracelet you gave me keep beeping? It’s so annoying… Please come back, I’m scared…”
Derek abruptly hung up, instinctively looking at me, then delivered a forceful blow, knocking me unconscious.
My consciousness slowly faded. I never imagined Derek would secretly give my security bracelet to Chloe.
When I woke up, I was back in the hospital.
Derek sat by my bed, a solemn expression on his face as he held a bowl of porridge. The moment he saw my eyes open, he leaned closer.
I turned my head, avoiding his hand, but he continued to scoop a spoonful to my lips. “Chloe had a miscarriage. The doctor said it was due to the stress you caused yesterday, combined with her hard work for the company…”
Hearing his words, I slapped him across the face. He stared at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which quickly darkened. “You can hit me or yell at me all you want, but Victoria, Chloe is so delicate. How could you unleash your nasty, overbearing side on her?”
“Get out.”
I gritted my teeth, hating him.
Not exposing his kidnapping me immediately was a huge act of grace, yet he dared to blame me? He had no idea what he was doing.
As Derek was about to say something more, my phone suddenly rang.
He saw that it was my father calling and instinctively snatched the phone.
“What are you complaining to Dad about now?”
I sneered but didn’t stop him.
Just as the call was about to connect, Derek’s phone in his pocket rang, and Chloe’s sweet voice came through.
“Mr. Johnson, why aren’t you back yet? My stomach hurts so much…”
Derek patiently soothed the person on the phone, then turned to me, his face full of reproach. “I’ll explain everything to Dad. You’re the one who was being stubborn and spiteful first, so don’t think you can play the victim.”
With that, he hurriedly left the hospital room.
I rolled my eyes and answered my father’s call.
“My dear daughter, I’ve looked into everything. However, I’m still going to proceed with the press conference for the equity transfer.”
I was confused and about to ask my father why, when he sent me a video.
After watching the video, I immediately understood my father’s intention and nodded in agreement.
As soon as I hung up with Dad, Chloe sent me provocative photos.
One picture showed Derek intimately washing Chloe’s feet.
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