Chapter 3
Chesca woke with a pounding headache the next morning.
The housekeeper Ella informed her that Fabian had come home last night, saw her condition, then hastily left again–taking a man’s jacket with him.
She immediately understood what happened–Zeno had left his jacket when he dropped her
off.
Pressing her throbbing temples, she laughed bitterly. Fabian never trust her–but he sure
was sensitive when it came to other men.
She grabbed her phone and found a flood of emails from Leshine in her inbox. As she skimmed through them, her face drained of color–Fabian had made his move.
Overnight, everything changed. She’d been removed from the Yolo project, with all her key responsibilities transferred to Veronica.
Officially, she was put on “temporary leave,” but the message was crystal clear: Ms. Lavirins, you’ve been sidelined.
Calmly going through her morning routine, Chesca decided to visit the office one last time, if only to clear out her things.
The Leshine building, once so welcoming, felt strangely foreign today.
In the elevator, several middle managers spotted her. They exchanged awkward glances, then quickly looked away, pretending not to see her. Chesca smiled faintly–predictable how quickly people scatter when you fall from grace.
Arriving at the 32nd floor VP/office, her secretary Anne was waiting outside, eyes red from crying. “Ma’am, they’ve gone too far!”
Chesca squeezed Anne’s hand gently. “It’s fine. I expected this.”
Inside the office, her personal belongings had been neatly packed up, everything handled with ruthless efficiency, as if planned well in advance.
Anne was furious, “Fabian’s been waiting for a chance to take you down. Someone tampered with the Yolo project reports to frame you.”
Unsurprised, Chesca quietly sorted through her things. “Who did it?”
“Veronica.” Anne gritted her teeth. “While you were away, she had fake materials created and used them to denounce you at the board meeting.”
Chesca let out a soft laugh. “I see.”
As she was zipping up the boxes, the office door opened.
Fabian’s father, Jubal Elkedonia stepped inside. He rarely made public appearances, so his presence today meant this wasn’t just office drama anymore.
Jubal motioned for Anne to leave, then approached Chesca. “Chesca, what’s really going on between you and Fabian?”
“I’ve always admired you, Chesca. Are you and Fabian having problems? If it’s about that Veronica girl, don’t worry! She’s just some young thing–nothing to be concerned about.” Jubal’s tone was conciliatory.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Chesca answered flatly, knowing there was no benefit in openly antagonizing the Elkedonia family.
“Then why are you stepping down? Fabian says you want to leave the company. He also said…” Jubal trailed off.
Understanding he was referring to the divorce, Chesca changed the subject with a smile. ““Do you agree with how the company’s handling me, dad?”
Jubal sighed slightly. “Fabian’s impulsive–you know that. The Yolo situation put him on
edge. He acted rashly.”
Chesca said nothing, continuing to clear her desk. She understood perfectly–classic
Chapter 3
Elkedonia damage control. They didn’t want a scandal. A divorce would hurt the family’s image.
“Let’s do this,” Jubal finally compromised, “take some time off. When the heat dies down, I’ll personally ask the board to reinstate you.” to the board.”
Chesca smiled faintly, tacitly accepting. Jubal seemed satisfied and left.
She gazed out at the New York skyline, the city that had witnessed her four years of struggle and now her defeat.
That afternoon, while packing her final items, Fabian appeared in the doorway. Dressed in a sharp black suit, his angular face betrayed no emotion.
“All packed up?” He walked in, casually picking up a photo frame from the desk—their wedding portrait.
Chesca nodded.
Fabian set the frame down. “Veronica was never our problem. Chesca, if you want, I’ll call a shareholders‘ meeting next month to reinstate you at Leshine.”
Chesca approached Fabian and fix the collar of his shirt, a habit she’d developed over the
years.
“No. I’m not coming back.” she said softly.
He frowned. “Why are you being so stubborn about this?”
Chesca didn’t answer, just turned away and continued gathering her things. Fabian stared at her back, seeming to want to say something more. But in the end, he just turned around and walked out.
In the parking garage, as Chesca loaded the final box into her car, she heard footsteps behind her.
“Ms. Lavirins.”
Chapter 3
It was Zeno.
“Mr. Cortez,” she greeted with a small smile. “Thanks for taking me home last night.”
Zeno handed her a business card. “If you need legal assistance, call me anytime.”
Chesca took the card and nodded. “Thanks.”
With her left, Zeno stayed behind, lost in thought.
Back at Orlanda Castle, Chesca told the staff they didn’t need to prepare her meals anymore.
She climbed the stairs to the second floor, each step echoing with old memories–all she had
done for Fabian, all their sweet lies to each other.
“Fabian, you want power. I’ll help you.”
“Fabian, we won’t always struggle like this, right?”
“Fabian… it hurts. My stomach- it hurts so much.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Elkedonia! After examination, your chances of pregnancy are extremely slim. Perhaps consider adoption!”
The memory remained crystal clear. Fabian would never know that because of the kick she took for him, she had virtually no chance of becoming a mother now.
Chesca had held back her tears, never telling Fabian the truth. She knew the Elkedonia family needed an heir, and she could no longer provide one.
After four years with the Elkedonias, she knew how to walk away with grace, especially now that she had lost her value to them.
♡ (3)
