Chapter 2
The moment William went down on one knee, the entire office seemed to freeze.
Everyone went still. The panic on Henry's face hadn't even faded before it twisted into a sneer. Lena's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head. The executives crowded at the doorway turned to stone—some of them forgot to breathe.
"Mr. Luis, are you insane?" Henry's voice cracked. "Kneeling for her? She's nothing! A washed-up, worn-out wife who lived off my charity!"
William didn't acknowledge him. He looked up, his gaze locked on Susie—eyes full of emotions. Guilt. Tenderness. And something deeper, something that looked like obsession.
"Don't go." His voice was quiet. But every word hit like a hammer.
Susie's eyes went red. She bit down hard on her lip, her hands balling into fists at her sides, fingernails digging into her palms. The pain kept her grounded.
"William, get up." Her voice was shaking.
"I'm not getting up." He didn't move. His back stayed perfectly straight. "Three years ago, I wasn't in a position to do this. Today I am. Susie—if you resign, I'll stay right here on my knee until you change your mind."
Henry shoved forward and jabbed a finger in Susie's face. "You skank— seducing my boss! I knew something was off with all that overtime you were pulling! Now it makes sense! You've been sleeping with Mr. Luis this whole time!"
Susie knocked his hand away and pulled out her phone, letting out a cold laugh. "Sleeping with him? Henry, are you blind? You had photos of me and Mr. Luis saved on your own phone. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"
Henry went pale.
"You kept old photos of me and Mr. Luis for three years," Susie said, her voice raised higher, "just waiting for a moment like this to use against me? That's really something, Henry. You get caught cheating, and your first move is to flip it around and say I slept my way to the top?"
Lena suddenly threw herself at Susie, grabbing her arm. Tears appeared from nowhere. "Sis, please—don't do this! Henry just made a mistake, one stupid mistake. Please forgive him! If you won't, I'll get down on my knees and beg you!"
And then she actually knelt, her knees hitting the floor with a dull thud.
Susie looked down at her. Not a single flicker of emotion in her eyes.
"Lena, are you done?" Her voice was unnervingly calm. "Being a homewrecker is your hobby now? You've been hitting on Henry since sophomore year of college. Did you really think I didn't know?"
Lena's crying stopped dead. Her pupils shrank.
"You..." Her lips trembled. She couldn't get the words out.
"How did I find out?" Susie laughed coldly. "Those explicit messages you sent him—did you think deleting them meant they were gone forever? Those monthly allowance transfers—did you really think switching accounts would make them untraceable?"
Lena's face went white as paper.
Henry snapped. He grabbed Susie's arm and yanked. "Shut your mouth! Say one more word and I'll make sure you walk out of this marriage with nothing. And don't even think about seeing our kid."
"Don't you dare touch my child." Susie's voice was slow and deliberate, her eyes cold as a blade. "Henry, I've put up with you for three years—all for the sake of our child. Today you threw away the last shred of decency yourself. Don't blame me for what comes next."
She pulled her hand away and turned to William.
"Mr. Luis, get up."
William still didn't move. "Promise me you won't quit."
Susie took a deep breath. The tears finally came. She wiped her face, her voice rough and raw. "Fine. I won't quit. But you have to promise me one thing."
"Name it."
"Give me the worst project in the Luis Group. I want three months to claw back every cent Henry and Lena have swallowed over the years—every last penny."
William paused for a second. Then a slow smile curling on his lips.
He stood and extended his hand toward Susie. "Deal."
Susie didn't shake his hand. She turned and stared at Henry and Lena, forced an unflattering smile.
"Henry. Lena. Listen closely."
"From today on, it's war between us. I won't stop until it's over."