Chapter 3

Maxwell's body froze for a moment, and his grip loosened just enough. Like a slippery eel, Reyna wriggled free of his arms and darted back into her apartment before slamming the door behind her. "Find my foot!" Those three words, loud and clear, cracked through the hallway like a whip. Maxwell braced one hand against the wall and let out a low chuckle, still savoring the moment. … That night, Reyna slept better than she had in years. She had two weeks to tie up every loose end in her life—work, her adoptive parents, everything. Early the next morning, after washing up and drinking a glass of milk, she headed to the garage, only to see the three luxury cars Theo had prepared for her. She chose the most low-key one and drove to Griffin Group. Back when Reyna graduated from college, she already held three software development patents. A top-tier research group had offered her a spot. If she signed, she would be stationed overseas for at least two years, working on confidential projects, with no permission to leave during that time. Nathan said he couldn't bear to be apart from her and forbade her from leaving, so she had no choice but to decline the offer. Later, he said he didn't like women in the spotlight, so she hid all her accomplishments. In the end, Nathan had her working at Griffin Group as a print model in the marketing department. No one knew about her patents, and she had no background or connections here. Everyone assumed she was just a seductress who had slept her way up. Nathan enjoyed the nature of their relationship, so she never bothered to explain herself to anyone. She once believed that her sincere love would eventually be returned in kind, but sadly, she had just been blind for eight years. She had barely stepped into the office when she saw Nathan with his arm around a gentle, elegant-looking woman as he introduced her to the crowd. "This is my fiancee, Kylie Scott. I brought her here today to meet everyone." His words were sweet, but Reyna noticed the dark circles under Nathan's eyes and the faint bruise on his wrist. Last night must have been tough, huh? The lively chatter and laughter came to an abrupt halt the moment Reyna appeared. The mood turned strangely tense, and her coworkers all cast her looks of thinly veiled contempt. Reyna was too beautiful and curvy. And because of her relationship with Nathan, they all labeled her the scheming mistress behind the scenes. Now that the official girlfriend had shown up, they were eager to see her fall. Reyna sashayed forward. "Good morning, Mr. Griffin. So this is the future Mrs. Griffin? She does look innocent." Nathan's face darkened instantly. He completely ignored her and walked straight into his office with Kylie in tow. As soon as they left, the snide comments began. "Some cheap little seductress used every trick she had and still ended up empty-handed. Is she still fantasizing about becoming Mrs. Griffin? Hilarious." Low laughter followed. Reyna gracefully tossed her handbag onto her chair. Her beautiful face was flawlessly made up, and the form-fitting dress hugged her stunning figure. There wasn't a hint of defeat on her. "Jealous much? Some people don't have the looks or the body I do, and they couldn't get a man into bed even if they stripped naked. Not like me. I've had my fun. So much of it that I'm already bored with him." The room fell dead silent. Reyna turned and sat down. As she looked up, she saw Nathan standing in the hallway with a coffee cup in hand. His face was darker than thunderclouds. Clearly, he had heard every word. She gave him a smug little smirk. But deep down, it stung. She had made his coffee for eight years, carefully adjusting the taste to suit him. Yet, she never once received a word of thanks. And now, there he was, sleeves rolled up, personally making coffee for another woman. What a cruel joke. Reyna had planned to quit today, but seeing them play their happy couple act like that, she couldn't walk away just yet. If she was going to quit, she wasn't going to do it quietly. She would make sure to leave a bitter taste in their mouths. … Just before the end of the workday, the department head, Robert Lane, sent out a message in the group chat. "To welcome the future Mrs. Griffin, the company will be hosting a dinner at Fragrant Pavilion tonight at 8:00 pm. Everyone is required to dress formally as a sign of respect." The coworker across from Reyna looked nosy and gleeful. "Reyna, if you're not comfortable going, we can talk to Mr. Lane for you. I'm sure Mr. Griffin will give you a pass." Another woman sneered. "Even if a nobody dresses up, she's still no match for the real deal. What's the point of going? She'll only embarrass herself. Mr. Griffin won't even look at her now." Reyna opened her compact mirror to touch up her makeup, applying her lipstick three times with care. The fresh color made her delicate face look even more alluring. "Why wouldn't I go? Whether he wants to see me is his problem, not mine." Everyone scoffed. They thought she was all talk. After all, they had seen how she fawned over Nathan all these years. Now that Kylie was here, Reyna would be fired instantly if she dared to stir trouble. Once a countryside woman lost her man and job, she would be finished. … At 8:00 pm, the banquet began. Although Robert had asked everyone to dress formally, no one dared to outshine Kylie. They all dressed conservatively and gathered around her with flattering words. A few people from the marketing department huddled together, their eyes fixed on the entrance. "Knew it. Reyna chickened out." "That little tramp won't last long. Once Mrs. Griffin finds out what she's been up to, she's done." They were chatting away when suddenly, a stir broke out at the entrance. Reyna had arrived wearing a custom red dress with a thigh-high slit. She was breathtaking. Her diamond jewelry sparkled under the lights, and her stunning face radiated confidence and allure. Her fair skin shimmered against the bold crimson of her dress. She looked like a rose in full bloom, proud and fearless. Her long hair swayed with every step, flowing with an effortless, captivating grace. A few men were so entranced that they absentmindedly knocked their glasses together. Kylie stood in the center of attention, dressed in haute couture and an expensive emerald necklace. However, her petite frame couldn't carry the weight of elegance. Compared to Reyna's radiant presence, she looked like an underdeveloped lily. With all the attention stolen, Kylie's expression turned sour as she stood there awkwardly. As if on purpose, Reyna let her high heels click sharply against the gleaming tiles with every step she took, strutting forward. Her eyes, full of charm and allure, locked onto Nathan. His heart thumped. He was impressed and irritated. Moreover, hearing the comments around him about Reyna's body had only fueled his anger. He felt like something that was once his was now being coveted by others. Just as he was about to speak up and tell her to leave, Reyna suddenly changed direction. Her steps turned coy as she walked right up to Maxwell. With a practiced motion, she slipped her delicate arm around his and gave it a playful shake. "You promised we'd come together. Why didn't you wait for me?"