Chapter 3

"Can't you be reasonable for once? It's just a few days. Do you really have to make it this ugly?"

Me, unreasonable?

"William, we're done. You have no right to stay here, and even less right to move some outsider into my house."

William raised his voice and shouted back at me.

"What do you mean, your house? I've lived here six years too. I've got feelings for this place. I'm not leaving!"

"And I don't agree to break up either. I didn't do anything wrong!"

I couldn't be bothered to argue. I turned, walked into the bedroom, took out the deed, and threw it down in front of him.

"Take a good look. This is my house. I paid the down payment. That rent you thought you were covering? Those were my mortgage payments, every month. The property is in my name alone!"

William stared at the deed, his pupils shrinking, his whole face blank with shock.

"Wasn't the place a rental? When did you buy it?"

"Never mind when I bought it. All you need to know is that it's mine, and right now you don't even have the right to set foot in it!"

I tossed their things into a storage bin, dumped it in front of him, opened the door, and made a sweeping gesture toward it.

Mabel bit her lip and shrank behind William, a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes.

My resolve enraged him. His face flushed red.

"Priscilla, don't push this too far! Throw me out now and you'll regret it sooner or later!"

He squared his shoulders, his eyes full of arrogance.

"Mabel's uncle is a trusted confidant of Mr. Salazar at Rainhurst Group. He holds real power, and he's already locked in a twenty-million deal for me!"

"In a couple of days, VP Swanson from Voltcrest Group, the leader in the whole industry, is going to sign with me in person. Once that contract's done, I get promoted, I get a raise, and my future is wide open.

"What you're throwing out right now is a real up-and-comer, a cash cow! You're going to regret this."

He actually thought that twenty-million order had come through because of Mabel's connections?

No wonder he was protecting her at all costs.

At that, my gaze shifted to Mabel, who was still putting on that haughty air.

"Oh? Your uncle set up that twenty-million deal for him?"

Mabel nodded hard, chin lifted high.

"And your uncle's last name is?"

"My uncle's name is Mason. He's Mr. Salazar's most trusted confidant, and he has enormous power! Once William finishes this project, my uncle's going to bring him deals worth over a hundred million!"

I burst out laughing.

"If you've got such an impressive uncle, why are you two so shameless about mooching off someone else's house?"

Mabel stammered. "That's, that's because my uncle's at the head office, he can't handle everything, you know."

I couldn't be bothered to sit through her story. I picked up the storage bin and hurled it out the door.

"Then hurry up and go cling to that rich uncle's leg. Stop cluttering up my view."

William shot me a vicious glare, grinding his teeth.

"Fine, you win, Priscilla. You'll regret today's decision, I promise you!"

The two of them left in a sorry state. I slammed the door hard and called my assistant.

"Zion Dickerson, look into something for me. Around Mr. Salazar at Rainhurst Group, is there a trusted aide named Mason?"

Less than ten minutes after we hung up, Zion called back, his tone puzzled.

"Ms. Swanson, there is a man named Mason close to Mr. Salazar, but he isn't management. He's Mr. Salazar's personal driver."

A driver?

Since when did a driver get to meddle in company deals?

I leaned back against the door and let out a soft laugh.

Suddenly I couldn't wait to see the look on William's face the moment he learned the truth.