His Unwanted Wife, The Nation's Hero

The sound of Meryl's hand cutting through the air was sharp.

Cilla didn't flinch. Her eyes narrowed.

Before Meryl's palm could connect with her cheek, Cilla's left arm shot up, catching the older woman's wrist in a surprisingly firm grip. The sudden block was fueled by pure adrenaline, stopping the incoming strike completely.

The impact stopped Meryl's arm dead in its tracks.

Meryl gasped, trying to yank her hand back. It didn't move an inch.

Cilla squeezed. Just a fraction of an inch tighter.

"Ah!" Meryl cried out, her face twisting in genuine pain. "Let go of me!"

"Cilla! Drop her arm right now!" Jace roared, taking a threatening step forward.

Cilla scoffed. She shoved Meryl's arm away, releasing her grip.

The force of the push made Meryl stumble backward, her expensive heels catching on the rug.

Sierra rushed forward, grabbing her mother's shoulders to keep her from falling. "You violent psycho!" Sierra screamed.

Meryl's face was flushed with humiliation and rage. She glared at the urn in Cilla's arms.

"You bring trash into this house!" Meryl shrieked.

Suddenly, Meryl lunged forward again, her manicured hands reaching out to grab the urn.

Cilla saw the movement. She twisted her torso sharply to the right, pulling the urn out of Meryl's reach.

Meryl missed the ceramic base, but her long, acrylic fingernails caught the fabric of the folded American flag.

There was a sickening ripping sound.

Cilla looked down. A jagged tear ran across the red and white stripes.

A cold, dark switch flipped inside Cilla's brain.

The air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Cilla took one slow step forward.

The aura radiating from her was pure, unfiltered violence. It was the energy of a woman who had survived war zones.

Meryl saw the look in Cilla's eyes. The older woman began to tremble violently, her knees giving out as she collapsed onto the sofa.

Jace rushed over, standing between Cilla and his mother.

"Are you insane?" Jace yelled, his chest heaving. "Look what you're doing to her! She has a heart condition!"

He pointed a shaking finger at the front door. "Get out. Take that thing and get out of my house. Now."

Cilla looked at Jace. She looked at the man who was choosing his vicious mother over his wife.

A bitter, hollow laugh escaped her lips.

She adjusted her grip on the urn, making sure the torn flag was secure.

"You're kicking me out because of her?" Cilla asked, her voice dropping to a whisper that carried across the room.

"Yes," Jace spat without a second of hesitation. "This is my property."

Cilla nodded slowly. "Understood."

She turned around and started walking toward the foyer. Her steps were light, completely unburdened.

Just as she reached the doorway, she stopped. She didn't turn around, but she tilted her head slightly.

"You know that initial capital you used to start Hudson Tech?" Cilla asked, her voice cutting through the silence.

Jace frowned. "What about it? I earned that."

Cilla looked over her shoulder, her eyes locking onto his.

"You didn't earn a dime of it," Cilla said coldly. "That money was the federal death gratuity paid out by the government when my parents were killed in action."

Jace froze. The color drained completely from his face.

Meryl stopped crying, her mouth hanging open in shock.

They had built their entire empire on the blood money of the parents they had just insulted.

Cilla didn't wait to see if he would speak. She stepped out into the hallway.

She grabbed the handle and pulled the heavy door shut.

The latch clicked into place, severing her ties to the Hudson family forever.