Where the Storm Made a Queen

"Caleb, I was just trying to help Camila up, but she pushed me away! She even accused me of tearing her coat..."

Watching her flawless performance, I felt nothing but a surreal, chilling disbelief. The pain-induced fog in my mind cleared in an instant, replaced by a frost that went bone-deep.

Caleb glanced at my torn sleeve, his face grimmer than the storm outside.

"You're becoming unhinged. Sienna was kind enough to check on you, and you'd actually hurt yourself just to frame her? I never realized you were this malicious."

"It wasn't me. She cut it with a knife." I looked at Caleb, my eyes hollow. I had no more illusions about this man. That single explanation was for the last shred of my own dignity.

But Caleb wouldn't even meet my gaze. He stared past my shoulder, into the distance, and the indifference was suffocating.

The same female colleague chimed in, fanning the flames.

"She's obviously jealous that Caleb is taking care of Sienna, so she's making a scene. She's acting like a madwoman!"

"Looks like our Chief Architect isn't as tough as she seems. A little snowstorm and she's a total wreck. What a liability."

"And after all these years, all she cares about is work. No charm whatsoever. Caleb's a saint for not dumping her sooner."

"If you ask me, Sienna is a much better fit for the CEO's wife."

Accusations flew from all directions, each word a sharp blade stealing my breath.

I let out a cold laugh. Ignoring the fire in my stomach, I slowly, deliberately straightened my spine.

"A better fit? One is a useless parasite who owes her position to a man's charity, and the rest of you are a pack of hyenas who only have a job because of the capital I brought to this company. Who are you to judge me?"

The colleagues instinctively shrank back from the ice in my eyes, their arrogant smirks vanishing.

Caleb frowned, his patience worn thin.

"What is this? How long are you going to keep this charade up? Apologize to Sienna. Now!"

"Apologize? She doesn't deserve it," I hissed.

Sienna, pretending to be frightened by my tone, began to sob quietly.

Caleb gathered her into his arms, patting her back soothingly.

"Don't cry. She's just older and bitter. She's jealous that you're young and beautiful."

Leaning into Caleb's chest, Sienna asked through her tears, "Does Camila hate me that much? I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. When we get back, I'll resign immediately, so you two won't have to fight anymore..."

Caleb's eyes hardened, his words slow and sharp.

"You did nothing wrong. She's the one with the vicious mind. Don't worry, when we get back, I'll make this right for you."

I shook my head and laughed, a bitter, broken sound. I had fought tooth and nail to build this empire for him, and now he was publicly shaming me for another woman.

Buried in Caleb's embrace, Sienna shot me a triumphant smirk.

"Listen to me." Caleb looked down at me, his voice glacial. "You either kneel and apologize to Sienna right now and admit you had a breakdown and hurt yourself. Or, when this retreat is over, I will call a board meeting and have you fired for mental instability and deliberately framing a colleague."

I lifted my head and looked at the two of them, clinging to each other. I thought of the gala in Paris where I had shielded him from a rival's attack. I thought of all the times I had personally dragged his projects back from the brink of disaster.

And in his eyes, none of it mattered.

"I did nothing wrong. I will not apologize!"

As the words left my lips, a violent wave of vertigo washed over me.

Before my consciousness slipped away, I pressed the emergency locator beacon hidden in the lining of my coat, sending out my location.