Breaking the Trophy WifeChapter 2

I slowly tilted my head back, raising an eyebrow. “Where I go is my business. It’s certainly not for a little secretary to decide.”

Wendy let out a short, sharp laugh, her eyes boring into me. “With me here, you’re not going anywhere.”

I stared at her, genuinely baffled. Where did this woman get her audacity?

“Wendy, consider this your official notice. You’re fired.”

My declaration didn’t faze her in the slightest. If anything, it made her bolder. “You? Fire me? Do you even have that authority? You should take a good look at your own position before you start making empty threats.”

I shoved her arm away and rose to my feet, my patience worn thin. “You’ve provoked me again and again, Wendy. Do you really think I’m that easy to push around?”

The color drained from her face, and in a flash, she grabbed the collar of my dress. “You’re nothing but a dog the Vance family keeps on a leash, you bitch! How dare you raise your voice at me?” she shrieked. “Let me tell you something. No one in the entire Vance Corporation can fire me except Lawrence Vance himself!”

If I hadn’t been sober, I would have sworn I was drunk and hearing things. I had never given a damn about the Vance family’s so-called power, and now a secretary was screaming in my face. It seemed my years of living a quiet life had made people forget who I really was.

“Wendy, I’m warning you,” I said, my voice dangerously low as I fought to control my fury. “Let go of me right now. If you don’t, no one will be able to save you.”

But some people are just too stubborn to listen.

Her eyes were bloodshot, fixated on me. “Is that a threat? I’m the Executive Secretary to the Chairman of Vance Corp! Everyone in Auden City shows me respect. Who the hell do you think you are?”

Before I could answer, the clients around the table chimed in with their flattery.

“She’s right! Everyone in this city knows Vance Corp wouldn’t be where it is today without Wendy’s hard work.”

“You’re only here because you married the boss. What’s so special about that?”

“Yeah, and she gets mad when you call her a pretty face. Some people…”

I finally understood. In their eyes, my position as a director was worth less than that of a secretary. I couldn’t fathom where they found the courage to be so brazen.

Wendy basked in their praise, her chin held so high it was a wonder she didn’t trip. “Zoe, if I were you, I’d just drink the damn whiskey. It’ll save you a lot of trouble when you get home.”

My gaze was glacial, my tone flat. “Wendy, I’m giving you one last warning. Do not test my limits. The very man you keep hiding behind, your precious Lawrence Vance, only has his position today because of me. The reasons for that are far beyond your comprehension.”

I told them this hoping these so-called titans of industry would have the sense to back down. At this point, I was less interested in Wendy’s petty provocations and more focused on unmasking the puppet master behind this whole charade.

And if my husband was part of it… well, things were about to get very interesting.

I thought back to three years ago. The Vance family was a minor name, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. One day, Lawrence’s father, Arthur Vance, came to me. His first words were a request for me to marry his son, claiming it was a pact our fathers had made before mine passed away—a childhood betrothal. I’ve always been a dutiful daughter. To honor my father’s last wish, I reluctantly agreed.

On the surface, I was Mrs. Vance. In reality, I was the silent architect behind the family’s rise to power.

But now, it seemed someone had grown wings and decided they were ready to fly solo, by kicking me out of the nest.

Wendy glanced around the room and announced, “Did you all hear that? This little flower is claiming the Vance family rose to power because of her.” She let out a derisive laugh. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. The Vances are one of the most powerful families in Auden City, and you’re just a useless housewife who can’t do anything but clean.”

She leaned in closer, her voice dripping with venom. “Let’s be honest. The family would probably be doing even better without you. They might have even made it into the big leagues in the Capital by now.”

Hearing that, it all clicked into place. This dinner, these "business leaders"—they were all actors in a play she had staged. The goal was to force a divorce between me and Lawrence.

Whoever was behind this had to have some serious influence.