Chapter 7

• "Wife?"
• "I am not his wife," I said, my heart aching at my words. Before, I would have been elated at this moment.
• Now? He was reaching into an empty well, I had stopped filling it a long while ago and none of his words could ripple now.
• "But he said—"
• "Forget what he said," I added. Atlas' eyes widened at my words, his hand curled into a fist beside him. "His words never match his actions anyway. Besides, his wife is beside him. My sister," I walked over and pushed her forward. "Lovie Knight."
• Lovie raised an eyebrow at me.
• "I have no place between them and I never—"
• "Enough of this drama!"
• Everyone's attention shifted to the owner of the voice. The grand living room closed in on me as she marched forward, pinning me with a glare.
• "You betrayed one son and you are seducing another? Do you think you will create a scene and drag..." she turned to Lovie, bringing her closer. "My dear Lovie into it?"
• I scoffed, if Lovie took off her mask for a moment, Mrs. Volkan would flee. If only she knew how many strings Lovie had pulled and all the damage she had done. It was laughable.
• "Everyone knows your true colors, Julia," Lovie spoke up, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Why are you creating a scene?"
• I glanced at Atlas and watched him walk over to Lovie and stand beside her. The scene was laughable.
• "See? His words never match his actions, Ian. Forget it."
• I moved to leave but Atlas caught my wrist, "Where are you going?"
• I turned and offered Lovie a grin. "What did you say, Lovie? Mother-in-law? I was betraying one son and seducing the other?" I taunted, my gaze shifting to Atlas' grip on me. "Despite standing beside you, Atlas is still holding on to me. So, who is chasing after whom?"
• "Julia!" Lovie spat, a sob escaping her lips.
• Something flickered in my mother-in-law's eyes and she marched over to me. It happened before I could sense it and my hands moved as well.
• I caught her wrist before she could hit me and tossed it away, locking eyes with me. "Don't even think about it. Or else, I will break all the delusions you have about me, and trust me, Margaret." The woman gasped, stumbling back and glancing at Atlas. I stepped forward. "You will have nowhere to hide your face."
• I was done. I was done swallowing abuse and humiliation from them. I didn't choose Atlas in this life and for some reason, every fiber of my being hurt because he...
• He didn't choose me either.
• "Atlas," she turned to him. "Throw this woman out! Right now—"
• "Delivery for Mrs. Volkan?"
• The room fell into silence as everyone's eyes shifted to the door. A short-haired petite delivery girl stood, her eyes widening as the tension in the room sank into her.
• Lovie took quick strides toward her and I scoffed, pulling her back.
• "Don't reach so high that you fall face first, Lovie. They have asked for Mrs. Volkan, and we both know you are not her."
• "Okay, at this point, everyone is driving me crazy." Ian blurted, grabbing his car keys and leaving the mansion.
• I collected the parcel from the delivery lady and she gestured for others to be brought in. My eyes lit up as I saw them, it was all the materials I needed to create the new collection.
• Once I was done, I would everyone in their places and take back my rights. Volkan industries will become bankrupt and Lovie, Atlas, and his mother? They would know what helplessness felt like.
• "What is that? Who owns these things?!" Margaret barked, marching forward.
• "Take them inside," I gestured at the maids.
• "Stop right there and drop it."
• "Take them inside, Evelyn."
• "I said drop them, or I will fire you!" Margaret boomed, glaring at the maid. She nodded and scurried off. The older woman chuckled, "You may pull my sons at each side, but in this house, I pull the strings, Julia."
• I sighed and picked the large box up, turning to leave only to freeze as someone caught my arm. I frowned and turned to see Lovie.
• The brown-haired lady smiled before knocking the box from my grip. My eyes widened as it collided with the ground, all the breakables shattering.
• "Lovie!"
• "Julia!" She boomed, stepping up. "Did you think that you would create your collection and your master plan and I wouldn't know? You wanted your rights, right? So how can I allow you to design under the Volkan roof?!"
• I glanced around but Atlas was nowhere to be found. He must have chased Ian out, probably to clear his doubts.
• My heart sank. Whenever I needed him, Atlas Volkan was conveniently nowhere to be found.
• "This is my house. I am still the lady of the house, and—" I glared at Margaret when she tried to interrupt me. "If you have any issues with that, convince your son to divorce me, okay?"
• I bent down and started picking whatever we had left from my materials. My eyes stung with fresh tears as a wave of panic made my hands shake.
• Noon was almost here. Most of the materials were destroyed. At this rate, I wouldn't be able to—
• "Ah!" I tried to pull my hand when I realized Lovie was stepping on my hand, a satisfied smile on her lips as the glass on the ground pierced me.
• She crouched to my level and pulled out the fabrics from the box. "Evelyn, get me some scissors."
• "I will not spare you, Lovie, I— ah!"
• "Taylor, Jane, hold her down. If she attacks me, you are all fired!"
• "Taylor, Jane stop! Don't listen to her!" I tried to strangle Lovie but they held me back.
• "I am sorry, Madame, but I need this job." Taylor, one of the maids whispered. Her eyes glistened with tears. Jane simply averted her gaze as she held me back.
• Evelyn scurried back, and my eyes widened as I saw the scissors.
• "Why... why are you so despicable, Lovie?!"
• "Despicable?" She spat. "Three years! You were silent for three long years and then, what? Do you want to take everything from me? The prestige, power, and respect I have garnered? Do you want to strip me? No!"
• My knee buckled as she tore into my fabrics with the scissors. My heart squeezed in my chest as my body shook slightly:
• There it was, all my hopes and dreams of proving my innocence. I glanced around, growing when my eyes landed on the Pico camera Ian gifted me. A tear rolled down my cheek.
• I had already planned everything if I didn't have these designs by tomorrow—
• "You will always be beneath me, Julia." Lovie promised, "Whether it is at home, in the Volkan mansion, Atlas' heart, or in front of the press. I will always be known as the silver designer and you? I'll never let you prove your identity, never!"
• My stomach twisted in knots as she dropped the destroyed clothes on the ground, flipping her hair.
• "Good job," Margaret patted her and they walked away, her laughter breaking into my soul.
• This was it, I had failed and... no.
• I couldn't fail like this! I have come too far. I have worked too much, No!
• "You are wrong, Lovie," I said and she spun around, raising an eyebrow at me. I marched over to them. My hands tightening into fists at my side.
• "Tomorrow, I will get my rights back and expose Volkan industries for exploiting and not even Atlas, can stop me. The entire Volkan Family will sink tomorrow and that is my promise to you."