bChapter /bb48 /b

Zac’s assistant was efficient. By the bnext /bdayb, /bhe had already sent over Charlotte’s bhome /baddress.

It looked like a fairly ordinary residential neighborhood.

Zac narrowed his eyes.

“Jersey City, huh?b” /bhe thought.

As it happened, he had ns to head there in a few bdays /banyway–for a business meeting with the Sullivan Corporation about a potential investment partnership.

“Charlotte, if you’re not going toe to me, then bI’ll /be to you,” he muttered bto /bhimself.

Charlotte submitted her resume to S&G Law Firm and got a reply almost immediately. They asked if she was avable for an interview the next bday/bb. /bShe confirmed the time and began preparing.

S&G bwas /bthe btop /bw firm in Jersey City, with a ster reputation across the industry. Spending a few years there would be a huge boost for her Jcareer.

At that very moment, inside Sb&/bG Law Firm, department head Yvonne Yarnell spoke respectfully into the phone.

moment,

“Miss Xander, Charlotte Riley has confirmed her interview for tomorrow.”

b“/bGood,” Vivian replied. “Offer her whatever sry she asks. Just make sure she takes the job. Once she starts, load her up with the toughest assignments you’ve bgot/b. Run her into the ground. If you handle this wellb, /bI’ll let your team handle several of the Jasper Corporation’s multimillionb–/bdor cases.b” /b

Yvonne was thrilled. b“/bDon’t worry. I’ll take special ‘care‘ bof /bour new hire.”

In the hospital room, Vivian ended the call and smiled coldly.

She had overheard Charlotte on the phone with Sean, saying she was ready to bget /bback into the workforceb. /bVivian had been sitting right next

to him.

She clearly remembered Sean rmending S&G to Charlotte. Charlotte had insisted on going through the formal application process. She specifically asked Sean not bto /bbcall /bahead or reveal her background–not the fact that she was a Riley heiress or Sean’s fiancée.

Vivian scoffed at her so–called integrity. That self–righteous pride would be her downfall.

That same night, Vivian reached out to Yvonne.

In Jersey City, everyone knew bthe /bJasper Corporation pulled weight in every industry. Even though she was just a foster daughter, Vivian had been raised like a btrue /bheiress. Mrs. Jasper treated her like her bown/bb, /band Sean had always protected her like a real sister.

Over the yearsb, /bshe had bfrequently /battended high–profile business events under bthe /btitle of “Miss Xander of the bJasper /bfamilyb,/bb” /band the public had epted it without question.

She had done her homeworkb. /bThough Charlotte was bthe /bRiley family’s only daughter, bshe /brarely appeared at social events and had no interest in unting her wealth online.

She kept a low profile. Even the news of her engagement to Sean bhadn’t /bgone public byet/b. Only close friends and family in their circle bknew/b.

This made bit /beasier for Vivian to bmove /bin the shadows.

She narrowed her eyes.

“You forced my hand, Charlotte. You tried to take Sean from me. But he belongs to me. Only me.”

The next morning, Charlotte got up earlyb, /bput on blight /bmakeupb, /band changed into ba /bbcrisp /bwhite blouse band /bbck /bzer–bthe /bbssic /bblook /bbfor /bba /bprofessional attorney.

S&G’s boffice /bwas near Jersey University, but it was far from the Riley estate. It was bover /bten kilometers away. bWith /bmorning btraffic/bb, /bthe bdrive /bcould take more than an hour.

bThen /bbshe /bremembered somethingb. /bBack in her freshman yearb, /bher cousin Steven Sullivan had given her a fully furnished apartment as a birthday gift. It was right across the street from bJersey /bUniversity and only a few blocks away bfrom /bS&bG/b.

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