It took Clint a moment to react, but by then, I had already slapped Brielle twice, hard. He lunged forward and grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight I felt the bones grind.

"Let her go! Or I'll leak your unpublished designs to our competitors!"

"You'd destroy my career for your mistress?" My voice trembled with disbelief.

Clint's eyes flinched. "Brielle is not a mistress."

I let out a cold, bitter laugh. "Then what is she? Your one true love?"

Brielle let out a theatrical whimper, and Clint snapped, "Yes! She's the one who makes me feel alive!"

Tears burned my eyes. He had once said those exact words to me.

"And you're not afraid of the consequences?" I asked softly.

Clint tensed. He had once sworn that if he ever betrayed me, he would welcome a gruesome death.

But Brielle just snorted. "What man doesn't say sweet things in bed? Clint already promised me everything, to give our baby and me security. Oh, and he also said you're a workaholic bore even at home." She feigned surprise, covering her mouth. "Oops, Clint, sorry. Did I say too much?"

Clint just stroked her hair dotingly. "You only told the truth. Why would I be angry?"

I let her go. As Clint cradled Brielle, murmuring reassurances, I summoned every last ounce of my strength and slapped him hard across the face.

With that one, stinging slap, the last shard of my foolish love for him shattered.

Clint's expression turned vicious. Before he could retaliate, Brielle shoved me hard. As I stumbled backward, she stuck out her foot and tripped me.

I fell, my head cracking against the sharp corner of a bookshelf. Blood instantly blurred my vision.

Clint hesitated for only a second before hauling me onto the sofa and tossing the first-aid kit in my direction.

"She's just an assistant. Why are you picking fights with her? Can't you have a little class? As long as you behave, no one can take the title of Mrs. Cade from you."

Brielle stood there, her lips trembling as she looked at Clint like a kicked puppy. "Clint, maybe I shouldn't have come… Maybe I should just get rid of this baby."

"Don't be silly, baby." Clint immediately pulled her into his arms.

Watching their tender embrace, a sharp pain twisted in my gut. I grabbed a heavy design award from the table and hurled it at the mahogany desk. Clint instinctively shielded Brielle, a sight that made my eyes sting.

I didn't stop, smashing everything on the desk until I collapsed onto the sofa, drained of all energy.

"Are you finished with your little drama?" Clint's voice was glacial.

I laughed. I raised the trophy again, aiming its sharp base at Brielle. Clint, again, moved to shield her with his body.

I took a deep breath, my voice dropping to the cool, commanding tone of a Prescott. "Take your trash and get out of my sight."

The word "trash" struck a nerve. "This is my office! You destroyed my things, Aveline. You've gone too far!"

Too far? I smirked, raised the trophy, and brought it down hard on his shin. He buckled, dropping to one knee in agony. I aimed the sharp point of the award at his groin.

"I can go much, much further."

A flicker of genuine fear crossed his eyes. "Are you… insane?"

I looked down at him, spat in his face, and then picked up the phone to call security. "Send two men to the CEO's office."

Two guards arrived quickly but walked right past Clint and came toward me. Brielle smiled smugly. "Wrong move, Aveline. My brother, Ryan, is head of security here. They listen to me." She turned to the guards. "Throw this corporate spy out. She broke in trying to steal company secrets."

I looked at Clint. "You're just going to let her do this?"

Clint limped to his feet, gesturing at the wreckage. "The evidence is right here. Aveline, I'll give you one last chance. Apologize to Brielle, promise to never show your face here again, and I'll let this go. And… if you're willing to be a wife in name only, the title of Mrs. Cade is still yours."

My eyes narrowed. "Are you sure about this, Clint?"

Clint laughed. "Aveline, I'm the CEO. Let's be real, your parents are retired. Their influence is gone. With one word, I can ruin your career and make you the laughingstock of the entire city."

I returned his smile. "Clint, you seem to have forgotten who I am."

"What are you planning to do?" Clint watched me warily.

"I'm going to send you right back to the gutter you crawled out of."

Clint was silent for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Aveline, stop dreaming. This company is mine. As for your parents… they’ve already handed everything to me. What can a couple of retirees do?"

I smashed a teacup on the floor. A shard of porcelain grazed Clint's cheek, and a single drop of blood trickled down.

"Are you so sure this is the only company my parents own?"

Clint frowned.

I glanced at Brielle, who had rushed to cling to his arm, and smiled brightly. "When I first met you, your coworkers treated you like dirt. I took pity on you and begged my father to give you a job here."

These were the last words Clint ever wanted to hear. His face flushed a deep, furious red.

"That was then! I'm in charge now!"

Brielle stood on her toes and kissed Clint's bloody cheek, giving me a provocative glare. "Clint loves me now. You're a relic, Aveline. Your time is over."

A relic? I let out a cold laugh and, right in front of Clint, dialed my father's chief consultant.

"Ronan, get to my office. Now."

The words had barely left my mouth when the door swung open. Ronan Hayes strode in, flanked by several men in dark suits. He walked directly to me and bowed his head slightly.

"Miss Prescott. I've brought the documents you requested."

I took the folder he handed me and slapped it across Clint's face.

"Get out. Now."