Chapter 122

If Sophia kept up her act, she'd soon find herself penniless.

No salary meant drowning in debts—rent, utilities, and all the other relentless bills.

Money was the lifeline. Without it, existence turned bleak.

Sophia marched back to work like nothing had happened.

If Dominic dared dock her pay, she’d drag him to court.

Besides, she needed to witness how they’d handle the fallout. She knew the inner workings of DR Holdings better than most.

Dominic wouldn’t keep dead weight. His ruthlessness was legendary.

The perfumery world was insular. True talent? Rarer than a blue moon.

That’s why DR Holdings clung to Evelyn like ivy to a wall.

Was Vanessa equally gifted? The question gnawed at her.

At The Chateau Royale, the clock struck six.

Vanessa had just ended a tearful call with Dominic. Exhaustion pulled her under, but she jolted awake hours later, disoriented.

She rushed to shower, then meticulously prepped for the evening’s agenda.

Vanessa understood her weapons: delicate features, a honeyed voice, and curves she knew how to accentuate. Her eyes—half-lidded, languid—could melt glaciers.

Tears left their cruel marks. Puffy eyes wouldn’t do.

With a sigh, she wiped away ruined eyeshadow and reapplied it darker. Contour powder became her ally, sculpting away the swelling until her reflection gleamed flawless.

Lipstick came next. Two swipes, then—

A violent twist in her gut.

She barely stifled a gag, slapping a hand over her mouth as she bolted to the bathroom.

The retching yielded little—mostly bile—but the nausea clung like tar.

Catching her breath, she pressed a palm to her lower abdomen. The suspicion crystallized: Pregnant.

The realization was a cocktail of emotions—neither sweet nor bitter, but fizzy with uncertainty.

Dominic would marry her if she carried his heir. Mrs. Reeves—the title should’ve thrilled her.

Yet the fantasy, now within reach, felt... hollow.

Evelyn’s indifference haunted her. All these years battling, and her rival cared more for accolades than Dominic.

Vanessa’s future, once a gilded path, now seemed strewn with thorns.

Dominic’s ascent to the elite? A pipe dream.

Will I ever know true luxury? she wondered, fingers digging into her stomach. Or is this all just a house of cards?

Her heart sank like a stone.