Chapter 3Blood and Bureaucracy

"Wait here, babe."

Mark smiled gently at Sophie.

Then he grabbed my arm and dragged me outside.

"Don't misunderstand. We met after we broke up."

"Bullshit!"

My eyes stung.

"She posted about getting a boyfriend last year! We were still together! Were you with her then?"

His face went pale.

"Mark, did you really break up with me because of the distance?"

"I..."

"Don't lie to me."

He gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Yes. I cheated. So what?"

I didn't expect him to be so blunt.

"Aurora, my parents are factory workers. Getting me through college wasn't easy. I fought tooth and nail to get where I am. If I see an opportunity, I have to take it!"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He sighed.

"Actually, I missed the cutoff for the interview by a few points. Sophie talked to her dad—the regional VP—and he got me in."

I thought I misheard.

"Her dad? You mean Mr. White?"

"Yeah."

I almost collapsed.

His own biological daughter gets blocked by a new rule.

But for Sophie, a word is enough to get a stranger hired.

I, the real daughter, was the outsider.

The first casualty of success is the lover.

I bit back tears.

"Mark, I never thought you were this kind of person."

"Don't blame me."

He frowned.

"You don't know how much I suffered to get here! Sure, I could have stayed with you. But if another woman can help me jump social classes and secure my future, why shouldn't I choose her?"

"If you truly loved me, you wouldn't stop me."

"Besides, Aurora, if you had the same chance, you would have dumped me even faster."

I looked at him in disbelief.

He sighed.

"So don't blame me for betraying you. Blame yourself for not being good enough to get into the company. Blame yourself for not having Sophie's background or a father like Mr. White."

I paused.

"You don't know who my father is?"

"Does it matter?"

"What if... Mr. White is my father too?"

He froze.

Then he laughed.

"If you were his daughter, why didn't you get the job?"

I had no answer.

"Mark?"

Sophie's voice rang out.

She walked up, concerned, and took his arm.

"Is there a misunderstanding?"

"Nothing. Just an ex from college who won't let go."

Mark glanced at me, put his arm around Sophie, and walked away without looking back.

As she turned, Sophie glanced at me.

The corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk I couldn't decipher.

My phone rang.

I answered numbly. It was Mom.

"Aurora, it's Sunday. Are you still refusing to come home? Dad is angry. Stop making a scene."

"I'm not making a scene."

I hung up.

Then I dialed another number.

"Hey, David. Tax audit. Is the Phoenix Corporation on our list?"

"Yes, Chief."

"The VP recently took on a protégé. Keep a close eye on him."

"Understood."

For the next few days, I buried myself in work.

I ignored every call from home.

Until one evening, I was blocked outside my office.

Mom got out of a car.

"Aurora, finally. Dad is waiting at home. Stop this. You haven't been home in a month. Just come back, we can talk it out."

I wanted to refuse. But my boss's car was behind me. I didn't want a scene.

I got in.

At home, Sophie was pouring tea for Dad.

Dad looked up from the head of the table, frowning deeply.

"You finally decided to show up?"