Chapter 1

My father refused to sign the listing documents for my mother's first love, and on his way out the door, he was hit by a truck and left a vegetable. Outside the hospital, I overheard my mother's conversation with that first love.

"Paige, I only told the truck driver to scare him. How was I supposed to know he'd run him over and kill him? There was nothing I could do—he wouldn't sign, so I couldn't go public."

My mother sighed. "You can't blame yourself for this. Blame him for being too stubborn to bend!"

"Then again, Paige, now we can finally be together out in the open!"

Soon after, his company went public just as he'd wanted, and my mother unplugged my father's ventilator.

She took all of my father's assets and dumped me in a group home, where I suffered every kind of misery.

When my grandparents found out, they took me back home and raised me to adulthood by collecting scrap.

Twenty years later, I became the internal review manager of the risk control department at a well-known domestic brokerage.

That day, my secretary brought up the documents for a share-issuance project that the expert committee had approved. All I had to do was sign, and the company could submit its share-issuance plan to the SEC.

I picked up the file, and the instant I saw the name of the company's CEO, I froze.

It turned out to be the daughter my mother had with her first love.

I gave a small smile. "Send it back to the expert panel for another review."

...

At my words, a stylishly dressed young woman walked in.

I recognized her. This was Mamie Sanchez, the daughter of my mother and Chad Sanchez.

"Manager Hughes, why does this have to be reviewed again?"

I said flatly, "The documents aren't accurate."

Mamie frowned. "My company is publicly listed, with an excellent reputation. What's more, this share-issuance project has already passed the approval of your brokerage's sponsor and the safety review of the internal expert panel. What gives you the right to send it back for another review?"

I lowered my eyes. "Just this—I'm the internal review manager of this department, and I'm responsible for the firm's risk control."

Secretary Walker whispered a reminder. "Manager Hughes, Ms. Sanchez is from the Sanchez Group. The expert committee reviewed their equity structure, profit model, finances, earnings, and so on, and gave them all an Excellent-plus rating. And Ms. Sanchez is a top graduate of Harvard Business School. We're very optimistic about this share-issuance plan..."

I glared sternly at Secretary Walker. "Do it my way!"

Secretary Walker had no choice but to take the documents and head out the door.

A mocking curl came to Mamie's lips. "Manager Hughes, you're that loser's kid, aren't you?"

I frowned at her, and Mamie laughed. "Your name is Egbert Hughes, you're twenty-eight this year, and your father's name was Eustace Hughes."

They were a big company. They'd run a background check on me long ago.

"Ms. Sanchez, if there's nothing else, please leave."

Mamie let out a scornful laugh. "Fine. You've got the same loser potential your father had."

"Your brokerage's chairman, Mr. Lawrence, is an old friend of my father's, and Mr. Lawrence is very optimistic about this share-issuance project."

"If you refuse to approve it, Mr. Lawrence will have a thousand ways to bring you to heel."

My expression was cold. "This way, please."

"Hmph." Mamie strutted out on her high heels, nose in the air.

That afternoon.

I got a call from Secretary Walker. "Manager Hughes, Mr. Lawrence wants you to come to the conference room in half an hour."

"Several of the firm's internal review experts, along with Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez and Ms. Sanchez, will be there."

My heart trembled. Paige James, that heartless woman, was about to appear in front of me.