Chapter 4

Val's hand tightened at my waist, his gaze drifting toward Freya Fox as if it weren't quite landing on her.

"So you wrecked it, you wrecked it. As long as you're not hurt. Once your driving gets better, you'll stop crashing all the time."

Freya's eyes lit up. She trotted over to Val's side, lips in a pout.

"But I don't have a car to practice on. Why don't you lend me that Ferrari you gave your wife for your wedding anniversary? Let me practice on that."

"Ma'am, you have so many cars. Surely you wouldn't mind?"

I peeled his hand off my waist, my eyes settling coldly on her face.

"I mind. I'd rather not find something disgusting on my car again. Since you're here to make amends, Freya, I assume you brought enough money today?"

"I've already filed the lawsuit. If you won't pay me, take it up with the judge."

I spread jam over my toast, unhurried.

The next second Val snatched the spreading knife from me and eagerly layered on the avocado.

"Zoey, we're family. Talking money spoils the feeling. I'll pay you back for all of it later. I remember this is your favorite combination. Eat first."

But Roger's face had gone dark, and he let out a heavy snort.

"The Sanchez family is no worse than your Sawyers! I don't know how your parents raised you, money coming out of your mouth every time you open it. So petty!"

"My son's company is already one of the top five hundred in the world. Even without you, the Sanchezs would still sit at the head of high society."

Antonia dropped her spoon too, her tone smug.

"Someday it might be you bowing and waiting on us. I don't want your card anyway. This afternoon I'll spend my son's black card!"

I didn't take the bread from Val. Nausea rose up my throat.

I threw the fork in my hand to the floor and let my gaze move inch by inch over every person there.

Without me, they couldn't get so much as a hand on the front gate of this villa.

They had nothing to put them in high society at all.

When would they ever realize their son was worthless.

"Fine. Then pay off every last expense within three days."

"Oh, and I'm about to divorce Val. You'll all move out within the week. Today I'm having dinner at my father's."

Ignoring the curses behind me, the moment I left the house I called my lawyer friend.

"I need you to dig into Val's secretary, Freya Fox. Pull up everything on her. And the joint accounts of both companies."

I hadn't forgotten the flash of victory and secret glee in Freya's eyes before I walked out.

Her goal from the start had been the position of Mrs. Sanchez.

She was too greedy for a shortcut, too eager to climb.

And Val was clearly enjoying it, savoring the thrill of eating from his bowl while eyeing the pot.

Truly sickening.

I let out a scoffing laugh, flicked on my turn signal, and drove toward my father's house.

Just as my father and I were going over the evidence I'd dug up on the Sanchezs, a message came through on my phone.

Val had diverted twenty million from the project funds of the joint venture with the Sawyers and spent it at the car dealership.

I immediately started checking the project's books, and sure enough the numbers didn't add up.

The next moment another photo and a line of text popped up on my phone.

In the photo, Freya sat in the driver's seat of a Ferrari, leaning down to kiss Val, both their faces flushed.

"Ma'am, one little cry from me and he bought me a car just like yours. He even said I could crash it all I want."

"Ma'am, the young master also agreed to transfer all your cars into my name."

I screenshotted every bit of it and sent it to the lawyer and my father, then picked up the pen in my hand and signed the divorce petition.

"Dad, it was a joint project with the Sawyers, after all. They'll spit every cent of it back up."

"I'm going out for a bit."

My father waved a hand and sent the Sawyer family's best bodyguards to follow behind me.

"I'll wait for you to come back."

By the time I reached Sanchez Group, Val's hands were roaming over Freya's body, the two of them moaning through the office.

The moment Val saw me, he let go of Freya.

Freya, on the other hand, was thrilled. She held up the car key and waved it in front of my eyes.

The panic on Val's face had already been replaced by entitlement.

"Zoey, the girl wanted it, so I had to buy it for her. You have one too. Don't be jealous."

Freya thumped a fist against his chest. "Who says they're the same? Mine's more expensive than hers!"

"If ma'am here had known her place, sir wouldn't have had to buy me a new one."

I raised an eyebrow, waited until they'd finished their little act, then slowly lifted my hand and slapped her across the face.

Before she could react, the bodyguards had pinned me hard to the floor.