The Betrayed Heiress Is Now the CEO’s Obsession novel Chapter 2

Summary for Chapter 2: The Betrayed Heiress Is Now the CEO’s Obsession

Chapter 2 – Highlight Chapter from The Betrayed Heiress Is Now the CEO’s Obsession

Chapter 2 is a standout chapter in The Betrayed Heiress Is Now the CEO’s Obsession by Free Collection, where the pace intensifies and character dynamics evolve. Rich in drama and tension, this part of the story grips readers and pushes the Romance narrative into new territory.

Zac instinctively brushed off the woman’s hand from his arm. She stiffened, momentarily caught off guard.

Charlotte met his gaze, a half-smile playing on her lips. “Quinn and I are friends too. Is it so strange that I’d be at her birthday party?”

Zac hesitated. “No, I just thought you didn’t like these kinds of parties, so I didn’t mention it to you.”

Charlotte scoffed inwardly. “Oh? Was it really because I don’t like parties? Or did you just not tell me because you planned to bring someone else instead?”

After offering his explanation, Zac scanned the room. His gaze was cold and piercing, as if saying “Who invited her?”

Quinn, avoiding eye contact, guiltily turned away and pretended she had nothing to do with it.

Just then, the woman Zac had arrived with stepped forward, smiling. “Hi, you must be Charlotte Riley. I’m Wendy Cooper. I’m sure Zac has mentioned me before?”

Oh.

So this was Wendy Cooper—Zac’s first love, the one he could never forget.

A dull ache settled in Charlotte’s chest, making it hard to breathe.

Three years of dating.

No matter how much she tried to tell herself it didn’t matter, feelings couldn’t just disappear overnight.

But she hid it well.

With a composed smile, she nodded politely. “Miss Cooper, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Wendy’s lips curled into a bright, seemingly innocent smile. “Miss Riley, has anyone ever told you that we look alike?”

The second those words left her mouth, Zac’s expression darkened.

Charlotte let out a small laugh and gave him a brief, amused glance before shifting her gaze to Wendy, whose eyes held a hint of provocation.

“Oh? Is that so?”

Her wide, almond-shaped eyes sparkled with feigned innocence as she tilted her head, her voice sweet and airy.

“I don’t see it.”

Then she smiled—soft, yet merciless.

“You’re not as pretty as me.”

The room went dead silent.

The onlookers, who had been quietly enjoying the drama, were stunned.

Wasn’t Charlotte always the gentle, well-mannered type?

Since when did she start throwing shade?

Sensing the tension in the air, Quinn quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. “Come on, everyone, don’t just stand around. Grab a seat!”

Wendy forced a smile, clearly irritated but unwilling to show it. She turned to Quinn and handed her a beautifully wrapped gift. “Happy birthday, Quinn. This is for you.”

Quinn took the bag, and the moment she saw it, her brows lifted in surprise.

“Wait… isn’t this the same gift bag Charlotte just gave me?” she muttered to herself.

Curious, she opened it and pulled out a jewelry box.

Her eyes lit up. “Wow! I’ve had my eye on this necklace for ages. Thank you, Wendy!”

Charlotte’s gaze flickered.

The same necklace?

Before she could react, Quinn grabbed the bag Charlotte had given her earlier and opened it too.

“Oh my God! Charlotte, you got me the exact same necklace!”

The excitement was short-lived.

A voice from behind Quinn snorted.

“Fake, obviously.”

Without even looking, she sneered, “That necklace costs over ten grand. Charlotte’s just a small-time lawyer. How much does she even make a month? Do you really think she could afford the real thing?”

The moment those words fell, the room went dead silent.

All at once, every gaze shifted to Charlotte—curious, skeptical, amused.

It was obvious.

They all believed it.

After all, she was just an insignificant, no-name lawyer. Why would she spend that kind of money on a real luxury necklace for Quinn?

Zac’s expression darkened, clearly displeased. “Charlotte, if you’re short on money, just tell me. I could’ve gotten the gift for you. There was no need to…”

No need to buy a fake one.

He didn’t say the words out loud.

But everyone in the room heard them anyway.

Charlotte’s expression remained calm, but her gaze turned cold. “Zac, you think I gave her a fake necklace too?”

Zac didn’t answer.

His silence said everything.

He didn’t believe her.

Quinn let out an awkward laugh, trying to smooth things over. “Come on, guys, that’s not possible. Charlotte and I are close. There’s no way she’d give me a fake necklace. Don’t say things like that, it’s really hurtful.”

Her words were meant to defend Charlotte, but the subtle look of disdain in her eyes didn’t escape her notice.

Charlotte’s heart sank.

She had spent over ten grand on this necklace as a token of gratitude for the small kindness Quinn had once shown her.

Three years ago, Charlotte had run away to Harbor City to escape her arranged marriage, cutting ties with her family.

Her father, Desmond Riley, had retaliated by freezing her bank accounts, cutting off her finances completely.

Determined to stand on her own, she refused to use her family’s name or connections and managed to land a job at a law firm entirely on her own merit.

In her first year as a junior associate, she barely made $800 a month. Even after passing the bar a year later, her salary wasn’t much—at least, not in the eyes of the rich heirs and heiresses in Zac’s social circle.

To them, she was nothing but a nobody, an outsider.

Every time they went out, they sidelined her, excluded her, sometimes outright mocking her.

Zac never interfered. He simply turned a blind eye.

But Quinn had stepped in. She had defended her a few times, chatted with her when no one else would.