The Ugly Wife’s Stunning Comeback novel Chapter 5

Jeremy looked up when he saw the woman at his office door. For a second, he didn’t recognize her. Then Felicia spoke. “Mr. Milman.”

He quickly pulled himself together. “Felicia.”

Felicia took off her mask as she stepped inside. “It’s been a while, Mr. Milman.”

Jeremy smiled softly. “It really has. I almost missed you.”

Felicia gave a crooked little smile and shrugged. “Honestly, I almost didn’t have the guts to come see you like this.”

Jeremy got up and walked around his desk. “It’s normal for your body to change during pregnancy. Things will settle down again once the baby’s born.”

He gestured to the couch. “Have a seat, please.”

Felicia sat. Jeremy poured her a glass of warm water and handed it over. “Here, this should help you warm up.”

“Thank you.” She accepted the glass and held it in her hands.

Jeremy glanced at her belly. “How far along are you?”

“Twenty five weeks,” Felicia answered.

“So when the spring semester starts at the end of January, you’ll be right at your due date.”

Felicia hesitated, then said, “I was hoping to ask for your help. Would it be possible for me to delay my admission?”

Having a baby was something she couldn’t avoid. Still, she didn’t want to lose this chance.

Jeremy’s tone turned more serious. “Why do you want to go?”

Felicia looked down at her lap. “Max is planning to divorce me after the baby’s born. I don’t want to keep dragging this out. I want to start over, live my own life.”

Six months might not sound long, but for her, it felt endless.

Jeremy frowned a little. The girl he used to know had been so bright and full of life, but now she looked like a shadow of herself. He could only imagine how much she’d been through.

“I’m glad you’re thinking about your future now. You and Max were never right together. I believe you’ll find someone who truly loves you one day.”

Felicia nodded, eyes still lowered.

Jeremy had warned her not to go work for Max, but she hadn’t listened. Now she was left picking up the pieces.

Suddenly, Felicia asked, “What do you really think of Max, Mr. Milman?”

Jeremy paused before answering. “He’s the type who’ll do anything to get what he wants. For him, it’s all about profit. I don’t think he knows what love is.”

Felicia let out a small sigh. “Is that so?”

The next morning, she prepared her resignation letter.

Max ran the financial arm of the Hawthorne Corporation, including the banks and investment firms. In a world that was all sharp edges and hidden knives, he’d managed to take control of the family’s core business and keep growing it. He was brilliant and ruthless, and he needed a heart as cold as his to survive.

Felicia arrived at work just as Max stepped out of his car. He looked sharp in his suit, powerful and completely in command. Money and status just made his presence even more magnetic.

“Mr. Hawthorne.” Employees nodded respectfully as he walked past.

Felicia snapped out of her thoughts and bowed her head, stepping back so he wouldn’t notice her. He walked inside as if she didn’t exist.

Felicia handed her resignation to Sandy, Max’s secretary. Once upon a time, Sandy had worked for her. Now, Felicia reported to Sandy.

Funny how things change.

When Felicia was suddenly demoted, everyone had been shocked. She’d landed the CEO’s assistant job right out of college. The role needed both skill and a certain look, but Felicia had always been pretty average. Her abilities had been enough to outweigh her appearance. Even the famously strict Mr. Hawthrone had praised her.

But Sandy thought she saw through this woman. To her, Felicia was just a nobody who tried to sleep her way to the top. No amount of talent could hide that, and that was why Mr. Hawthorne hated her now.

Sandy took the resignation letter, her eyes drifting to Felicia’s belly, a mocking smile spreading across her lips. “It’s important to know your place. Having a baby won’t put you on some higher level. The Hawthorne family is in a different league. You should remember who you really are.”

No one at the company knew Felicia and Max were actually married.