After finishing her call with Ailie, Victoria''s phone started ringing again—this time, it was McNeil.


    She had no idea what he wanted at this hour. Ignoring the incessant buzz, she sat at her desk, updating her résumé. Eventually, the ringtone fell silent, reced momentster by a text notification. Once she finished editing, she picked up her phone and nced at the screen.


    "I''ll pick Gwyn up from school this afternoon."


    In other words, she didn''t need to go.


    Victoria remembered Curtis mentioning some celebration at the K Bar for McNeil''s reconciliation with his new me-who else could it be but Violet?


    Even in her dreams, Gwh called out for Violet, so of course McNeil would bring his daughter along to the evening get-together with his friends.


    That was fine by her. She already had ns with Ailie, and now, freed from school pick-up duty, she could do as she pleased.


    A knock at the door interrupted her train of thought. Victoria closed herptop as Yulia entered, carrying a delicate tea set and a small tray of pastries.


    "Ms. Turner, you''ve been cooped up in here for hours and barely touched your lunch. I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some tea and snacks. I made everything myself-please, try some."


    The tray held artfully arranged cakes and a fine bone china cup of ck tea. The sweet aroma was tempting, but Victoria had no appetite.


    "You''re still here?" she asked coolly, making no effort to hide her irritation.


    Yulia smiled, unruffled andposed. "Mr. Miller hired me, Ms. Turner. Unless he dismisses me, I''ll be staying."


    So she nned to stick around. Victoria''s tone remained icy. "Then you should be trying to win over Mr. Miller, not me. I don''t need you. If you''re his assistant, go back to his office. Tomorrow, I don''t want to see you here."


    Yulia hadn''t expected her to be so difficult. Simms had described


    Victoria as flighty and unserious@t


    1.n


    spoiled heiress, obsessed with. romance and art, more showpiece than substance. But now, facing Victoria in person, Yulia realized Simms hadn''t told the whole story.


    The Turner family''s princess had thorns, and with just a few words, Yulia already felt pricked and ufortable.


    "Ms. Turner, Mr. Miller is still your father. I know you''ve had your disagreements,


    but families don''t hold grudges forever. I think he asked me toe here because


    he hopes I can help ease things between you—"


    Victoria cut her off without a trace of politeness. As a secretary and a household employee, you''re overstepping. My rtionship with my father is none of your business. If you''re here to do your job, then do it, but don''t lecture me like you''re my elder."


    Yulia''s carefully rehearsed strategy for making friends with Victoria crumbled within seconds. It was obvious Victoria had no interest in befriending her.


    Worse still, from the look in Victoria''s eyes, Yulia could sense she was being measured and found wanting.


    Simms had said the Turner family looked down on everyone, and now Yulia saw it firsthand Victoria was as haughty and dismissive as her reputation suggested.


    "Understood," Yulia replied, biting back her frustration.


    Cover.


    She knew Simms had told her that Victoria held a twenty-five percent stake in The Turner Group, and once she turned twenty-six, those shares would be legally hers. Simms had been scheming for years to convince her to hand them After Victoria married into the Langford family and their influence grew, Simms assumed she''d lose interest in her family''spany. He never expected her toe back fighting.


    Under Victoria''s watchful gaze, Yulia retreated from the room, pausing only to quietly close the door behind her.


    She wouldn''t dare cross Victoria-not now. In fact, not even Simms would risk a confrontation with her at this point.