Part 2No Second Chances For The Cold Billionaire

The Mercer estate was ablaze with lights when we arrived.

In the high-ceilinged drawing room, my parents were clustered around Serena on the sofa, murmuring soft reassurances.

When Garrett and I walked in, the room fell into an uncomfortable, brittle hush.

"Garrett," Serena said, standing up. She was petite, wearing a simple Zara knit that made her look fragile, her knuckles whitening as she pulled at the hem.

Garrett bypassed the rest of the room, walked straight to her, and pressed the green leather box into her hands.

"A welcome gift," he said softly. "For joining the team."

Serena gasped, her cheeks flushing as she opened it. But then her gaze flicked to me, and the softness dissolved into anxious hesitation.

"Garrett... you only brought one?" She looked between us, clutching the box to her chest. "Natalie... won't she feel left out?"

Before I could breathe, she stepped toward me, holding it out. "Here, Natalie. You should have it. I don't want people thinking I came back just to take everything that belongs to you..."

Garrett’s voice cut through the air, cool and sharp. "Keep it, Serena. She’s had more than her fair share of perks from me over the years. She can survive without a watch."

Serena looked at me with wide, apologetic eyes.

I finished slipping off my flats, straightened my spine, and smiled at her.

"Keep it," I said, holding up a steady thumb. "Mr. Price clearly has capital to burn, and letting you spend it counts as community service. Besides, that rose gold suits your skin tone far better than it would mine. I wouldn’t dream of taking it."

The silence in the drawing room curdled.

Garrett froze, his dark eyes fixing on me with genuine shock. He looked unsettled, like a man who had set a trap only to find the prey casually stepping around it.

The glowing text hovered above the mantle:

[Wait, she gave her blessing?]

[Where is the screaming? Where is the table-flipping?]

[She’s supposed to look bitter so everyone ostracizes her! What the hell?]

Dinner was served in the formal dining room, the atmosphere stiff under the heavy crystal chandeliers. My father kept pouring wine for Serena, while my mother fussed over whether she liked the roasted sea bass.

Eventually, the spotlight drifted to the end of the long mahogany table.

"And you, Natalie?" my mother asked, her tone carefully measured. "Have you thought about your next steps?"

Before I could answer, Garrett spoke over me. "I have an opening for an administrative assistant in our acquisitions department. Natalie can take it. The salary is modest, of course, but given how carelessly she’s spent money her whole life, it might do her good to learn what an honest dollar looks like."

He rested his chin on his steepled fingers, waiting for me to explode.

[Brutal move by the male lead! Forcing her to fetch coffee while Serena attends board meetings. Peak humiliation.]

[Here comes the meltdown.]

I placed my fork neatly across my plate.

"Thank you, Garrett, but no," I said evenly. "I’m taking the State Civil Service Examination."

The table went dead still for three whole seconds.

Garrett let out a short, mocking laugh. "You? The girl who quits a pilates membership after two weeks? You don’t have the stomach for bureaucracy, Natalie. You won’t last through the preliminary round."

"Then you won't have to worry about running into me, will you?" I looked him dead in the eye, didn't blink, and went back to my dinner.

Beneath the calm facade, every nerve in my body was firing: Natalie, you are going to pass this exam.

Not to make Garrett regret anything. Not to prove my parents wrong. But because I needed ground beneath my feet that no single person could rip away.

That night, alone in my bedroom, I logged onto the official state personnel portal. I bypassed the local county openings and navigated straight to the neighboring state’s executive agencies.

Department of Economic Development and Capital Planning.

Requires a degree in Economics or Public Policy. Competitive written examination, rigorous character vetting, merit-based appointment.

I filled in my details, uploaded my transcripts, and hit submit.

A soft knock sounded at the door.

My mother stood on the threshold. Her manicured fingers twisted the strap of her watch, her face strained with that polite, high-society brand of agony.

"Natalie, darling... I need to talk to you about the living arrangements."

She stepped inside, not meeting my eyes. "Serena is still adjusting. She’s very sensitive to the house, to... your presence here. We were wondering if you might consider staying somewhere else for a little while? Just until she finds her footing."

She rushed to add, "We aren't casting you out, sweetheart. We just want her to feel like this is truly her home."

The breath left my lungs in a quiet, hollow rush. Even though I’d seen it coming from the moment the genetic tests were unsealed, the blunt weight of the words still bruised.

"Of course," I heard myself say. My voice didn't waver. "When do you want me out?"

My mother blinked, startled by the lack of tears. "You... you aren't angry with me?"

"No," I said, offering a faint, tired smile. "I was occupying her space. It’s only fair."

If staying required begging for scraps of affection from people who could trade me out overnight, I’d rather walk out the front door with my dignity intact.

My mother looked down, a flicker of shame crossing her features. "I set up a lease for you. A small one-bedroom over in Eastchester. It’s furnished. You can stay there as long as you need."

"Thank you," I said. "I’ll pack tonight. It’ll be quieter for my exam prep anyway."

By noon the following day, I had two suitcases unpacked in a four-hundred-square-foot apartment overlooking an elevated train line.

I stood on the narrow balcony, watching the gray rush of commuters below, and took a slow, deep breath.

It wasn't a penthouse. But the lock on the door belonged to me.