The Billionaire's Web of Desires

The penthouse was silent, all that could be heard was the distant hum of city traffic. Daphne's hands trembled as she poured cereal, her mind already replaying the last night with Spencer. The memory crashed in-sharp and unstoppable.

She was in the living room, heels clicking on the marble as she paced, phone pressed to her ear. Spencer's voice boomed from the study, thick with accusation. "Another late night at the office, Daphne? Or are you just too important for your own husband?"

She snapped back, words like bullets. "I'm building something real, Spencer. You knew who I was when you married me."

He stormed out, tie loose, eyes wild with jealousy; mouth reeking of alcohol. "You're building your own pedestal. You don't need me-you need an audience. You need to win."

She flinched as he swept a stack of her legal briefs off the table, papers fluttering to the floor. "You think you're better than everyone. You think just because your name is Thompson, you can walk over people-including me. Newsflash! It's my name! And you're nothing without my name. You're nothing without me. Your father might be rich but everything you have today is because of me. I made you!"

Daphne's jaw tightened. "Now that your "investment" is making returns, it hurts? It makes you quiver? I never asked you to be less."

"But you never let me be more!" He slammed his fist against the wall, the sound echoing through the apartment. "You love the firm more than you ever loved me. Everyone there loves you. Even my father. He'd rather hand over the firm to you."

She stared at him, heart pounding, but her voice was steady. "I loved you, Spencer. I just refused to shrink for you."

He laughed, bitter and broken. "You'll end up alone, Daphne. No one wants to play second to your ambition."

The next morning, he was gone. His side of the closet empty, his ring left on the marble counter. The tabloids spun their story; from infidelity llegations on both ends to infertility allegations on her end but only Daphne knew the truth: she'd chosen herself, finally, over a marriage built on resentment and competition.

That day, Daphne stood in the sleek, minimalist living room of her former in-laws' estate, the weight of the conversation ahead pressing down on her like the cold marble floor beneath her feet. Spencer's father, Richard Thompson, a man whose presence filled the room with quiet authority, sat behind his imposing desk, eyes fixed on her with a mixture of curiosity and restrained disappointment.

Richard broke the silence first, his voice calm but edged with steel. "I suppose you're here to tell me you're leaving the company."

Daphne drew a slow breath, steadying herself. "Yes. Spencer and I... our marriage failed. I'm stepping away from the business we once shared. It's time I focus on my own path."

Richard's expression softened just a fraction, though his tone remained measured. "I won't pretend it's easy to hear, but I respect your decision. Spencer's ambitions often clashed with yours. It was never going to be simple."

A tense pause hung between them, broken only by the faint ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall. Richard's gaze sharpened. "You know, there will be those who say you're running away. That you couldn't handle the pressure."

Daphne's jaw tightened. "Let them talk. I gave everything to that marriage and the company. But I can't keep sacrificing myself for a partnership that's broken."

He leaned forward, fingers steepled. "You realize, don't you, that stepping away now could close doors you'll never open again? Some wounds in this world don't heal, Daphne. Some people don't forgive."

Daphne's heart pounded. For a moment, she hesitated, searching his face for some sign of encouragement. "I know what I'm risking. But I can't stay somewhere I'm not wanted-by Spencer, or by the board."

Richard's eyes narrowed, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them. "You're braver than most. Or perhaps just more desperate."

She met his gaze, voice trembling but resolute. "Maybe both. But I have to believe there's more for me than this."

Richard let the silence stretch, then finally nodded. "Just remember, Daphne: not everyone who smiles at you is your friend. And not every door you close can be reopened."

As she turned to leave, his final words lingered in the air, heavy with warning. "Be careful, Daphne. The world outside this family isn't always kind to those who walk away."

As Daphne left the Thompson state, a new resolve settled over her. The shattered pieces of her past-her failed marriage, the broken company ties-were behind her now. Ahead lay the challenge of reclaiming her place in her father's world, not as a daughter waiting for approval, but as a force to be reckoned with. Her mind was also fully occupied with her former father-in-laws' words as she got into her car and drove off. She had to prioritize herself no matter what.

Daphne stepped through the revolving doors of Belle & Baker's towering glass headquarters, the familiar hum of ambition and power washing over her like a tidal wave. This was where she belonged. At least, she hoped it was. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag as she made her way toward the executive floor, heart pounding with a mix of determination and dread.

The door to her father's office was already open when she arrived. Marvin Baker sat behind his massive mahogany desk, his posture rigid, eyes cold as they met hers. There was no warmth in his expression-only the sharp edge of disappointment.

"So," he began, voice clipped, "I hear your marriage failed. Which of the stories are true? Were you sleeping around and betraying your husband like you betrayed your own family?"

Daphne swallowed hard. "Dad". She started, her voice edged with sadness as a result of the hurtful words her father hurled at her. "Yes. After Spencer and I separated, I figured I needed a fresh start. I thought-"

"You thought you could just walk away from this family, from the company I built, and then come back on your own terms?" His gaze bore into her, unyielding. "You know I never supported that marriage. Spencer was a mistake, and frankly, I never expected you to last."

Her throat tightened. The words stung, but she refused to back down. "I wanted to make it work. For both of us. But it failed. And now I'm here because I want to come back. I want to be part of Belle & Baker again. I want to prove myself to you."

A flicker of something-regret? Resentment?-crossed Marvin's face, but it vanished as quickly as it came. "You want to come back? After abandoning the family business? After choosing a rival? No, Daphne. You're not ready. Not yet. And frankly, I'm not sure you ever will be."

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away fiercely. "Please, Dad. Give me a chance. I'm not the little girl you sent away to boarding school. I'm stronger now. I can do this."

He stood abruptly, the chair scraping sharply against the floor. "Strength isn't enough. You need discipline, loyalty. Two things you've yet to prove."

Daphne's voice was barely above a whisper. "Then tell me what I have to do."

Marvin's eyes softened just a fraction. "For now, stay where you are. Learn. Grow. Maybe one day, you'll earn your place here."

She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. As she turned to leave, the weight of his rejection settled over her-but so did a fierce resolve. This wasn't the end. It was just the beginning.