Protect His Secretary, Abandon His Wife - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Eight years. That's how long it had been since I'd set foot in my hometown. I'd burned every bridge with family and friends when I left the country—all for David. Looking back now, I cringed at how stubborn and reckless I'd been, demanding everything go my way.
After graduation, I'd taken the reins of Dad's company—already a powerhouse in our country. But I wanted global expansion. That's when David reached out through his assistant, thinking I was just another Cooper Group employee. His proposal intrigued me, but Dad shot it down immediately. "That boy's all ambition and greed," he'd warned. "Not an ounce of integrity."
I was furious. When Dad refused to bend, I dropped everything—the company, my family—and fled to New York. David offered me a job, which I took before we became... whatever we were. I never called home. Not once. My friend Faye later told me my little brother Luke had stepped up, running Cooper Group better than I ever could. They'd all asked about me through the years, but Faye played dumb about where I'd gone.
Now, standing in the airport arrivals hall, my stomach churned. How do you face the people you abandoned? I'd only told Faye I was coming—she'd insisted on picking me up. I planned to lie low for a while before job hunting. With my skills, I could land anything I wanted... unless I took Marcus's offer.
"Rosaline! Turn around—"
That voice. I spun to see Luke—my baby brother—waving like an overexcited kid. The sight knocked the breath from me. Gone was the pajama-clad boy I remembered; this was a man in a sharp suit, radiating confidence.
He crushed me in a bear hug, voice rough with emotion. "God, I've missed you."
Tears burned my eyes. "I'm sorry, Luke. For everything."
"It's okay," he said, swiping at his own eyes. "You're home now. That's all that matters."
Suddenly, camera flashes erupted around us. Reporters swarmed, shouting questions about our relationship. Luke's security team materialized, clearing a path as he gripped my hand. "Let's go before this turns into a circus," he muttered.
I hesitated.
"Mom and Dad are waiting," he added softly. "They forgave you years ago. Don't make them wait longer."
The car ride home was a blur of Luke filling me in on everything I'd missed—including one bombshell: he and Faye had been dating for eight years. She'd been his secret pipeline to news about me.
"Don't rat her out," he warned with a grin. "She'll murder me if you tell her I spilled the beans."
"I promise." Thank God I'd never told Faye about my mess with David—just that I worked for him. If Luke knew what that bastard did to me... well, there'd be one less CEO in New York.
Then we pulled into the driveway, and the scent of home—Mom's rose bushes, Dad's cigar box—wrapped around me like a blanket. There she stood in the foyer, apron strings untied, eyes shimmering.
"Rosaline," Mom whispered, pulling me close. "You're skin and bones. We'll fix that."
As I breathed in her lavender perfume, something unclenched in my chest. "I've missed your cooking, Mom."
Around the dinner table, Luke raised his glass with a grin. "To fresh starts—and my big sister finally coming home."
For the first time in years, I felt peace. This was where I belonged.