Chapter 7- Visiting her company

SILVER'S FASHION COMPANY.

Silver stepped out of the car, her heels clicking against the pavement as the flashing lights of cameras surrounded her. The media had been waiting for her return. Reporters pushed forward, microphones aimed at her face, shouting questions.

"Miss Moe, can you tell us about last night?"

"Silver, are you really leaving the Coopers?"

"How does Ryder feel about your return?"

Silver ignored them. She raised a hand, giving a small wave before walking straight into the building with Natalie and the boys by her side.

As soon as she entered the company, her phone rang.

She sighed. Ryder.

The call ended, but before she could even put her phone away, it rang again.

This time, she picked up.

The voice on the other end was harsh and cold.

"Silver, where the hell have you been?" Ryder's angry voice exploded through the phone. "Since yesterday morning, you disappeared! And now you're just out there, enjoying life like your marriage means nothing?"

Silver's fingers tightened around her phone.

Enjoying life?

Enjoying life?

Her jaw clenched, her chest burned with rage, but when she looked up, the boys and Natalie were watching her. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and concern.

She took a deep breath, forcing her expression to remain calm.

"I need a minute," she muttered, stepping into a hidden corner of the building.

And then, she snapped.

"Are you serious right now, Ryder?!" she yelled into the phone.

"You ignored me for years! You left me alone in that house! You spent our anniversary nights in another woman's bed! And you have the nerve to question me now?!"

Ryder growled. "Silver, I am your husband—"

She laughed bitterly.

"My husband? When you were screwing another woman in our bed, did you remember you were my husband? When you humiliated me in front of your family, when you let them treat me like garbage, when you never once asked if I was happy—did you remember you were my husband then?!"

"That was different!" Ryder snapped. "Cici—"

"DON'T SAY HER NAME!" Silver screamed.

Rage pumped through her veins.

"Don't you DARE say her name in front of me!" she hissed. "Cici? Oh, you mean the woman you had sex with on our wedding night? The woman you let sit on your lap while I sat in a corner like a fool?!"

Ryder was silent.

"You had the audacity to call me and demand answers?" Silver continued, her voice shaking with fury. "Did you EVER give me answers when I cried myself to sleep?! When I waited for you, hoping—just hoping—you'd love me, even just a little?"

Ryder's voice lowered.

"Silver, you knew what this marriage was. It wasn't about love."

Silver's chest tightened painfully.

She bit her lip hard, stopping the wave of emotions threatening to drown her.

She had given four years of her life to a man who never wanted her.

A man who now had the audacity to act like she was the villain.

She breathed heavily, her hands shaking with rage.

"You're right," she whispered. "This marriage was never about love. But you know what, Ryder?"

"What?" he muttered.

She smiled bitterly, her fingers curling into a fist.

"It's not about you anymore either."

Ryder froze.

"What the hell does that mean?" he demanded.

"It means," Silver said, her voice cold as ice, "that I'm done. I'm done waiting. I'm done crying. I'm done being your pathetic little wife who waits for a man who will never love her. I'm Silver Moe, the Queen of Fashion, and I refuse to waste another second on you."

"Silver, don't you dare—"

Silver cut the call.

Her hands were still shaking as she lowered the phone.

Her heart was pounding.

Four years of pain.

Four years of betrayal.

Four years of waiting for Ryder Cooper to love her.

And today, it ended.

She took a deep breath, wiping away a stray tear before it could fall.

No more tears.

No more pain.

She was Silver Moe.

And she was taking her life back.

She turned on her heel, stepping out of the shadows and back into the office.

The boys and Natalie were waiting.

The moment they saw her, Noah frowned.

"What did that bastard say?" he asked.

Silver smiled softly, slipping her phone into her bag.

"Nothing important," she said. "Let's get to work."

Natalie grinned proudly.

"That's our Queen."

And just like that, Silver walked forward, leaving her past behind.

As soon as Silver, Natalie, and the boys stepped out of the elevator, the entire floor fell silent.

One by one, the workers stood up from their desks and bowed to her.

"Welcome back, Miss Moe!"

Their voices rang out in unison, full of respect and admiration.

Silver paused for a second, looking at them.

Her employees. Her people.

Despite everything she had been through, despite the years of being locked away in a loveless marriage, these people still respected her. Still admired her.

A soft smile spread across her lips.

"Thank you," she said, nodding at them. "Let's all work hard today."

The workers beamed, nodding excitedly before returning to their desks.

She walked forward, her heels clicking against the marble floors as she headed straight for the manager's office.

The boys and Natalie followed closely behind.

The moment she pushed open the door, the manager, Mr. Roberts, shot up from his seat, bowing deeply.

"Miss Moe! It's an honor to see you again!" he said, his face filled with relief.

"Good morning, Mr. Roberts," Silver said politely, taking a seat at the large glass desk.

The boys and Natalie sat around her, their presence filling the room with power.

Mr. Roberts quickly handed over a stack of documents.

"Miss Moe, there are 20 deals waiting for you to sign today," he said. "Each one is worth no less than 200 million dollars. Some of the biggest brands in the world have been waiting for you to return. They refused to sign anything unless you approved it personally."

Silver flipped through the contracts, her fingers gliding over the crisp pages.

She had built this company with her own hands. Her hard work. Her vision.

And even though she had been forced into marriage, even though she had lost four years of her life, her name still held weight in the industry.

She took a deep breath, picking up a golden pen.

"Let's get to work," she said.

She began signing the contracts one by one, her handwriting smooth and confident.

As she worked, the earlier phone call with Ryder played in her mind.

Her grip on the pen tightened.

Even now, her heart boiled with anger.

How dare he?

After everything he did, after throwing her aside like trash, he suddenly cared about where she was?

He had spent years treating her like she didn't exist, like she was nothing more than a burden.

And now that she was finally free, now that she was surrounded by people who actually loved her, he wanted to act like a real husband?

Her lips curled into a bitter smirk.

Too late.

"Silver?"

Natalie's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Silver blinked, realizing she had stopped signing.

Natalie and the boys were all watching her.

"Are you okay?" Natalie asked, concern in her eyes.

Silver exhaled softly, forcing a smile.

"I'm fine," she said. "Just thinking about how much work I have to do."

Noah snorted. "Work? Or a certain bastard husband?"

The boys chuckled, but Silver just smiled and continued signing.

She wasn't going to let Ryder ruin her mood.

Not today.

After about thirty minutes, she finished the last contract and closed the folder.

"Done," she said, leaning back in her chair.

Mr. Roberts took the documents, his eyes shining with admiration.

"Miss Moe, I must say, the company hasn't been the same without you," he said. "You truly are the heart of this place."

Silver smiled softly.

"I'm back now," she said. "And I don't plan on leaving again."

The boys grinned, their eyes full of pride.

Natalie crossed her arms. "Good. Because I already told the press that Queen SM is here to stay."

Silver laughed.

"Well, I guess I have no choice then," she teased.

The room filled with lighthearted laughter, but before anyone could say another word, Silver's phone vibrated on the desk.

Ryder again.

Silver stared at the screen, her expression unreadable.

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Seriously? He's still calling?"

Noah leaned forward, smirking. "Want me to answer and tell him to go to hell?"

Silver exhaled slowly, her fingers tapping against the desk.

For a moment, she thought about answering. Thought about yelling at him again.

But then she realized…

She didn't owe him anything.

Not a single word.

So instead of answering, she simply blocked his number.

"Done," she said, setting her phone down.

Natalie and the boys cheered.

"Finally!" Marcus said. "That guy has been dead weight for years."

Leo shook his head. "If only we had kidnapped you earlier, you wouldn't have wasted four years on him."

Silver laughed, feeling something light in her chest.

Freedom.

She felt free.

She turned back to Mr. Roberts.

"Schedule a meeting with the design team for tomorrow," she said. "I want to start working on our next collection immediately."

"Of course, Miss Moe!"

As Mr. Roberts rushed to make the arrangements, Silver stood up, adjusting her blazer.

"Let's go," she said to the boys and Natalie. "I need some fresh air."

They all walked out of the office together, their presence commanding the attention of every worker on the floor.

Silver was no longer the weak wife of Ryder Cooper.

She was Silver Moe, the Queen of Fashion.

And she was just getting started.