Ruin My Brothers’ Romances to Save Our Fortune

I was the pampered only daughter of the Wright family, guarded by three overprotective brothers until a mysterious notepad app appeared on my phone. It predicted their ruin. Dominic would lose eighty billion dollars on a bad deal. Gideon would be stripped of his shares. Jude would abandon his inheritance. My lifetime security was vanishing.

I launched my Save the Wallet plan. I swiped Dominics black card and spent thirty million dollars in a single day. He spent all night processing returns and handling complaints. I took Gideons private jet to Paris and gutted the custom leather interior under the pretext of a remodel. He was forced into an eight-hour transoceanic video call just to supervise me. I converted Judes climate-controlled wine cellar into a karaoke lounge and used eight million dollars worth of vintage Cabernet Sauvignon as bathwater. My brothers were so exhausted they had no time to check their phones.

That ended when Seraphina, the new executive secretary, was appointed to Dominics office. She cast a cold glance at me, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. Little girl, the executive suite is not a playground. You can run along now. A dead silence fell over the hallway. Everyone knew the fiercely protective CEO of Wright Group was about to walk through those doors.

I was only halfway through my gourmet lobster roll, the rich filling still in my mouth.

There were five assistants in the lounge, and even the newest among them had been with my brother for six years. Right now, their expressions were identical, a perfect mix of wanting to speak up but fearing they would say the wrong thing, wanting to pull her back but not knowing how.

Martha was the first to break the silence, letting out a dry laugh.

"Ms. Seraphina, this is Mr. Wright's..."

"I know, his sister," Seraphina interrupted, not even sparing Martha a glance.

When she said the word "sister," her voice tilted upward with a subtle, dismissive edge.

"But even a sister shouldn't be eating and playing in the executive suite. The scent of lobster is far too strong. What if a client arrives later?"

She glanced at the gourmet box in front of me, her brow knitting together.

"Besides, today is my first day, and the executive suite needs structure. When Mr. Wright is away, I coordinate the daily operations."

She smiled, tilting her head to look at me as if coaxing a difficult child.

"Be a good girl, pack up your things, and I'll have the receptionist call a car to take you home, alright?"

Martha panicked, her voice rising. "Ms. Seraphina, you really don't understand the situation. This lounge was specifically built by Mr. Wright for"

"It doesn't matter who it was built for."

Seraphina turned, her tone still soft and gentle, but every word carried a hard, unyielding weight.

"Martha, you've worked with Mr. Wright for so many years. You should know better than anyone that the executive suite represents the face of the entire conglomerate. A young girl sitting here eating messy lobster rolls, what would the outside world think of Wright Group if word got out?"

Philip, the director of operations, set down his coffee cup, finally unable to keep quiet.

"Ms. Seraphina, I suggest you wait until Mr. Wright returns before making any"

"Mr. Philip," Seraphina turned her face, her smile unchanging. "Mr. Wright authorized me to manage the daily administration of this suite. This falls directly under my purview. Or are you suggesting his authorization is flawed?"

Philip opened his mouth, then closed it.

I grabbed a napkin and wiped my fingers, my movements slow and deliberate.

"What did you say just now? Tell me to get lost?"

Seraphinas smile stiffened slightly.

"I didn't use that word," she said. "I said 'go play outside'."

"Oh," I nodded. "So you're saying you get to decide where I stand?"

"Ms. Mariette, everyone in the company knows Mr. Wright spoils you, but work is work"

"By the way," I interrupted her. "The keypad on the door, the passcode is my birthday, August 16. You can ask anyone in this room. On paper, this lounge belongs to me."

Martha nodded frantically beside me, like a chicken pecking at seeds.

Seraphina remained quiet for two seconds.

She took a deep breath, smoothing her expression. This time, she didn't bother to smile.

"Ms. Mariette, everything I've said today is for the sake of the Wright Group. It is nothing personal."

She turned to Martha, her tone shifting into that of an administrative manager delivering a cold directive.

"Martha, inform the reception desk. From today onward, any non-staff entering the executive suite must register and seek pre-approval. Everyone, without exception."

Martha's face turned pale. "Ms. Seraphina, a rule like this... I'm afraid it requires Mr. Wrights personal"

"Mr. Wright authorized me," Seraphina cut her off coldly. "I don't need to consult him on every minor administrative detail."

Then she turned back to me, her eyes devoid of any gentle pretense.

"Ms. Mariette, your behavior today has disrupted our professional working order. As the administrator of the executive suite, I have the authority to handle this."

She walked to the door, opened it, and nodded to the two security guards standing in the hallway.

"Please lock this lounge temporarily."

She looked back at me, her voice quiet but clear.

"Ms. Mariette can stay here for a bit to clear her head. I'll let you out once I've debriefed Mr. Wright on todays events. Consider it a lesson."

Martha stood up abruptly. "Seraphina! You!"

Seraphina raised her hand, silencing her with a chillingly sweet smile.

"Martha, don't be dramatic. I am doing this for her own good. A spoiled girl needs someone to teach her boundaries, don't you agree?"

The security guards closed the door. The light in the lounge didn't change, but the atmosphere felt as though it had been plunged underwater.

Seraphina stood at the door, clapping her hands lightly as if she had just disposed of some minor nuisance.

"Alright," she turned back to Martha, her voice returning to its soft cadence. "Martha, please organize the meeting minutes from this afternoon and send them to me. Mr. Wright will want to review them later."

Martha didn't move.

"Ms. Seraphina," she said, her voice dropping low. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

"I do," Seraphina replied. "I am maintaining order in this office. Martha, I wasn't asking for your opinion."

Martha bit her lip, her eyes rimmed with red. She had been with Dominic for eleven years, starting back when Wright was just a mid-sized firm. She had never dealt with such arrogance.

Before Martha could speak again, Seraphina turned away, pulling out her phone and dialing a number.

The call was answered almost immediately.

A deep, commanding voice came through the speaker. "Seraphina, what is it?"

Seraphina's tone instantly softened. "Uncle Arthur, I just arrived at the executive suite, and I've run into a bit of a situation. I wanted to report it to you."

The name "Uncle Arthur" made the room fall completely silent again.

Philips eyes shifted, and even Martha looked visibly tense.

The "Uncle Arthur" she was speaking to was none other than Arthur Ward, a founding board member of the Wright Group, a close associate of my late father, and the current head of the supervisory board.

Seraphina explained the situation, her voice laced with delicate distress, framing herself as the responsible manager and me as the spoiled, disruptive sister.

"...I had no choice. Mr. Wright is away, and the suite was in complete disarray. I had to enforce the rules. Uncle Arthur, did I do the right thing?"

There was a brief pause on the other line.

"You did the right thing, Seraphina. The executive suite must have rules." Arthur Wards voice was clear enough for everyone to hear. "I'll call Dominic later and tell him to keep his sister in line. A young girl running wild in the office is completely inappropriate."

Seraphina looked at the room, her lips curling into a triumphant smile.

"Thank you, Uncle Arthur. I knew you would understand."

She slipped her phone back into her pocket, standing tall. Her entire posture had changed; she no longer needed the gentle facade.

She looked at me.

"Ms. Mariette, you're smart, so I won't beat around the bush. I didn't come to Wright to make an enemy of you. But rules are rules. If you cooperate with me today, I'll speak highly of you to your brother, and I'll turn a blind eye when you visit in the future. Isn't that a fair deal?"

I looked down at the cold lobster roll on my plate.

I raised my head, about to speak, when the sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway.

"Who authorized locking this door?"

It was Miles, my brothers chief secretary and personal shadow.

Miles stood at the entrance, holding a spare key in his hand. He was in his early forties, having been with Dominic for thirteen years. Everyone in the company knew that when Dominic was away, Miles spoke with his authority.

His gaze swept from the locked door to the people in the room, finally resting on Seraphina.

"I'll ask one more time," he said, his voice flat and calm. "Who authorized locking this door?"

Seraphina didn't answer immediately. She studied Miles for a moment, her eyes lingering on his badge: Chief Secretary, Miles.

"I did," she said, her chin lifting slightly. "There was an administrative issue, and I acted within the authorization Mr. Wright gave me."

Miles said nothing.

He walked past her, coming straight to my side. He glanced at the cold lobster roll, then looked at me.

"Mariette, are you alright?"

I shook my head.

Miles nodded, then turned to Martha. "Have the kitchen prepare a fresh plate, and bring some mango boba tea. Mr. Wright mentioned she was coming today and left specific instructions."

Martha looked incredibly relieved. "Of course, right away."

"Wait a moment," Seraphinas voice cut in.

Martha stopped in her tracks.

"Mr. Miles," Seraphina stepped forward, placing herself between Miles and Martha. "As I stated, non-staff are not permitted to dine in the executive suite. This rule is effective immediately. By ordering food now, are you trying to undermine my authority?"

Miles looked at her.

"Ms. Seraphina, I processed your onboarding paperwork myself. I know the exact boundaries of your authority better than you do. Mr. Wright authorized you to coordinate daily administrative tasks."

He paused.

"That does not include personnel, security clearance, or... locking doors."

Seraphinas expression stiffened, but she quickly recovered, letting out a soft laugh.

"Mr. Miles, those are just technicalities on paper. Do you really believe Mr. Wright brought me here just to do basic paperwork? You've been with him for thirteen years; you should know better than anyone that he doesn't hire people just to fit a standard job description."

She tilted her head, her tone carrying an intimate, knowing edge.

"My relationship with Mr. Wright cannot be defined by a simple contract. You are a smart man, Mr. Miles. I shouldn't have to spell it out for you."

At those words, Philip almost spilled his coffee, and Martha stood frozen, her mouth slightly open.

Miles simply pushed his glasses up, his expression entirely unchanged.

"Ms. Seraphina, regardless of your personal relationship with Mr. Wright, within the Wright Group office, we operate strictly by the rules. That is a boundary Mr. Wright established himself."

He turned back to Martha. "Go on, get the food."

Martha didn't hesitate this time, quickly disappearing down the hallway.

Seraphina watched her leave, the smile fading from her face. She turned to face Miles directly.

"Mr. Miles, I respect your seniority, which is why I've been polite. But undermining me in front of the entire office makes things very difficult."

Miles remained silent.

"I locked the room because Ms. Mariettes behavior was disrupting the office. Even the head of the supervisory board, Mr. Ward, supported my decision. Are you suggesting a secretary has more authority than a board member?"

Miles kept his tablet tucked under his arm, his voice cool.

"Ms. Seraphina, Mr. Ward oversees corporate compliance. The personnel and daily administration of the executive suite have never fallen under the supervisory boards jurisdiction. That is written in our bylaws. It is not my decision, nor is it Mr. Ward's."

Seraphinas eyes turned icy.

"Miles, do you have any idea who you are talking to?"

"I do," Miles replied smoothly. "Ms. Seraphina, the newly appointed secretary of the executive suite, on her very first day of employment."

The words weren't loud, but they cut deep.

She turned her attention back to me, trying to apply pressure from another angle.

"Ms. Mariette, I am giving you one last chance. Cooperate with me regarding today's incident, and we can pretend nothing happened. You can come to the office, and we won't interfere with each other. But if you persist..."

She paused, her eyes scanning my face.

"I won't hesitate to have Mr. Ward handle this personally. If this escalates, it won't end well for anyone."

I pushed the cold lobster roll aside, looking up at her.

"Ms. Seraphina, how long have you been in this room today?"

Seraphina frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just curious," I said. "You walked in, locked the door, threatened me with your board connection, argued with the chief secretary, and now you want to make a deal."

I tilted my head.

"Do you really think you have any cards left to play?"

Seraphina's expression shifted, a flash of panic crossing her features before she quickly suppressed it.

She took a deep breath, her cold smile returning. "You have a sharp tongue, Ms. Mariette."

"I've always been like this. My brothers are used to it."

"Your brothers?" Seraphina let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Your brothers aren't here right now. Even if they adore you, they can't save you from this."

She took a step closer, pointing toward the door.

"So, Ms. Mariette, you had better think carefully. Are you going to leave on your own, or do I need to have security escort you out?"

Miles stepped forward. "Ms. Seraphina"

"Miles, if you interfere again," Seraphina snapped, her voice turning completely cold, "I will call Mr. Ward right now and have him ask you why a secretary is repeatedly obstructing executive administration."

Miles stopped.

Seraphina looked back at me, her hand still pointing toward the exit.

"After you, Ms. Mariette."

I stared at her outstretched hand for three long seconds.

Then, I raised my eyes, looking past her shoulder toward the doorway.

Sensing my gaze, Seraphinas brow furrowed, and she slowly turned around.

The sound of heavy, measured footsteps echoed in the hallway.

The door opened.

My eldest brother, Dominic, stood in the doorway.

"What," he spoke, his voice entirely flat, "is going on here?"