Updated Mar 22, 2026 • ~3 min read
Chapter 18: Disowned
MAREN
The industry is buzzing.
“Maren Ross and Jasper King: Love or Corporate Sabotage?”
“Ross Agency Fires Niece Over King Industries Scandal”
“Marketing Dynasties Torn Apart by Secret Baby”
We’re headline news.
Sienna calls.
“Have you seen the articles?”
“All of them.”
“Maren, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Conrad is spinning this as betrayal. Saying you stole confidential information.”
What?
“I never—”
“I know. But he’s protecting the agency. And throwing you under the bus to do it.”
My own family.
Destroying my reputation.
“Can I sue?”
“For what? Defamation? Maybe. But it’ll make this worse.”
She’s right.
“What do I do?”
“You fight back. You and Jasper start that agency you’ve been planning. Prove Conrad wrong. Win clients. Build something better.”
Easier said than done.
***
JASPER
I’m in my apartment.
Packing my office.
Officially unemployed.
Maren is on the couch.
Twenty-two weeks pregnant.
Stressed. Scared.
This is my fault.
If I had just stayed away from her in Miami.
If I hadn’t pursued her.
If I had ended things when I found out she was a Ross.
But I didn’t.
Because I love her.
And now we’re both paying the price.
“Jasper?” Her voice is small.
I sit beside her.
“Yeah?”
“Are you regretting this? Us?”
Never.
“Not for a second.”
“Really? Because you just lost your job. Your family is furious. The industry hates us.”
I take her hand.
“I lost my job. But I gained you. And our daughter. That’s not a loss. That’s everything.”
She starts crying.
Hormones. Stress. Everything.
I pull her close.
“We’re going to be okay. I promise.”
“How can you promise that?”
“Because we’re Ross and King. Best of both firms. We’ll start our own agency. Win our own clients. Build our own empire.”
She pulls back.
Looks at me.
“You really believe that?”
“I do. Don’t you?”
Long pause.
“Yeah. I do.”
Good.
Because we’re about to risk everything.
***
MAREN
We announce Ross-King Agency.
Press release.
Official website.
Social media blitz.
“Former rivals Maren Ross and Jasper King are joining forces to create a new kind of marketing agency. One built on collaboration, not competition. On innovation, not feuds.”
The response is… mixed.
Some clients are intrigued.
“This could be revolutionary.”
Others are horrified.
“This is a disaster.”
But we secure three clients in the first week.
Small accounts.
But it’s a start.
Sienna calls.
“I’m quitting Ross Agency.”
What?
“Sienna, you can’t—”
“I can. And I am. Conrad is being vindictive. Blaming you for things you didn’t do. I’m not working for someone like that.”
“But your career—”
“Will be fine. I’m joining you. Ross-King Agency. If you’ll have me.”
I’m crying.
Again.
“Of course we’ll have you.”
Our first employee.
***
Emmett calls Jasper.
“I’m out too.”
Jasper puts him on speaker.
“What do you mean?”
“King Industries fired you. So I quit. I’m not working for a board that throws you out for falling in love.”
“Em, you don’t have to—”
“I want to. Let me join Ross-King. I’ll handle operations. Finance. Whatever you need.”
Jasper looks at me.
I nod.
“You’re hired.”
Our team is growing.
Against all odds.
We’re building something.
END OF CHAPTER 18
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