“Is it done?” Samuel Dwight asked as he leaned against his office chair.


    “Yes, sir. Miss Vaughn was already fired, as promised.”


    о


    Samuel smirked. “Loring is <b>a </b>coward. Obviously, he wouldn’t let her stay.” After his threats, he was confident that Mr. Loring would fire Emery on that very same day, and he was right.


    He pushed away from the desk and stood, walking to the bar in the corner of his office. He poured a drink. The ss clicked softly as he <b>set </b>it on the counter.


    This


    “She thought she could embarrass me in public and walk away?” He shook his head and took a sip. “She’s not going to find work anywhere now. Not in this city. Not in this industry. No one will touch her.”


    Without a job, he would like to see how Emery would survive out there without his help. Once she realizes that she can only rely on Samuel, then she will surelye back and apologize.


    Roni nodded but stayed near the desk.


    Cut off all her credit cards too,” Samuel added. “Pull the ones she doesn’t know I had ess to. I don’t want her buying her way out of this.” This would prevent her from buying a ne ticket to leave this ce. “And make an anonymous call to the developer of Nina’s condo. Have them kick her out for some vition.”


    “That’s already done,” Roni replied. “I already made the reports <b>as </b>well.”


    “Good.” Samuel set the ss down and picked up his phone. He scrolled through a contact list<b>, </b>eyes narrowing. “Call the rental agencies. All of them. Make sure they cklist her name. If she tries to apply for a new lease, I want it denied. I want her backed into a corner. No ce to live, no money, no job.”


    He tapped his fingers against the phone, pausing. “If she wants shelter, she’lle back. That’s how this ends.”


    Roni opened his tablet and made a note. “She’s still acting hard to get,” he said. “Earlier this morning, she showed up at work like nothing happened. Told the front desk she was there for personal errands.’ She had another conversation with Loring, but our people don’t know what they talked about. The conversationsted for about thirty minutes, then she left.”


    Samuel snorted. “Of course she did.”


    He walked back to the desk and sat down<b>, </b>stretching his neck from side to side.


    “There <b>was </b>someone with her at the restaurant,” he said. “That guy. The one who kissed her. You find out who he was?<b>” </b>


    “No,” Roni said. “The restaurant refused to <b>give </b>us any information about him or the CCTVs. I could only run facial recognition from <b>a </b>very pixted image from a nearby parking lot’s CCTV, but I didn’t find anything, No name. No business records. No social tags. Nothing under any known aliases.”


    Samuel looked at him. “Sp what<b>, </b>he’s a ghost?”


    “No. Just irrelevant. If he mattered, I would’ve found something.”


    Samuel leaned back in his chair. “She probably paid him. Wouldn’t be the first time she pulled some desperate move for attention.”


    Roni didn’t say anything.


    “Whatever. Let her y. She’ll get tired eventually,” Samuel said. “She’ll realize no one’sing to <b>save </b>her. And when that happens, she’lle crawling back.”


    He stood again and adjusted his cufflinks.


    <b>“</b>And when she does,” he added, “make sure she knows there’s a price.”


    <b>Roni </b>stepped out of the office and closed the door behind him. He nced <b>down </b><b>the </b>hallway, checked that no one was around, and then walked toward <b>the </b>end of the floor where <b>a </b>quiet lounge area <b>was </b>tucked behind the elevators


    He pulled out his phone, scrolled through his <b>contacts</b>, and <b>tapped </b>one. He <b>waited</b>, eyes on the <b>wall </b>ahead


    When the line connected, he spoke immediately. <b>“</b>It’s done. Mr. Dwight had Miss Vaughn <b>fired </b><b>this </b>morning. Her credit cards were also


    12:35 AM P P ?


    canceled. She hasn’t reacted publicly yet, but she knows.”


    He nced around once more, then lowered his voice. “If anything elsees up, I’ll let you know.”


    There was a short pause on the line before she started giving Roni more instructions.


    “Yes, Madam. I’ll keep an eye out.” Roni nodded once, then ended the call. He slipped the phone back into his pocket and walked back toward his office.


    However, it didn’t take long before he received news that soured his expression–Be Global Holdings had officially withdrawn their backing from thepany’s ongoing initiatives.


    you believe that?”


    27


    Nina said, tapping the side of her coffee cup. “Lease. Can


    They were seated at a small corner table in a mid–level café inside the mall. It wasn’t busy, but the soft hum of other shoppers made sure no one would overhear. Emery stirred her drink, but didn’t look up.


    Nina pulled out her phone and opened her email. “Here. The building sent me a message this morning. Said someone contacted them, and reported I had someone staying long–term without registration, viting tenant uses. Wanted me out.”


    Emery leaned forward and scanned the screen. The message was formal, asking Nina if she needed legal support or if she wanted to escte the issue. There was no mention of who called in theint.


    “He didn’t even check,” Nina said. “I own the damn condo. Paid full years ago. My name’s on the title. There’s no lease to break.”


    Emery sat back and exhaled. “He’s getting desperate. First my job, and now this…” Samuel seemed serious this time. They had many disagreements in the past that made her stay with Nina, but this was the first time he actually tried to kick Nina out of her home.


    “What do you want to do now?<b>” </b>


    “Nothing. Not yet.” Emery looked out the ss panel beside their table. A couple walked by holding shopping bags. She tracked them with her eyes before turning back. “He won’t stop until I go back. That’s what this <b>is</b>. He thinks I’m acting out. Throwing a fit.”


    Nina frowned. “He wants you cornered.”


    “He wants me helpless.” Emery picked up her cup. “This is what he does. He acts like he’s fixing things, but it’s just another way to keep control.” This has been going on for the past five years. The man is a walking red g! Yet she missed every sign, every damn time.


    “Well, if he thought kicking me out would make you crawl back, he’s worse than I thought.”


    Emery looked at her. “I’m such a fool.”


    “Of course, you are!” Nina reached for the sugar packet. “How could you even think of making this deal with your father?” Nina rolled her eyes. “If you weren’t heartbroken, I would have pped you for being this… stupid.”


    That made Emery chuckle. Seeing her mood change, Nina immediately said, “They asked me if I wanted to file aint. I said not yet. But if he calls again, I will.”


    Emery nodded. “He’ll call again. He wants to cut off everything around me. Friends, money, job, housing. He’s just trying to wear me down.”


    Nina dropped the empty packet onto her tray. “Can <b>you </b>please <b>exin </b>how you find that man attractive? He’s toxic as hell. Girl, we’re in ourte twenties–you should know how to spot someone like him by now<b>! </b>What would you even do if I wasn’t around?”


    Emery shrugged. “Ldidn’t <b>mean </b>to-”


    “If you are going to apologize for your <b>ex’s </b>craziness, don’t bother,” Nina said. “<b>He </b>can’t touch me.” Nina then reached out and held Einery’s hand. “But <b>I </b>am worried about you.”


    However, before Emery could <b>respond</b>, <b>a </b><b>sharp </b><b>voice </b>cut through <b>the </b>air. “Wow. I didn’t realize <b>this </b>caté had started allowing strays<b>.</b><b>” </b>


    <b>2/3 </b>


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