Chapter 4

Nick looked at me like I was crazy. "Are you seriously kicking me out? Emily, Summit is my company."

"Summit would've been dead and buried eight years ago without me." I tossed the mic aside and turned to leave the stage.

As I reached the door, Nick called out behind me, his voice tight with anger. "Emily, if you walk out that door today, don't come crying to me later."

I stopped and turned to face him. "The only thing I regret is not leaving sooner."

Once I stepped outside the hotel, the cold wind hit me, and I realized my back was drenched in sweat.

Sophie hurried after me and, without a word, wrapped her coat around my shoulders. "Are you holding up?"

I nodded.

She stared at me, then suddenly cursed, "That bastard Nick! Eight years! How could he do this?"

I forced a bitter smile, feeling a little hollow inside. "Because I was always the one giving, no holding back."

I gave him money without a second thought.

I gave him my trust, no questions asked.

I gave him my future, no holding back.

I gave him every escape route I had, put everything in his hands.

And in the end, he took every escape route I gave him and used it to clear the path for Claire and her son.

My phone started buzzing like crazy.

Nick. Mrs. Sawyer. Claire. And a whole bunch of relatives.

I didn't answer a single one.

Sophie grabbed my phone right out of my hand and muted all the calls. "Don't even look at it. The more you see, the sicker you'll feel."

Just as I was about to say something, a black car pulled up in front of us.

The window slid down. The man in the driver's seat glanced at me. "Emily?"

I froze.

Sophie was quicker than me. "Alex Rivers?"

The man nodded.

Sophie immediately pushed me toward the car. "Get in. This is the lawyer I found for you."

I was a little lost. "When did you get him involved?"

Sophie said through gritted teeth, "I've had a bad feeling about Nick for a while now.

"Before the engagement party, I secretly reached out to Alex for some advice, and even saved his number on my phone, just in case."

She looked at me, her eyes rimmed with red. "I hoped I'd never have to use it, but if things went south, I couldn't let you stand up there and take the hit alone."

My throat tightened. Turns out, even when I thought I was fighting this alone, someone had already got my back.

Alex got out and opened the back door for us.

He wore a black suit, no tie, looking crisp and all business.

He skipped any pleasantries and went straight to the point, "Did you sign the shareholder agreement?"

"No," I replied.

"Good. Did you record the engagement party?"

Sophie held up her phone. "Recorded the whole thing in HD."

Alex shot her a look. "Send it to me."

As I slid into the car, I finally let myself relax for a moment.

Alex handed me a bottle of water. "From now on, don't talk to Nick in private. Keep a record of everything. Every company file, every transfer, every chat, every shareholder agreement, every email. Back up all of it tonight."

I gripped the water bottle, looking at him. "Can I win this?"

He didn't answer right away.

The car was silent.

After a few seconds, he said, "This isn't about winning."

I froze.

He looked at me in the rearview mirror, his voice calm and steady. "You're not here to win. You're here to take back every last thing they took from you."