Chapter 5

I didn't give Rhett another chance to keep up her act. I hung up without a second thought.

Then, with a few quick taps, I blocked her number.

After that, I blocked her on every app and messaging service I could think of, one by one, until there was no way left for her to reach me.

And just like that, the world went quiet.

I stood there, breathing in the restless air of early summer, then slowly let it out.

It was as if I'd finally released all the heaviness I'd carried across two lifetimes.

Next, I opened my contacts and dialed the number marked "Mr. Webb."

The call was picked up after just two rings, and a hearty but sharp voice came through.

"Whoa, Mr. Fisher? What brings the busiest guy in town to call me today?"

Arthur Webb, the boss of Skyline Tech, was the arch-nemesis of Ivan's current company. He was infamous in the industry for being ruthless. Always snatching deals from his rivals, and never afraid to throw around big money.

In my previous life, after Ivan used my project to secure his position, the very first company he went all out to destroy was Skyline Tech.

Sometimes, the enemy of your enemy really made the best ally.

"Mr. Webb, I've got a project and thought you might be interested," I said, cutting right to the chase.

"Oh?" Arthur's tone perked up, clearly intrigued. "Mr. Fisher, you've got a hot project and you actually thought of me? You're not just pulling my leg, are you?"

"Intelligent Living, The West District project. It's government-backed, with an initial investment estimated at 30 million dollars, and huge potential for future expansion," I said, straight to the point.

There was a brief pause, and then I could hear Arthur's breathing pick up.

"That project... weren't you about to sign with Evershine Tech?" Evershine Tech was Ivan's company.

"It fell through," I replied bluntly. "I've got all the key plans, specs, and contacts. If you think you can take it on, we can talk."

"Hell yes, I want it." Arthur sounded fired up. "Mr. Fisher, where are you? Let's meet up. Wait, I'll send a car for you right now. No, scratch that, I'll come myself. Just tell me where."

"Don't bother," I said, giving him the address of a café just down the street. "See you in half an hour."

After hanging up on Arthur Webb, I glanced at the time.

Then, I pulled up another number in my contacts, one I'd almost never called before. It was Ivan's boss, one of the real power players at Evershine Tech, Thiago Stevens.

The call connected, and a commanding, middle-aged male voice came through. "Who is this?"

"Mr. Stevens, this is Malachi Fisher, Rhett's husband," I said, using the title that was about to become a thing of the past.

"Oh?" Thiago clearly knew Rhett, and he was well aware of her relationship with Ivan. His tone was sharp, with a hint of impatience. "What do you want?"

"I thought you might be interested to hear about some questionable behavior from your deputy manager, Ivan, while he was handling the Intelligent Living project," I said, my tone calm and detached, as if I were just reporting something that had nothing to do with me.

I added, "For example, he's been secretly contacting the other side's tech staff, trying to buy confidential information on the cheap. He also promised my wife, Rhett, that he'd use his position to push the project through and then take a hefty kickback.

"And on top of that, his personal finances are a mess. He's got a lot of unexplained debts and loans, which could easily compromise his judgment and even put your company at risk."

I laid it all out in one go, and there was a long, heavy silence on the other end.

The only thing I could hear was his breathing, now noticeably heavier, proof just how rattled he was.

Some of these "questionable actions" were things Ivan boasted to Rhett while drunk, which she later joked about to me. Some I uncovered through my own digging, and others were just reasonable assumptions.

With fact and fiction blended together, the whole story packed a serious punch.

For a boss who puts the company's interests above everything else and trusts no one, this was more than enough to plant a thorn in his mind.

A thorn sharp enough to turn Ivan's path to promotion into a field of obstacles, or even ruin his chances for good.

"Mr. Fisher," Thiago finally said, his tone flat, giving nothing away. "What are you after?"

"Nothing at all," I shot back. "Figured you'd want to know. Someone with shaky ethics and a risk to the company sitting too high up is bad news for everyone.

"Additionally, regarding the Intelligent Living project. Due to some personal reasons, I regret to inform you that I can no longer continue our cooperation. I will settle the penalty as stipulated in the contract."

After finishing, I didn't wait for his response. I politely said, "Thank you for your time," and hung up.

After wrapping things up, I slipped my phone into my pocket and made my way to the café we'd agreed to meet at.

I walked with a spring in my step.