Chapter 3
The next morning, Leon got a phone call that made his face go pale.
I sat on the couch pretending to flip through a magazine, but my eyes were quietly tracking every twitch of his expression.
"What? The project's canceled?" His voice jumped an octave. "That's impossible. We just confirmed everything yesterday!"
Whoever was on the other end said something else, and I watched as the color drained from his face.
"I'll be right there," he muttered, then hung up and rushed to throw on his clothes.
"What happened?" I asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"Something came up at work. I need to get to the office now." He didn't even touch the breakfast I'd made before flying out the door.
Once he was gone, I put down the magazine and called Samuel.
"Did it work?" I asked.
"Flawlessly," Samuel said, sounding more than a little satisfied. "The client pulled out of the deal. Moreover, they're demanding compensation."
"How much?"
"9 million dollars," Samuel replied.
I let out a low chuckle. "Beautifully done."
"This is just the beginning," Samuel said calmly. "The best is still coming."
*****
Around noon, Samuel messaged me. [Leon must be losing his mind now. Vivian just asked him for 150 grand, said it was some family emergency.]
I smiled as I read the text.
Even I couldn't have planned it better. Salt in the wound, as they say.
That afternoon, I showed up at Leon's office with lunch.
The receptionist recognized me right away and waved me through.
The moment I stepped into his office, the smell of cigarette smoke hit me like a wall. Leon was hunched over a mountain of paperwork, looking ten years older than he had yesterday.
"Babe? What are you doing here?" he asked, forcing a weak smile.
"Brought you lunch." I set the lunchbox down on his desk. "You rushed out this morning without eating a thing."
"Thanks, sweetheart." He reached out like he was going to hug me, but I subtly stepped back.
"Eat. Your stomach comes first," I said with a warm smile. "You look exhausted. Is everything okay?"
He sighed. "Ran into some trouble. That project's off the rails."
"That serious?"
"It'll be fine," he said, trying to play it down. However, I noticed the slight tremor in his hand as he picked up his fork.
"Need help? My company's sitting on a decent cash reserve," I remarked deliberately.
His eyes lit up for a second, but the hope faded just as quickly.
"No, I'll handle it," he said.
"Alright. But if you need anything, you know where to find me." I stood. "I'll head back. Don't forget to eat."
As I left his office, I ran into Vivian in the hallway.
The moment she saw me, she froze, just for a second. Then she forced a polite smile. "Mrs. Durant."
"Miss Jackson," I said sweetly. "Leon speaks highly of you; he says you're very talented. Keep up the good work."
"Thank you, Mrs. Durant." Vivian's smile was noticeably strained.
The elevator doors opened, and we stepped in together. The silence between us stretched tight.
Then I broke it. "That's a lovely bag, by the way. Chanel?"
Vivian instinctively clutched it closer. "Yes."
"It's a great style. I almost bought it myself. Pricey, though. What, like... 30 grand?" I remarked. "You must be doing well for yourself, Miss Jackson. Not many young women can afford something like that so soon after graduating."
Her face stiffened. "It was a gift from a friend."
"Lucky you," I said, giving her a long, knowing look. "Good friends are hard to come by."
The elevator dinged. I stepped out and turned back with a smile. "Oh, and Miss Jackson, just a word of advice. Don't get too greedy. It's a fast way to fall on your face."
Her startled expression was all the dessert I needed that day.
When I got back to my office, Samuel was already waiting.
"Mr. Durant's been getting hit with calls from creditors all afternoon," he reported. "Looks like the pressure's building fast."
"And Vivian?" I asked.
"She was in his office for half an hour. Didn't look happy coming out."
I nodded. "Looks like they're starting to blame each other."
"Should we turn up the heat?" Samuel asked.
"No need to rush," I said as I sat down. "Let the chaos sink in. Leon's like a trapped animal right now. He'll unravel on his own."
*****
Sure enough, that night, Leon came home looking like a broken man.
"Babe," he said, sitting down on the couch, his tone unusually serious, "can we talk?"
"What about?" I asked, keeping my voice light.
"I... need to borrow some money."
I was in the kitchen, rinsing dishes.
The moment those words came out of his mouth, my hands stilled—but only for a second. I kept washing.
"How much?" I asked.
"Fifteen million dollars," Leon answered.
The plate slipped out of my fingers and clattered into the sink.
I turned to him, eyebrows raised, playing shocked perfectly. "Fifty million? What happened?"
Leon rubbed his hands nervously and wouldn't meet my eyes. "The company hit a rough patch. We need cash to keep things afloat."
"What kind of rough patch needs that much cash?" I walked over and sat across from him. "Leon, are you hiding something from me?"
"No! I swear. It's just that the project collapsed, and we're on the hook for a penalty." His forehead was sweating now. "Please, Alicia. Just lend me this once. I'll pay you back. I promise."
A complex emotion filled me as I looked at the man I'd once believed I could grow old with.
Now all I saw was someone who'd cheat on his wife and then come crawling back for a handout, all for his lover.