Chapter 4

Right then, Julian Crawford and Chloe Vance stepped out of the executive suite.

Kevin instantly switched to a groveling, eager-to-please posture.

"Mr. Crawford! Nicole is trying to make a run for it! She's refusing to work overtime!"

Julian strolled up to me, looking down at me with cold mockery.

"Nicole Davis, you actually have the guts to openly defy my direct orders?"

"Fine. Tonight, you'll stay behind and work overtime all by yourself."

Chloe covered her mouth, letting out a sharp giggle.

"Keep your phone on tonight, sweetie. When I text you our errand, you better hand-deliver it to our hotel room personally."

"Try calling a DoorDash driver again, and don't bother showing up tomorrow."

With that, Julian waved dismissively at the rest of the staff.

"Great work today, everyone. You're all dismissed early."

The office instantly erupted into cheers. Everyone scrambled to pack their bags and head for the elevators.

As they filed past me, each of them shot me sneering, gloating glances.

Within five minutes, the entire floor was dead empty.

When I tried to push through the glass doors, the building security guard blocked me with his arms crossed.

Julian and Chloe walked through the doors, and Julian turned around, pulling out his key fob to lock the electronic glass doors from the outside.

I lunged forward, slamming my palms against the heavy glass.

"Julian Crawford! Are you out of your mind?! This is unlawful imprisonment!"

"Let me out! I have to get to the hospital!"

Julian stood on the other side of the glass, a cruel, mocking smile playing on his lips.

He pointed up at the security camera mounted right above the entrance.

"Work hard tonight. I'll be watching you the whole time."

I watched in pure despair as the elevator doors slid shut, feeling every ounce of strength drain from my limbs.

Right at that moment, my phone rang. It was the surgical ward nurse.

"Ms. Davis, right before your grandmother was wheeled into the operating room, she kept holding my hand, calling out your name."

"Are you really not able to come see her tonight?"

Listening to the nurse's gentle voice, my heart felt like it was being shredded by dull blades. Tears streamed down my cheeks.

On one side was my sick grandmother, clinging to life on an operating table, desperately waiting for me.

On the other side was an abusive boss and his petty mistress, treating me like subhuman cattle, trampling all over my soul.

The volcano of rage I had suppressed deep inside me completely erupted.

I stared out into the pitch-black hallway, my teeth grinding together until my jaw ached.

I sat there in the dark until 2:00 AM.

Suddenly, a crisp click echoed through the silent office.

Julian had remotely unlocked the door via his phone app.

At the exact same second, my phone lit up with an incoming call.

It was Chloe.

Her voice came through the speaker, haughty, arrogant, and commanding.

"Nicole, the door is open. Buy two boxes of Trojan ultra-thins and bring them up to Room 2808 at the Grand Vienna Hotel."

"You have ten minutes. Be one minute late, and you're fired."

Gripping the phone, I didn't say a word. Instead, a freezing, hollow chuckle escaped my lips.

I opened DoorDash and ordered the items via express delivery.

In the delivery instructions box, I typed:

[Room 2808, Grand Vienna Hotel. Hand directly to recipients: Julian Crawford and Chloe Vance.]

Then, in the drop-off address and recipient contact fields,

I typed in the private luxury villa address and personal cell number of our company's true owner—Julian's wealthy wife, Victoria Sterling.

Everyone in the office foolishly believed Julian was some self-made tech prodigy.

But because I constantly worked overtime managing his private accounts and expense books, I knew the dirty truth.

Julian was nothing more than a broke freeloader living off his wife's fortune.

Every single cent of this company's startup capital came directly from Victoria Sterling's trust fund.

Even the commercial lease on this prime office tower belonged to a holding company under Victoria's name.

If Victoria found out these two were blowing her fortune on luxury suites and cheating behind her back,

Julian and Chloe's fairy tale would be over forever.

Having submitted the order, I shoved open the glass doors and sprinted toward the street without looking back.

Hailing a cab, I directed the driver to speed to the hospital. Halfway there, Chloe called again.

"Nicole, why the hell are you taking so long?! Are you here yet?!"

Staring at the blurred city lights flashing past the window, my voice was eerily calm.

"Almost. It's arriving right now."

Over the receiver, I heard a doorbell chime.

Followed by Julian's irritated shout: "Nicole, you're dead meat! How the hell did you take this long to bring some damn condoms—"

A few seconds later.

Ear-piercing, bloodcurdling screams of sheer terror erupted from both Julian and Chloe.

"Aaaahhh!"