Chapter 1 - The Landlord
Ethan lifted his hand and pointed straight at me.
Lauren followed his finger with a confused look on her face.
She clearly thought he was going to demand my immediate firing.
She even offered a sympathetic pout that was entirely fake.
Instead, Ethan’s voice was dangerously calm when he finally spoke.
He told Lauren that before they discussed any financial accounts, she owed his wife an apology.
The smug smile instantly slid right off Lauren’s face.
She blinked rapidly and stared at my stained white shirt.
She asked him to repeat what he had just said.
Ethan placed a protective hand on my waist and pulled me closer.
He announced proudly that I was Maya Bennett, his wife and the sole owner of this restaurant group.
The color completely drained from Lauren’s flawless cheeks.
I watched her mind frantically try to process the fact that the poor girl she used to bully was now a multi-millionaire.
She realized she had just humiliated the wife of the man she desperately needed to impress.
For a moment, I actually felt a brief wave of satisfaction.
But Lauren was a corporate survivor who knew how to pivot instantly.
She took a deep breath and let out a soft, chilling laugh.
She completely dropped the polite professional act.
She told Ethan it was a shame he was so fiercely loyal to my little business.
She reached into her expensive designer bag and pulled out a thick legal folder.
She dropped it right onto our table with a heavy thud.
She smiled and announced that her wealth management firm had just purchased this entire commercial block.
She was no longer just a financial advisor looking for an account.
Lauren Pierce was officially the new landlord of my flagship restaurant.
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She looked directly into my eyes with pure malice.
She told me I had exactly thirty days to vacate the premises before she sent the bulldozers.
