Shay's POV
As usual, I woke up to the blaring sound of my alarm.
It took me a moment to remember that I'd been fired yesterday. There was no reason to keep setting my alarm anymoreâno job, no responsibilities, nothing to wake up for. Frustrated, I slammed the alarm off and flopped back onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
I couldn't believe that jerk. He didn't even bother to hear me out. Instead, he took his friend's side and fired me because I dared to put her in her place.
I stayed in bed for another five minutes, wallowing in my anger, before deciding to get up and make breakfast. No job now meant no schedule, no purposeâjust me filling my time with whatever dull, pointless activities I could find.
I pulled my hair into a messy bun and reached for my necklace, pausing as a thought struck me like a lightning bolt.
Jason's friend. She was the reason I got fired. And she was going to pay for it.
Fueled by a newfound determination, I grabbed my laptop, sat cross-legged on my bed, and typed her name into Google.
Jaliyah Keng.
Her profile popped up instantly. I skimmed through the search results and quickly realized she wasn't just anyoneâshe was a former model turned businesswoman, now helping her father manage their family empire of restaurants, hotels, and companies.
There were also plenty of gossip articles about her, linking her to various men. My stomach churned as I spotted Jason Cartwright's name among them.
Frowning, I grabbed my phone and called Shawn. The line rang a few times before he picked up.
"Hey, Shay. What's up?"
"Where are you?" I asked without preamble.
"On my way to work. Why? What's going on?"
"Remember when you said you'd do anything for me?"
"Uh... yeah?" he replied cautiously.
"Good. Because I need you to do something for me. I'll email you all the information I have on this woman, and you'll handle the rest."
There was a pause.
"What woman? And what exactly do you want me to do?"
I sighed impatiently, standing and pacing toward the window.
"I got fired yesterday, Shawn. For the stupidest reason. And it's all because of her. She's the reason my life feels like a prison again. That job was the only thing keeping me sane, and now it's gone." My voice faltered for a moment, but I steeled myself.
"Please, Shawn. Just this once. Do this for me."
His long sigh crackled through the line. After a pause, he muttered, "Fine. I'll take care of it."
Before I could say more, the call ended. A sly smile crept across my face as I set my phone down. With that sorted, I headed downstairs to enjoy a well-earned breakfast.
Now all I had to do was wait. It wouldn't be long before that Jaliyah bitch came crawling to me, begging for forgiveness.
OoO
Around noon, boredom got the best of me. Stuck in my room with nothing to do, I decided to hit the gym downstairs and restart my workout routine. I slipped on a pair of black tights, an orange tank top, and my running shoes.
For two hours, I kept myself busy. I started with the treadmill, letting the repetitive rhythm drown out my frustration. Then, I unleashed my pent-up stress on the punching bag, practiced plank holds for over a minute, and even challenged myself with some weightlifting.
I was mid-set when I heard the gym door open. Sitting up, I expected to see Mom, but my irritation flared as my sister Shanelle strolled in, dressed in her own workout gear.
"Oh, so you're home after all," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Thought you left this morning, running off to your secret hideouts like you usually do."
I scoffed, grabbing the towel around my neck to wipe the sweat from my face.
"What are you doing here?"
She raised a perfectly arched brow.
"Excuse me? This is still my home. I can be here whenever I want."
I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms.
"Please. As if you missed this place. Did you run out of parties to crash, or were you feeling lonely in that big, empty penthouse of yours?"
Her face darkened as she stepped closer, pointing a finger at me.
"How dare you speak to me like that? At least I have the freedom to live my life. You're stuck here with Mom and Dad forever. So who's really the lonely one?"
Her words hit a nerve, and I clenched my fists. Shanelle always knew how to push my buttons. Grabbing my water bottle from the floor, I tried to walk past her, but she grabbed my arm, stopping me.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Truth hurts, doesn't it?" she sneered, her smirk infuriating me.
I met her gaze, my voice steady but sharp.
"The truth is, when I finally walk out of here and cut ties with all of you, we'll see who's really free."
I shoved her hand off my arm and started for the door.
"I'm not done talking to you!" she yelled.
Before I could react, she yanked my hair from behind. Whipping around, I pushed her back and wrapped my hand around her neck, shoving her against the wall.
"Don't test me, Shanelle. Or we're going to have a serious problem," I warned, my voice low and cold.
She struggled against my grip, glaring at me, but I held firm until her face reddened. Finally, I let her go, watching as she crumpled to the floor, coughing and massaging her neck.
Satisfied, I smirked and walked out of the gym. For the first time, I had stood my ground against herâand it felt damn good.
Shanelle deserved it. She's always been a bully.
Jason's POV
"Yeah, that's right. Thank you," I said, hanging up the phone.
Before I could return to my paperwork, the office doors swung open, and Chase sauntered in.
"Congrats on closing the deal with Jaliyah Keng," he said, grinning. "Not only is she hot, but she really knows how to do business."
I leaned back in my chair, smirking.
"That's the kind of woman worth our time, Chase. Models and strippers are fine for fun, but they don't bring much to the table."
He rolled his eyes.
"Don't judge my taste in women. I like spending money on them, not the other way around. So, tell meâdid you seal the deal with her before or after you hit it?"
I grimaced. "God, no. It was strictly business. She wanted us to invest in her hotel, so we discussed the terms, finalized the paperwork, and that was it."
Chase shrugged casually. "Well, not all of us are that disciplined."
"Waitâis that how you handle all our female clients?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
Feigning innocence, he smirked.
"Of course not... just not all of them." He burst out laughing, while I forced a tight smile.
"Right. Because mixing business with pleasure is always a great idea," I said dryly.
Ignoring me, he leaned back, scrolling through his phone. I pressed the intercom button.
"Maryanne, can you send someone from the Department of Registrar of Companies to my office with their last week's report?"
"Yes, right away, sir."
"Thank you."
As I reopened my files, I noticed Chase had gone unusually quiet. He was staring at the table, his expression serious.
"What's wrong?"
"Have you found a replacement for the company secretary in that department?"
"Not yet," I replied, still focused on my paperwork. "Why?"
He shrugged, avoiding my gaze. "Just wondering."
I set my pen down and fixed him with a stare.
"How do you know her again? You've never given me a straight answer."
Groaning, he slumped in his chair.
"Dude, why are you still on this? I told youâI don't remember when or where I first met her. And why are you so curious? Do you have a thing for her or something?"
"No," I said firmly. "But the way you reacted when you saw her was weird. And so was hers. If you don't remember, why are you so defensive about it?"
Chase loosened his tie, exhaling sharply.
"Fine. I feel like I know her, but I can't place where. I tried asking her, but she vanished before I could. That's all."
Just like Sylvia's answer the other day, his explanation didn't add up. They were hiding something about Shay Kellen, and I intended to find out what.
"Can I get a coffee or something? Where's your assistant?" Chase asked, breaking the tension.
"She's running an errand. Get it yourself."
Groaning, he muttered under his breath and returned to his phone.
Whatever they're hiding about Shay might justifyâor challengeâmy decision to fire her. And I intend to uncover the truth.