120A sleek black car pulled up beside Victoria, and the passenger window rolled down to reveal Derek. His face was pale and bruised, with a dark purple mark under his eye, and his arm wrapped in a makeshift bandage. Victoria froze, staring in shock.“Derek?” she managed, eyes wide. “What on earth happened to you?”Derek sighed, opening the door and handing her a pair of flats. “Just get in,” he muttered, trying to hide the pain twisting his features. “Brought these for you. Figured you might need them.”Victoria took the flats, gingerly slipping them on and wincing. Once she settled into the seat, she looked at him with worry. “Thank you… but seriously, Derek—who did this to you? Are you okay?”He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his jaw clenching. “Allvar Falck happened,” he spat, his voice thick with bitterness. “That scumbag decided to ‘teach me a lesson.’”“Allvar?” Victoria’s brow furrowed, her disbelief evident. “Wait… you know him?”“Oh, I know him, alright,” Derek’s
121Derek and Victoria sat in the car, both still stunned by the realization that their shared enemy, Allvar Falck, had impacted each of their lives in such destructive ways. Derek looked over at her, his bruised face still twisted in pain, but now with a trace of disbelief.“So, that imbecile and pathetic excuse of human Allvar is your boss?” Derek finally broke the silence, his voice low. "How did I not know?"Victoria let out a frustrated sigh. “Guess it’s not something I ever thought to mention.” She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes narrowing with barely concealed anger. “Though I certainly didn’t expect to find out that you hate him as much as I do.”Derek scoffed, shaking his head. “Hate’s putting it mildly, Victoria. If I’d known he was your boss, I would’ve warned you ages ago to steer clear. He’s a snake.”She smirked. “As if that would’ve stopped me.” She looked at him, eyes gleaming with frustration and rage. “He’s made my life hell, Derek. The way he tore me down
122Derek pulled up to Victoria’s house and put the car in park. She glanced over at him, her expression hesitant yet determined.“Are we really doing this, Derek?” she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability. “Are we really going after him?”Derek gave a firm nod. “Yes, Victoria. We have a deal.” He looked at her directly, hoping to assure her that he was just as committed.She bit her lip, searching his face. “I just need to hear it again. You’re with me on this, right? You’re not going to back out?”“Yes, Victoria.” He softened his tone, adding, “We’re in this together. No turning back.”Finally, she nodded, her resolve hardening. “Alright, then.” She pushed open the car door, stepping out onto the curb. “Have a nice evening, Derek. Thanks for the ride.”He nodded, watching her until she disappeared inside her house. With a sigh, he leaned back against the seat and rubbed his temples, exhausted from the afternoon. But just as he was about to drive off, his phone buzzed
123The last few days had taken a toll on him, and he hadn’t been himself. “Serena, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”Her voice grew tense. “Why not? You don’t want to be seen with me now, is that it?”“No, it’s… it’s not like that.” He struggled to find the right words. “I just—”“Then what?” she cut in, her voice sharper now. “Because it’s starting to feel like there’s something you’re not telling me. Are you… are you seeing someone else, Derek?”Her words stung, and Derek closed his eyes, the weight of the conversation pressing down on him. “Serena, no. It’s not that.”“Then what is it?” she pushed. “Because I don’t get it. One minute, we’re okay, and the next, you’re gone. Do you have any idea what it’s like dealing with everything on my own?”He sighed, feeling trapped. He couldn’t deny her pain, couldn’t pretend her words didn’t cut deep. Finally, he relented. “Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow, Serena.”There was a beat of silence, and when she spoke again, he could hear the reli
124First stop was Edgar’s office. Clarabelle took a deep breath, steeling herself as she approached Edgar’s office. She knocked softly, the sound barely penetrating the tension of the day. After a moment, Edgar’s muffled voice called from within, “Come in.”Pushing the door open, she stepped inside to find Edgar, Ms. Abbott, and Jake huddled around a stack of papers. The air was thick with unease, their whispered conversations abruptly silenced as she entered.Edgar looked up, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Clarabelle,” he said, clearly surprised to see her. “What do you want?”Clarabelle squared her shoulders, trying to project confidence. “Mr. Falck has requested your presence in his office. Immediately.”Ms. Abbott’s brows shot up, her surprise evident. “Now? He expects all of us?”“Yes,” Clarabelle replied firmly, meeting each of their gazes. “All of you. He wants to speak with you… now.”A heavy silence hung in the air as the three exchanged uneasy glances. Edgar scoffed, a
125Edgar rolled his eyes dramatically, crossing his arms. “This is ridiculous. The man thinks he’s some sort of king. What does he expect us to do? Bow down and worship him?”“Honestly, how do these people rise to power?” Ms. Abbott muttered under her breath. “They think just because they have a title, they can dictate everything. It’s infuriating!”Clarabelle's gaze didn’t waver, and she stepped back slightly. “Mr. Falck expects you now, Ms. Abbott. He was very clear.”Ms. Abbott opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Edgar cut in. “This is so typical. They think they can just push us around because they’re sitting in some fancy office. He’s just a puppet with a nice title.”“You know what? If I didn’t need this job, I’d tell him exactly what I think,” Jake said, throwing up his hands in frustration. “This is just absurd! Who does he think he is?”“Let’s not forget, this is his office,” Clarabelle reminded them, trying to keep the peace. “He has the power to make things v
126“Ah, there you are,” he said, his voice smooth but carrying an undercurrent of authority. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d decided to ignore my request.”The three of them stepped inside, their faces a mixture of defiance and resignation. “We’re here,” Ms. Abbott said, her tone clipped.“Good,” he replied, leaning back in his chair with a calculated calmness. “I was just about to discuss some crucial changes that will affect all of you.”The tension in the room intensified. Edgar, arms crossed defiantly, was the first to respond. “What changes? Are you planning to shake things up just because you can?” he asked, his tone laced with skepticism.Ms. Abbott shot him a warning look, but Edgar was undeterred. “We’ve already been through enough turmoil without your interference. We’re not interested in your power plays.”Allvar raised an eyebrow, his irritation apparent. “You didn’t attend the meeting earlier, which was mandatory. As the head of the board, I expect all of you to be p
127Ms. Abbott took a deep breath, her face flushed with anger. “We may not agree with your methods, but you can’t just threaten us. We’re valuable assets to this company, and we deserve to be treated with respect.”“Respect is earned, not demanded,” Allvar replied sharply. “And right now, you’re not doing a great job of earning it. I expect you all to be at the next meeting. No excuses. If you choose not to attend, then we will need to have a serious discussion about your future here.”Edgar’s jaw tightened, and he glanced at Ms. Abbott and Jake, their expressions mirroring his frustration. “This is ridiculous. We’re not your pawns, Falck, and we refuse to be bullied into submission. You may have the title, but you don’t know the first thing about this team or how we operate.”Allvar's expression darkened, his voice cold. “I will not tolerate insubordination. You need to understand that I will do what it takes to get this company back on track, with or without your cooperation.”“Fin