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2024-11-22 18:36:44Adam walked into Rosewood Café the next morning feeling the weight of his alliance with Brooks pressing down on him, like a Strong burden.
He had a strong backer now, but he couldn’t shake the thought that he’d traded one kind of risk for another. Brooks wanted revenge on Lawson, and Adam was merely the means to that end. He’d have to stay sharp and watch his own back.
As he set up for the day, his phone rang. It was Marcus.
“Morning, Adam,” Marcus greeted, his tone brisk abd calm. “Just wanted to check in and see how things went with Brooks the other day.”
“It went well, I think,” Adam replied cautiously with a smile. “He agreed to back me, but he’s taking a twenty percent cut of the profits I'd make.”
Marcus chuckled to Adams Word's.
“Not surprising. That’s Brooks for you—he never does anything for free. But don’t underestimate him. He can be a valuable asset.”
Adam sighed. “I know. But I’m not naive, Marcus. I realize Brooks is using me just as much as I’m using him.”
“Good. Keep that mindset up and never let yourself he the pawn in there own game. Just be careful. Brooks isn’t the type to take betrayal lightly, and Lawson won’t stop until he’s driven you out.”
“I’ll manage,” Adam replied, determination hardening in his voice. “I’ve come too far to let anyone push me around.”
“That’s the spirit,” Marcus said, sounding pleased. “Oh, and one more thing—Lawson’s likely to come after you in more subtle ways than direct confrontation. Just watch out for any sudden… complications.”
Adam nodded to himself as Marcus hung up. Complications were an understatement. But he’d tackle them one at a time.
Later that afternoon, as Adam was finishing up at the café, his phone buzzed with a message from Evelyn, the architect. She and Mr. Grant had completed their assessment of the building and were ready to go over their recommendations. Adam arranged to meet them at the building site, a strange excitement stirring within him.
When he arrived, Evelyn was already there, her notebook open and a few rolled-up blueprints beside her. Mr. Grant stood nearby, looking over the plans with a critical eye.
“Mr. Reed,” Evelyn greeted him with a respectful nod. “We’ve finished our assessment. There’s potential here, but we’ll have to address some major structural issues before we move forward.”
Mr. Grant chimed in, “The wiring and plumbing are both outdated and will need a complete overhaul, so things can be safe. That alone could set you back a fair amount. But once it’s done, you’ll have a building that can meet modern standards and function for years to come.”
Adam studied the blueprints, his mind whirling with both excitement and anxiety. The renovations would be extensive and expensive but the end result would be worth it. This building was more than just bricks and mortar to him now. It represented his future and his revenge on his ex wife family.
“Let’s do it,” Adam said finally, meeting their gazes with resolve. “We’ll start with whatever needs the most attention, and we’ll work from there.”
Evelyn gave a slight smile, nodding.
“Good decision. We’ll draw up a detailed timeline and budget that can help you. Be prepared for some unexpected challenges, though. Buildings like this tend to hide surprises.”
Adam nodded, bracing himself for whatever might come next. But as he left the meeting and walked back to his car, his thoughts drifted back to Lawson and the threats he’d made. He had a feeling that Lawson wouldn’t wait long to strike.
****
Two days later, Adam got his first taste of Lawson’s tactics. He was in the middle of a meeting with his café manager, discussing upcoming promotions, when his phone rang.
“Hello?” Adam answered, distractedly.
“This is Tom West, the building inspector for your property on Fifth Avenue,” a gravelly voice said. “I’m calling to inform you that we’ve received a report of code violations at your house site.”
Adam’s heart dropped with the word.
"What kind of violations are we talking about?”
“According to our preliminary inspection, the building may have structural weaknesses that weren’t disclosed. We’ll need to conduct a thorough inspection before any renovations can proceed. Until then, all work must be halted.”
Adam gritted his teeth, barely able to contain his frustration. He knew exactly who was behind this. “Thank you for letting me know about that,” he said, struggling to keep his tone polite.
As soon as he hung up, he called Marcus.
“Marcus, I just got off the phone with a building inspector. They’re claiming there are ‘code violations’ at my house site.”
Marcus sighed on the other end of the line. “That’s Lawson for you. He’s pulling strings to slow you down, hoping you’ll give up fast like how he usual do to the others. But don’t worry; we can work around this.”
“How?” Adam demanded at once. “He’s trying to strangle this project before it even starts up.”
“Let me make a few calls,” Marcus replied
. “I’ll see what I can do to help you on this issue. Just sit tight and don’t let it get to you. Lawson’s betting on you cracking under pressure. Prove him wrong and stay strong."
Adam hung up, feeling a mix of anger and determination. He wasn’t about to let Lawson ruin this. He’d worked too hard and sacrificed too much to back down now.
****
The following day, Marcus called with an update. “Good news. I pulled a few strings of my own, and the inspector will be back out tomorrow. As long as everything’s in order, the hold should be lifted.”
Adam let out a breath of relief. “Thank you, Marcus. I don’t know how I’d be handling all of this without you.”
“Just keep your eyes on the prize, Adam. Lawson’s powerful, but he’s not invincible. Stay focused, and you’ll get through this.”
As Adam ended the call, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. Lawson’s interference had only strengthened his resolve. He wouldn’t let this powerful adversary dictate his future.
***
The next morning, Adam was back at the site when the inspector returned, clipboard in hand. After a thorough inspection, he nodded, looking slightly impressed.
“Everything seems to be in order already,” the inspector admitted. “I’ll be clearing the project for renovation.”
As the inspector left, Adam allowed himself a small, triumphant smile. He’d won this round.
But as he looked out over the empty, dilapidated building, he knew this was only the beginning. Lawson would strike again, and next time, it might be harder to fight back.
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