I still couldn't wrap my head around it. Why would he target me?
What did I have that he needed, except for my company? Was I just a stepping stone in a bigger scheme? Thinking about it made my head pound, but I didn't have the luxury of dwelling on it.
I had a meeting to attend.
Oh, did I forget to mention?
I had been made Editorial Director—all thanks to my mum, of course.
Knock, knock.
That was the knock I had been expecting.
My second-in-command walked through the door. "Ma'am, the meeting is starting."
I nodded, grabbed my files, and followed her out.
The meeting was going smoothly… until I saw a name I never expected to see.
Right there, printed in bold ink on a finance support contract, was his name.
Michael Grien.
My hands clenched around the document. Why the hell was his name on a contract tied to Royal Lit Publishing—the company I work for now?
My chest tightened. This isn't just about betrayal anymore. This is bigger.
I needed answers. And I needed them fast.
I was so lost in thought that I hadn't even noticed when the meeting ended.
Still gripping the contract in my hands, I absentmindedly made my way back to my office when my phone buzzed with a notification.
It was a text from Mum:
"Come home early for dinner. Roya's visiting."
The moment I saw Roya's name, my mood instantly lifted.
It had been a while since I'd seen my best friend, and we had so much to catch up on. I needed this—a break from all the chaos, a moment to breathe.
And what better way to unwind than with a self-care night with my bestie? A little gossip, some face masks, and maybe even a glass of wine.
Just what I needed.
But… why didn't she text me that she was coming? Roya usually gave me a heads-up.
I'll have to ask her when I see her.
It was finally time to leave. A glance at the clock—6:00 on the dot. Perfect. If I left now, I'd be home by 7, just in time for dinner.
I gathered my belongings, slung my bag over my shoulder, and made my way out—for once, actually looking forward to the evening.
"Eat, eat! Both of you are so skinny. Do you think success tastes better than food?"Mum said with a shockingly curious tone.
"Mum, please. I eat." I said, stuffing a forkful of pasta into my mouth. "See? Eating."
"Lies. I bet you survive on coffee and revenge these days." Roya said as she gave me a knowing smirk before sipping her juice.
"First of all, revenge is a full-course meal. Second—okay, fine, maybe I need to eat more."
"Exactly! Roya, make sure she eats. I'm leaving you two to gossip." Mum stood up and took her glass of wine upstairs, finally leaving us alone.
The moment she was out of earshot, Roya leaned in dramatically, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Okay, so… I found something."
I paused, fork halfway to my mouth.
"Define 'something.'"I asked.
"Something big. Like, 'I-might-have-just-found-a-way-to-make-that-bastard-lose' kind of big."
My heart jumped.
"Talk. Now."
She grinned, loving the suspense, then pulled out her phone and showed me a screenshot of a hidden account.
"Michael has a secret account in the Caymans. And guess what? Some of the money in there—was yours."
I blinked. Once. Twice. My fingers clenched around my glass.
"You're kidding."
"I wish. Your stolen money is sitting in an offshore account, just waiting for us to do something about it."
"How the hell did you find this?"
"I have my ways." She smirked. "Also… I might have made a friend in financial forensics."
I shook my head in disbelief, my pulse racing.
"So what do we do? Can we get it back?"
"Not legally, unless you have an army of lawyers and a miracle. But… I know someone who knows someone who might be able to make things 'difficult' for Michael."
I leaned back, exhaling. The anger, the frustration, the hunger for justice—it all mixed into something dangerous.
"Roya… you might have just handed me the key to ruining him."
"And that's why I'm your best friend." She raised her glass.
I clinked mine against hers.
"To revenge."
"And to getting your empire back."
After we finished our dinner, we went to my room to watch a movie and proceed with our self-care routine. Two minutes into the movie,
"You really should've texted me that you were coming, Roya. I was so caught off guard when my mum told me you were coming!" I said before taking a sip of wine.
"I know, I know. I didn't want you to feel like you had to prepare for me or, you know, make it into a big deal."Roya shrugs casually, smiling.
"But you did just show up without telling me... What's up with that?" raising an eyebrow
"I told your mum," she said
I couldn't help but roll my eyes." You know what I mean."
Roya pauses for a moment, then leans in slightly, and her expression softens. "Honestly, I wasn't sure if I'd even make it here today. Things have been kind of hectic for me, too. I didn't want to promise and then back out at the last minute." She laughs lightly.
"But I figured you needed a break more than anything, and if I told you I was coming, you'd probably stress about getting everything ready, or worse, you'd feel like you had to play the 'host.'"
"I get it... But I still don't know why you didn't let me know beforehand. It would've been nice to be at least prepared for your surprise." I nod slowly, understanding
"I thought the surprise would be better. Plus, there's a little something in my head I've been dying to tell you, and I figured if I didn't make it a 'planned' thing, it would be a little more casual. No pressure."Roya said while smiling mischievously
"What is it? Now you've got me curious."I leaned in, intrigued by what she had to say
Roya pauses, looks down for a second before looking back up with a smile. "Well... and I just didn't want to let you in on all of it until I had some of my ducks in a row. You know me—I don't like to drop bombs without feeling sure of everything first. It's been a weird week, to be honest. But... I wanted this night to be for us, just to relax and talk. No agenda. No stress."
Oh my gosh, she's so cute. How was I lucky enough to be blessed with a friend like her?
"You're always looking out for me, huh?" smiling softly, feeling a little comforted.
She grins warmly. "You're my best friend. Of course I am. You needed this just as much as I did."
I sighed, feeling the weight of everything start to lift. "I didn't realize how much I needed this. Just some time to breathe, to focus on something else besides everything that's been happening. Thank you for coming."
She laughs softly. "You're welcome. Just wait till we get to the good part of the night—face masks and wine, right?"
"That's the plan."