Chapter 99
“But…” Tilly hesitated, knowing she was going to miss Myra a lot. Still, she couldn’t deny the truth in Myra’s words. She was just an ordinary girl from a regular family, and the pay she’d get at another job wouldn’t match what she had at Chase Group. “You have to keep in touch with me, Miss Stark. We can still talk, even if we work at different companies,” Tilly said, her voice full of concern.
For the first time that day, a broad smile spread across Myra’s face. “Of course,” she replied.
Myra felt much more at ease now—it was probably because she had finally signed the divorce papers. She could feel herself slowly detaching from the Sunny Bay Project, handing over most of her responsibilities to Tilly. Four days after Sean had left, Myra drove to the Chase Group building as usual. She parked in the basement and was heading to her usual spot when she noticed an elegant Aston Martin Taraf parked next to her.
There were only a few people in Bradfort City who could afford a car like this. The owner must be looking for Sean. Has he returned from his business trip? Myra didn’t dwell on it too much; she just figured she’d check if Sean was back in the office. After parking her car, she headed up in the elevator. As per Tilly’s request, Myra had been organizing her architectural projects and other design collections to hand over to her.
She had barely started organizing when her phone rang. She answered with a smile, “Hello?”
“Miss Stark! Miss Stark! Ahh—” Tilly’s terrified screams came from the other end, mixed with the harsh voices of several men.
Myra’s heart sank. “What’s going on, Tilly?!”
“T-Tilly, Miss Stark…” Tilly was sobbing, struggling to regain control of the phone. “There are riots at the construction site! The foreman, Chris Harvey, wants to meet with you. He says the workers haven’t been paid, and they’ve stopped working…”
Riots at the construction site? Myra’s face grew serious. The Sunny Bay Project had been running smoothly up until now. She had checked with the finance department about the workers’ salaries, and they had confirmed that payments would be processed soon. There shouldn’t be any issue with their pay.
“Tilly, stop crying. Give the phone to Chris—there must be some misunderstanding here.” Myra’s voice was firm.
Tilly quickly handed the phone over, and soon a hoarse voice came on the line. “Are you Miss Stark?”
Myra knew she couldn’t waste any time. “Yes, I’m Miss Stark. Chris, please tell the workers that Chase Group will pay them soon. I’ve already confirmed with the finance department. The project can’t be delayed, or Chase Group will suffer serious losses. The workers need to continue their work.”
“I don’t care about your losses!” Chris yelled aggressively. “How do you expect the workers to stay motivated when they haven’t been paid? You owe us two months’ salary. Do you think we can just keep working without being paid? If this isn’t resolved, we’ll take you to court!” His words were followed by the angry voices of the other workers in the background.
“Please calm down,” Myra said, trying to keep the situation under control. If this went to court, the Sunny Bay Project would be ruined, and Chase Group would have to cover the losses. Not to mention, Hart Group would likely blame them as well. Taking a deep breath, Myra continued, “Chase Group is a reputable company. We would never withhold workers’ pay. Director Chase is away, but he’s coming back today. Once he’s back, we can sort this out.”
“I don’t want to hear any of your excuses! Get to the construction site now, or I’ll make sure your young colleague pays the price!” Chris growled, before abruptly ending the call.
Myra’s face hardened at the sound of the busy signal. Without wasting another moment, she grabbed her coat, rushed to the elevator, and headed straight for her car.
As she drove out, she noticed a man in the backseat of the Aston Martin Taraf, watching her every move. His sharp eyes narrowed as he observed her hurried expression, but he said nothing. Another man, neatly dressed in a suit, opened the front door of the car and got in. “Director Hart, I’ve given the documents to Miss Fisher. She’s grateful for your help and said this was her way of repaying you,” the man said respectfully.
The man in the backseat chuckled, a hint of mockery in his tone. He tore the documents apart without even glancing at them. “Repaying me…” he mused, before tossing the shredded paper into the air. A bright red flame erupted from the remnants, sending thick smoke billowing around the car.
“Drive,” the man in the backseat ordered, his deep voice cold.
The driver nodded, visibly uneasy, before starting the car and pulling away.
Myra’s mind raced as she sped toward the construction site. She debated calling the police but was worried about making the situation worse. She tried reaching Sean, but his phone went unanswered. She tried calling Richard, but again, no response. Calls to the project manager and design director were also ignored. It seemed like no one was available to help. In desperation, she dialed Leo.
“Is something wrong, Miss Stark?” Leo’s voice came through, warm and friendly as always, even after the tension with Tony.
“There’s a riot at the Sunny Bay construction site. The workers have taken Tilly hostage, and I don’t know what to do,” Myra said quickly. “Can you send some men to control the situation?”
Leo immediately sensed the urgency in her voice. “Where are you now, Miss Stark?”
“I’m on my way there now,” Myra answered, worry creeping into her tone. “I thought about calling the police, but I’m afraid it might escalate. I couldn’t reach anyone else, so I called you.”
“Listen to me, Miss Stark,” Leo said, his voice firm. “Don’t go to the construction site yet. I’ll inform Director Hart, and he’ll handle it. Stay put for now.”
Director Hart would handle it? Myra felt a flicker of relief but was still uncertain. “Okay, I’ll leave it to you. Thank you.” She slowed the car, but after hanging up, she stepped on the gas and headed back toward the site. It would take Leo nearly two hours to reach the construction site, and she couldn’t—she wouldn’t—leave Tilly alone for that long.
Thirty minutes later, Myra arrived at the Sunny Bay Project construction site. The place was eerily quiet. She walked toward the central area, hearing the distant sounds of shouting. When she reached the spot, she found it deserted. The workers were either gone or gathered in a distant group, keeping their distance.