Chapter 125
Chapter Title: The Breaking Point
Myra winced as Sean grabbed her hand. The pain from the handcuff marks still lingered, and she couldn’t suppress the flare of anger that rose within her. “What the hell are you doing?” she snapped, her voice tight with discomfort.
Sean noticed the pain in her expression and, lowering his gaze, saw the dark bruises on her wrist. His face immediately shifted to one of concern. “What’s this?” he asked, his voice softer but laced with tension.
It wasn’t just the hand he held; her other wrist bore similar blue-black marks, the evidence of her recent ordeal.
“This is none of your business,” Myra replied curtly, yanking her hand out of his grasp. Despite the pain, she managed to stay firm.
Sean hesitated, his thoughts racing. She hadn’t had any injuries when he saw her last, and now, after one night… His face darkened as realization hit him. “Is this because of what happened last night?” he asked, his voice trailing off.
The words hung in the air between them, but Myra felt a bitter resentment bubble up. She had been used and manipulated, and now he was acting as if he had any right to care about her suffering. The man she once loved had turned her life into a battlefield.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed the anger aside, returning to her detached, indifferent stance. “Director Chase, if you don’t let go of me, your lover over there might get worried,” she said, her voice cool.
Sean froze, his eyes shifting instinctively to where Lyla stood watching from a distance. The reality of what Myra had said sank in, and his expression faltered. He turned back to Myra, his internal conflict evident. “About last night… I didn’t mean to send you to the police station,” he started, his tone almost apologetic.
Myra’s laugh was dry. “Of course you didn’t mean to. It was all planned out from the start.” Her gaze was cold as she looked at him one last time. She had once loved him with all her heart, but now, he was the source of her deepest wounds. If she could go back in time, she would have never let him ruin her life. “Sean Chase, we are over.”
She enunciated those words carefully, making sure they were clear. With a final glance, she turned and walked past him, leaving the painful history behind.
Across the street, a sleek black Maybach glinted under the midday sun. Myra’s phone rang, and she quickly answered it. “Hello?”
On the other end, Tony’s voice was low and measured, but there was an underlying tension. “Reigniting old flames with your ex? You were standing there with him for so long. What did you talk about?”
A small chuckle escaped Myra as she responded, her voice light. “Are you jealous?” Her dimples deepened as she smiled, and for a moment, everything seemed to blossom around her, her confidence radiating.
Tony, sitting in the car parked a street away, felt his heart flutter as he watched her speak. The way she held the phone, her head slightly lowered, made his chest tighten. “There’s a new restaurant on Jasmine Street. Are you hungry?”
Myra touched her stomach, realizing just how ravenous she was. A playful smile crept onto her lips. “Dear Director Hart, I wonder if I could have the honor of treating you to a meal today?”
Tony’s tone shifted, a hint of teasing in his voice. “Did you come into a windfall or something? You seem awfully pleased with yourself.”
Myra ignored the slight edge in his voice, still smiling. “Oh, indeed. I’ve secured 20% of the shares I got from the Stark Group, and… 50% of the land in Hilliville from Chase Group!” She couldn’t help but sound pleased with herself as she spoke about the latter.
Tony’s silence spoke volumes, and Myra could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind. Fifty percent of Hilliville?
A soft chuckle escaped him. “Well, in that case, I guess you really do owe me a meal,” he said, his voice rich with amusement. “Half of Sean’s wealth is now in your hands. Is this your form of compensation?”
Myra didn’t respond, but the smile on her lips was enough. She walked past Eve and Lyla without sparing them a glance, her footsteps light and purposeful. They were strangers to her now, and there was no need for pleasantries.
Eve, watching Myra cross the road and enter the Maybach, felt a wave of dizziness. Her blood boiled at the thought of Myra taking half of Hilliville—especially now that it seemed Myra had already moved on to another wealthy man.
Sean, returning after hearing Eve’s exclamation, clenched his fists, the veins on his hands popping from the tension. His face was grim as he spoke, the frustration in his voice unmistakable. “Mom, let’s go back.”
Eve sighed heavily, her anger directed at Myra. “She’s clearly involved with a rich man now, and still, she took Hilliville from Sean—after everything he’s done for it. She’s ruthless, selfish, and vile.”
Lyla, however, remained still, her gaze fixed on the Maybach. Her face was pale, and an unsettling feeling gnawed at her. Something wasn’t right. Did Myra’s father, Cameron Stark, really bail her out last night? Her gut twisted as the ominous thought lingered.
“Lyla. Lyla!” Sean called her name several times, his tone sharp. Finally, she snapped back to reality, but her expression remained troubled.
“What’s wrong?” Sean asked, his brow furrowing in concern.
Lyla bit her lip, the unease still bubbling inside her. “Nothing… I think I’m just dizzy from the sun.”
Before she could say more, her phone rang, its shrill tone breaking the silence. Her heart skipped a beat as she hesitated to answer, knowing something important was on the other end. Finally, with both Sean and Eve watching, she picked up.
“Hello?”
“Miss Fisher, Director Hart needs to speak with you,” came the calm, composed voice on the other end.
Lyla’s eyes darted to the two people standing beside her, and she stepped away to speak in private. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice lowered.
Leo’s response came swiftly, his tone serious. “Director Hart is giving you two options, Miss Fisher. You can choose one: First, he’ll buy up the remaining 50% of the Hilliville properties. Second, you remain silent.”
Lyla’s breath hitched. “What?” Her voice rose, panic starting to creep in.
Sean and Eve, who had been watching her, exchanged glances as they noticed her unease. But Lyla wasn’t listening to them. Her mind raced. This was bigger than anything she had expected.
She turned away, her voice shaky as she asked, “Leo, what exactly does Director Hart mean by this?”
The response was chilling. “You know what he means, Miss Fisher. If he buys the remaining properties in Hilliville, you need to keep quiet about it. Otherwise, you might find it difficult to speak at all.”
The weight of his words settled in, and Lyla’s stomach churned. Whatever was going on, it was far more complicated than she had imagined.