Alexandrite

Jason’s car waited at the curb—sleek, black, impossibly new. The kind of car that didn’t ask for attention, yet took it anyway. Mason handed Jason the keys and disappeared without ceremony.

“You move fast,” I said as Jason opened the door for me.

“I move prepared,” he replied.

The city slipped past us in reflections of glass and steel. Jason drove with the calm certainty of a man who never relied on luck.

“We’re going to city hall,” he said evenly.

I turned toward him. “Already?”

“Yes. Everything is arranged. Licenses approved. A civil ceremony. Private.”

I nodded. No hesitation.

As we neared the building, movement on the steps caught my eye.

Oscar and Amelie were exiting city hall.

Amelie wore a white ensemble—tailored, expensive, unmistakably bridal without the weight of a gown. Her arm was linked through Oscar’s, her smile radiant, victorious.

They didn’t look our way.

They didn’t see us.

Jason waited until they disappeared into the crowd before pulling into a space directly in front of the entrance.

“They got married,” I said quietly.

“Yes,” Jason replied.

He didn’t sound surprised.

“I’ll never understand my brother,” he added after a moment. “My investigator found no evidence he was cheating on you. Not with Amelie. Not with anyone.”

I turned to him.

“He chose neglect,” Jason continued. “Not betrayal. And marrying Amelie won’t bring him anything good. Not for himself. Not for the company. She brings no leverage. No assets. Only appearances.”

Before I could respond, my phone vibrated.

I glanced at the screen.

Aella Ríos — Board Chair

I answered.

“Amber,” Aella said without greeting, her voice tight. “We need to talk. You can’t take the properties with you.”

I smiled faintly.

“Terminating your relationship with Oscar doesn’t mean the company isn’t still yours,” she continued quickly. “You’re one of the owners. We can negotiate—”

“I didn’t quit,” I said calmly. “I was fired.”

Silence.

“That’s—” Aella stopped herself. “That doesn’t change—”

“It changes everything,” I interrupted. “I never signed an employment contract. Or a partnership agreement. Because I was presented as an owner.”

I looked through the windshield at city hall’s stone steps.

“There is nothing tying my personal assets to the company,” I continued. “The properties were purchased with my money. The contracts are under my name. I paid the taxes. When the company was low on funds, I covered the acquisitions myself.”

Aella exhaled sharply. “Amber—”

“You terminated me,” I said evenly. “Which means you also terminated any illusion that my assets belonged to the company, You had to know this was going to happen, i presented plenty of oportunities for the company to buy ownership le the properties, but was rejected everytime, since Max is oh so sure that Amelie was doing my job and covering for me, then simply have her do my job, just remember those last development contracts? they were signed under My name as well.”

The call ended shortly after, i did not get any response from Aella.

I lowered my phone.

Jason didn’t ask questions. He already knew.

“Mason,” he said. “I need you to take care of Amber Ash’s property situation. Secure ownership, freeze transfers, and prepare for incoming legal noise, make a public statement, we are going to release some records, that show that although the properties belong to her she has not receive the apropiate compensation for their use, we are going to have to get the legal departament involved.”

A pause.

“Yes. Immediately.”

He ended the call and opened my door.

He reached into his coat and pulled out a black velvet box.

Inside lay an alexandrite ring, its color shifting subtly as it caught the light.

“This has been in my family for generations,” he said quietly. “It belonged to my mother.”

He slid the ring onto my finger—steady, intentional.

Then, without missing a beat, he pulled out his phone and took a picture of our hands.

sunlight washed over the steps of city hall.

What we didn’t notice—

Across the plaza—

Daniel Cruz, one of Oscar’s closest friends, stood frozen, champagne bottle hanging uselessly at his side.

He watched Jason Sun place a ring on my finger.

Watched us walk into city hall together.

By the time the doors closed behind us, he was already dialing.

Some fires start quietly.

Others are lit with precision.