Chapter 2 Nothing Left to Lose

The next morning, I went straight to Dakota's company.

I wasn't there to beg for mercy. I wanted to see for myself whether they'd still be so shameless when the Department of Revenue came knocking.

I barged into the CEO's office. Dakota's gaze flickered when she saw me, open disgust and arrogance in her eyes.

"Have you changed your mind? Here to sign the property transfer agreement for the family estate, aren't you?"

She pulled out a document and flung it at my feet. "Sign it already. Maybe then you'll get your mother's ashes back."

I glanced down at the agreement, a faint sneer tugging at my lips, then planted my foot on it.

"Asher! Don't be so ungrateful!" Dakota shot to her feet, the veins in her forehead bulging. "Do you still think you're the Blake family's precious heir? Let me tell you something. Your mother's dead! There's no one left to stand up for you!"

"That's right. My mother's dead." I walked toward her, my gaze cold and venomous. "I have nothing left now, so there's nothing to fear."

I stopped at her desk, a sinister smile crossing my face. "Tell me, what do you think someone with nothing left to lose is capable of?"

The next second, I snatched up the fountain pen on her desk and drove it down hard as her eyes widened.

"Asher Blake!"

The pen's tip pierced her knuckles, and blood gushed from the wound. Dakota's furious scream seemed to drown out everything around me.

My ears were ringing when, in the next instant, her hand clamped around my throat.

Agonizing pain shot through my neck. I was choking so badly that my vision went black, and my face swelled and turned purple.

The commotion drew a crowd of employees to the office.

Just then, Walter walked in with a cup of coffee, feigning surprise. "Dakota, Asher, what's going on? Don't fight!"

He hurried to Dakota's side and clung to her arm, pretending to calm her down.

"Asher, your mother just passed away. We understand you're not thinking clearly right now. But that doesn't mean you can come to Dakota's company and act like this. Imagine how bad it would look if word got out."

He then turned to the watching employees, his eyes reddening as he put on a wounded expression.

"Please don't blame Asher. He probably just can't accept what happened. I thought I heard him say he was going to kill Dakota."

He sounded concerned, but his words only added fuel to the fire.

The employees began pointing at me, their faces full of contempt and disapproval.

"So he's got mental problems. That's scary."

"He hurt Ms. Lennox like that, and he still has the nerve to make a scene!"

"Mr. Kingsleigh is such a good person. He's even sticking up for this lunatic."

With Walter calming her and the employees backing her up, Dakota snapped out of it and threw me to the floor.

Her vanity and need for control seemed fully satisfied, and her voice rose sharply. "Asher! Look at yourself! Apologize to Walter right now!"

I staggered to my feet and couldn't help scoffing. "Apologize? As if he deserves one."

Dakota lost her temper completely. She stormed toward me and seized my wrist. I heard a sharp crack as she broke my hand.

Her eyes were red with fury, and her voice turned vicious. "I said apologize! Do you hear me?"

My face went pale with pain, but I refused to make a sound.

My hatred surged to its peak. I grabbed her by the collar and slammed her toward the window.

With a crash, the glass shattered, revealing the street far below.

Dakota's eyes widened as she grabbed me by the throat and forced me out through the broken window.

"Asher! Are you trying to get us both killed?"

Half my body was hanging out the window. The cold wind cut across my face, but I wasn't afraid.

I stared straight at her, my eyes burning with hatred.

"You want my family's estate? Kill me, then. I'll make sure Walter pays for it, even if I have to come back from the dead."

The hatred in my eyes caught Dakota off guard, and for a moment, she seemed visibly panicked.

Walter immediately stepped forward, pretending to play peacemaker. "Dakota, calm down. Asher didn't mean to…"

The people I'd been waiting for still hadn't shown up. I was sick of waiting.

I slammed Dakota against the wall.

As everyone watched in horror, I turned to leave.

But Walter suddenly rushed forward and dumped his scalding coffee over my arm.

The coffee felt as if it were cooking my skin, and I convulsed in pain.

Dakota glanced at my arm, already red and swollen, then looked at Walter, who was putting on a show of panic.

In the end, she ignored my pain, wrapped her arms around Walter, and snapped at me.

"Get out! Bring me the property transfer agreement tomorrow morning! Otherwise, I'll make sure your mother doesn't even get to rest in peace."

Security guards shoved me toward the exit with a metal pole.

Downstairs, I crossed paths with a team of Department of Revenue inspectors.

I watched them head straight for the top floor of Lennox Group and smiled. With that, I wrenched myself free of the guards.

I whistled and called Grayson. My voice was frighteningly calm. "The delay worked. Get ready to start tonight, just after midnight. Also, don't forget to save the nastiest spot for her grandfather."