LOGINI tried to close the door immediately, but Derick was faster.
He wedged his foot between the door and the frame, preventing me from shutting it."I told you to get out!" I screamed."You're not getting rid of me that easily."Before I could react, he shoved the door so hard that it slammed against the wall.The impact made me lose my balance.I fell backward onto the floor, feeling a sharp pain shoot through my hip.Derick stepped inside and closed the doorI started trembling as soon as I finished reading the message."Next time will be worse."I read the words again, hoping to find some explanation that would make the fear spreading through my body disappear.But there was none.Someone was threatening me.And after Derick's break-in, I couldn't bring myself to believe it was a joke.Lucy took my phone and examined the number."Do you know who sent this?"I shook my head."No. It's an unknown number.""Could it be Derick?""I don't know."My throat tightened.An idea crossed my mind, and I felt my eyes fill with tears."What if it's George?"Lucy looked up."Candy, he's in prison.""But what if he managed to contact someone? What if he's sending people after me?""We're not going to jump to conclusions before the police investigate."I started crying.I was trying to move on, rebuild my businesses, and take care of the baby, but it see
That voice!I would recognize that tone anywhere.It was Lucy.My friend had come to save me.For a moment, I felt my legs grow even weaker.I wanted to open the bathroom door and run into her arms, but fear still kept me frozen in place.On the other side, Derick burst out laughing."Well, well! Who do we have here? An old lady trying to play the hero?""Drop that axe now or I'll shoot you. I won't warn you again," Lucy replied.The firmness in her voice surprised me.I had never heard Lucy speak like that before."Are you threatening me?" Derick asked mockingly. "What do you think you're going to do with that gun, you old woman?""I've already given you my order."He laughed again."I doubt you have the guts. I'm still holding the axe. So? What are you going to do?"I held my breath.I knew Lucy was armed, but I had no idea how that situation would end."Last chance," she warned."You're goin
I tried to close the door immediately, but Derick was faster.He wedged his foot between the door and the frame, preventing me from shutting it."I told you to get out!" I screamed."You're not getting rid of me that easily."Before I could react, he shoved the door so hard that it slammed against the wall.The impact made me lose my balance.I fell backward onto the floor, feeling a sharp pain shoot through my hip.Derick stepped inside and closed the door behind him."What did you do to my brother, you bitch?" he shouted, approaching me. "You're going to pay for this!"I tried to crawl away from him."Help! I didn't do anything, Derick! Let me go!"He grabbed my arm and yanked me to my feet."Don't lie to me! George is in prison because of you!""He's in prison because of what he did! None of this is my fault!"Derick tightened his grip on my arm.The pain made me grit my teeth, but when he leaned forward t
James kept staring at me as if he expected me to take back what I had just said. "George is in prison?" he repeated, still trying to understand. "That doesn't make any sense. What happened?" I crossed my arms. "He was taken to prison after being discharged from the hospital. There was a break-in, an assault, and several other things that are now in the police's hands." "A break-in?" "George broke into Lucy's house armed with an axe. He injured my friend and tried to hurt me too. If Anderson hadn't shown up, I don't even know what would have happened." James ran a hand over his face. "My God..." He looked around as if he needed somewhere to sit down. "I thought he'd disappeared because of the debts." "Debts?" "Yes. George had been avoiding talking to me for weeks. I tried to contact him, but he wouldn't answer. Then he simply stopped showing up at the gym." I felt a knot form in my stomach. "What kind of debt?" Jam
I could still feel the tension from our previous argument lingering in my body, but I didn't want my first visit to the gym as its future co-owner to be defined by the fear of confronting Chloe.That morning, I had come specifically to get a better understanding of how the place operated and discuss the next steps of the ownership transfer with James.Lucy had insisted on coming with me, saying I didn't have to face anything alone anymore.I knew she was right, although I had no intention of turning every problem into a battle.Chloe was standing near the lockers, talking to two female members, when she noticed me watching her.She held my gaze for a few seconds and flashed a mocking smile, as if she still had some power over me.Lucy stood beside me.James was talking to an employee near the reception desk, but he was following our movements through the reflection in the mirror.I could have asked Chloe to speak privately.I could have told her to collect her things and leave the gym
I stared at the lawyer's message. A week ago, I had no money left after George disappeared with our savings. Today, I was the owner of half of that gym. Lucy took my phone to read the message, and a huge smile spread across her face, as if the news belonged to her too. "You did it! Candy, do you have any idea what this means?" "It means I'll finally be able to walk into that place without feeling like George is still in control of me." "It means much more than that." Lucy handed my phone back and took my hands. "You have three businesses now: Candy Cake, Candy Fit, and half of a gym. Three businesses!" I smiled, feeling a new energy spreading through my body. "I'm thinking about putting my name on the gym too." Lucy stared at me for a few seconds. "Do you really want to put Candy in everything?" "Why not? Candy Cake, Candy Fit, and Candy Gym." She burst out laughing. "That sounds like the name of an empire built by a w







