CHAPTER 27

Helena's pov

The heavy glass doors of the league’s headquarters swished shut behind me, sealing away the flashes of the cameras and the rapid-fire questions of the reporters. Inside, the grand lobby was dead silent.

It was over.

Within less than an hour of our explosive press conference, the entire sports world had completely flipped upside down. My phone was buzzing constantly in my coat pocket with breaking news alerts that were popping up on millions of screens across the country at the exact same time:

Brent had been suspended and officially banned Brent indefinitely following allegations of match-fixing and financial ruin.

Vanessa had been fired and her league management had terminated Vanessa’s contract immediately for fraud and deception.

While I have been cleared of all charges against me and my professional reputation has been fully restored

I stood in the middle of the marble lobby, taking a long, slow breath.

For months, my name had been dragged through the mud. People had whispered about me in hallways, pointed fingers at me online, and treated me like a villain.

But now, the truth is finally out. My honor was back. I wasn't just cleared; I was once again recognized as one of the smartest, most talented managers in the entire sport.

I caught my reflection in the polished glass walls. I didn't look like a victim anymore. I looked like a survivor.

Tucking my leather portfolio under my arm, I walked toward the private elevator that led down to the underground parking garage. The victory felt amazing, but I knew the air was still thick with tension. Victory always brought a storm right behind it.

Down in the lower level of the parking garage, the air was cool and smelled of damp concrete and warm car engines.

I pulled out my car keys, pressing the button. The metallic beep-beep rang out through the quiet space.

"You think you won, don't you?"

The voice was harsh, cracked, and full of poison.

I stopped dead in my tracks. Stepping out from behind a large concrete pillar was Vanessa. But she didn't look like the cool, sleek, highly polished professional she usually pretended to be. Her designer jacket was wrinkled, her hair was a mess, and her eyes were wide, red, and completely unhinged.

Vanessa had lost everything in a single afternoon. Her career was gone. Her money was gone. Her prestige was dust.

"It's over, Vanessa," I said calmly, keeping my voice as steady and even as I could. "Go home."

"Home?" Vanessa let out a bitter, wild laugh that echoed off the high concrete ceiling. "I don't have a home anymore! The league took my license. Security threw my things into a cardboard box and marched me out the back door like a criminal! And it's all because of you!"

She took three fast, aggressive steps toward me, invading my space. Her hands were shaking with pure rage.

"You think clearing your name fixes this?" Vanessa spat, her voice dropping into a desperate, terrifying whisper.

"You have no idea what you’ve done, Helena. Brent didn't just break the rules, he borrowed millions of dollars from some very, very bad people to cover his gambling debts. Dangerous people. And now that Brent is ruined and suspended, he can't pay them back."

She leaned in closer, her eyes glittering with menace. "When those people come looking for their money, they aren't just going to hunt down Brent. They know I was involved. And they know you were the one who blew the whistle. They are coming for both of us, Helena. You aren't safe. You’ll be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life!"

The threat was heavy. A few weeks ago, a speech like that would have made my heart hammer against my ribs. It would have made me freeze with terror, but today? I didn't even flinch.

Before I could even open my mouth to reply, a massive shadow fell over both of us.

The door to the staircase clicked open, and a tall, powerful figure stepped smoothly into the dim fluorescent light of the garage.

It was Jarret. He stepped right in between Vanessa and me without making a sound, placing his massive frame like a shield in front of me.

Vanessa gasped and took a quick step backward, suddenly realizing just how small and helpless she actually was.

Jarrett looked down at her. There was not a trace of emotion on his face, just absolute, dangerous authority.

"That's enough, Vanessa," Jarrett said. His deep voice boomed through the quiet garage, rattling the pipes overhead. "You're done talking. And you're done threatening people."

Vanessa clutched her purse to her chest, her confidence melting away into pure panic. "Jarrett, you don't understand—"

"I understand completely," Jarrett interrupted, his cold eyes piercing into her. "I know who Brent owes money to. And I know that you need to get on a plane and leave this city tonight. Because if you ever come near Helena again, those bad people you're so scared of will be the least of your problems. Do you understand me?"

Vanessa swallowed hard. She looked up at Jarrett's massive frame, then peeked around his shoulder at me. For the first time, I could tell she realized she had completely lost the battle. She had no moves left to make.

Without another word, Vanessa turned on her high heels and practically ran toward the exit, the frantic clack-clack-clack of her shoes fading into the distance until the heavy exit doors slammed shut behind her.

Silence returned to the parking garage after she left.

Jarrett slowly turned around to face me. The terrifying, stone-cold look on his face instantly melted into one of deep concern and gentle respect.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, looking me over to make sure I wasn't hurt. "She's right about one thing—Brent put himself in a really dark, dangerous place with some bad crowds."

I looked at Jarrett, then looked out into the shadowy corners of the underground garage. For months, I had lived with the fear of losing my job, afraid of ruining my reputation, afraid of what my enemies might do to me in the shadows.

But as I stood there today, fully vindicated, fully supported, and completely whole, I felt a strange, deep sense of peace settle into my chest. The fear was completely gone.

I looked up at Jarrett and offered a small, confident smile.

"Let them try," I said softly, my voice cool, steady, and unbroken. "I've spent too long hiding in the shadows, Jarrett. I'm not afraid of the dark anymore.”