Chapter 4: Defiance in D Major

TORI

I paced behind the curtain, heat rising in my chest as the night played on a loop in my head.

My hands curled into fists, then slowly released at my sides. Each breath came fast, shallow. Get it together.

The bullying at the tech company. The sleazy advances from the marketing director. Now my new boss, an arrogant jerk, seemed determined to make my life hell.

Dickhead.

Oh God. My cheeks went hot. I pressed my palms to my face like that could somehow undo the embarrassment sinking in. Did that really happen?

I hadn’t had a clue what a man’s arousal felt like. Not until tonight. And now my boss knew exactly how clueless I was. My stomach twisted, the memory running through me like a live wire.

I wanted to disappear, to erase the last few hours, the last few months. Everything had led to this moment, every little indignity stacking higher and higher until I couldn’t breathe beneath the weight of it.

One more thing. Just one. And I was done. I’d walk away without a second thought.

Just imagining it loosened something in my chest, like I could finally breathe.

I had enough saved to get by for a while. Long enough to figure out what came next. Something that didn’t involve assholes hell-bent on breaking me just to uncover my secrets.

“Tori Valencia will kick things off tonight.”

The sound of my name rang through the speakers, sharp and inescapable.

My stomach dropped.

Laughter spilled from the corner of the room, sweet, smug, triumphant.

Lisa and Matt.

They huddled together, whispering like conspiring little gremlins, their giddiness practically vibrating between them.

Those conniving shits. Of course, they had done this. They wouldn’t stop until they wrung every drop of humiliation from me.

They signed me up for karaoke.

The band was on break, and karaoke had taken over in the meantime. I shot a look at Lisa and Matt, their grins widening.

That’s it. I’ve had it with their bullshit. Fuck them. Fuck this job.

An idea sparked. I walked toward the band, my determination growing with every step.

“I know you all just started your break, but how about one more song before you take it?” My voice stayed steady, even with the fire building inside me. “It’s not on the karaoke list, but I need this one.”

They exchanged glances. A beat. Then the drummer nodded.

“Sure, Tori. What do you need?”

“‘ABCDEFU’ by Gayle,” I said, my lips curling into something that wasn’t quite a smile.

Their eyebrows lifted, but they didn’t hesitate. They tuned their instruments quickly and efficiently. No turning back now.

I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. The consequences didn’t matter. Termination? Guaranteed. But the satisfaction? Worth it.

A quick tug and twist, and my skirt transformed into a mini. My hair slipped loose, the pins falling away one by one. The tight updo collapsed, and with it, something else let go. It felt like peeling off a version of me I didn’t need anymore.

A low ripple moved through the room. Soft voices. The hum of surprise. A few phones came out. Whispers trailed after them.

“What is she doing?”

“Is she really getting up there with the band?”

I felt their eyes on me. All of them. But I didn’t flinch.

Mr. Kincade leaned forward in his seat, eyes locked on me. I couldn’t tell if he was impressed or just curious, but either way, he was watching like he hadn’t really seen me until now.

The band offered quiet nods, small smiles. The lead guitarist gave me a quick wink. Then the first chords cut through the room.

The mic was cool in my grip. My heart pounded, too fast, too loud. I drew in a breath, squared my shoulders, and lifted my head.

They want a show? Fine. I’ll give them one.

I pulled the mic free from the stand, lifted my chin, and let my voice fill the room. Every note, every lyric, dripped with anger. My body vibrated with adrenaline, my eyes locking onto Lisa and Matt as I delivered each line.

Fuck you and your job and your stupid VPN

And your junk-ass tech, you can kiss my ass...

Fuck you and your friends that I’ll never see again

Everybody in this room, you can all fuck off…

I hit the chorus and stepped off the stage, adrenaline coursing through me as I stalked toward my tormentors. Heat coiled in my chest, tightening with every step.

I locked eyes with them, letting the fire in my veins show as I shouted, “A-B-C-D-E, fuck you!” I threw up my middle finger, each word a punch to the air.

My focus snapped to Mr. Kincade, my breath coming fast.

I was loyal once, but I’m over it now

And I was trying to be nice

But nothing’s getting through, so let me spell it out

A-B-C-D-E, Fuck You

The last note echoed through the room, then dropped into silence.

***

DANTE

My jaw clenched. Each lyric cut through the air, sharper than the last. The room blurred at the edges, shrinking until there was only Tori, fierce and untouchable.

Fury surged, hot and immediate. But beneath it, something twisted in my gut. Fascination, unwanted and undeniable. How the hell did she go from invisible to unstoppable in one night?

The crowd reacted in waves: murmurs, gasps, a roar of applause. She had them. All of them. Her voice carried like a storm, rough and emotional, filling every corner of the room. She moved like she owned it, confidence dripping from every step.

Applause crashed around me. Phones hovered in the air, screens glowing as they captured her final assault. And she walked straight toward me. Eyes locked on mine. Those last lyrics aimed like a weapon.

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. Rage bubbled under my skin, my fists curled tight. The audacity. The nerve. Inches from me, she made me feel every damn note. Fury tangled with contempt.

The last note rang out. She dropped the mic at my feet. Flipped me off.

“I quit,” she said.

Then she turned and walked away. Never looked back.

How dare she?

Bold. Reckless. Completely out of line.

Whatever flicker of desire I’d once felt, she’d doused it in ice water and walked away. There was only one thing left now: revenge.

This wasn’t attitude. It was a direct challenge. A public one. Unforgivable. If this went viral, and it would, my associates would question everything. My control. My authority. That couldn’t happen.

I stood frozen, fury and disbelief pounding in my blood. The room buzzed, whispers and tapping thumbs everywhere. But all I could hear was the heavy drum of my heart.

She thought this was a win. Let her. Tonight, she had the crowd.

Tomorrow, she’d face me.

Heat snapped through me, clearing the fog. Vengeance sharpened everything. My gaze locked on the exit. She wouldn’t get far.

I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the buzz, the glow of screens replaying my humiliation.

I hit the street just in time to see her flag down a cab.

Too late.

Our eyes met.

She smiled. Slow. Sure. Like she knew she’d already won.

I hesitated, barely a second.

She kissed her middle finger and flipped me off.

The final blow.

A roar ripped from my throat as I lunged forward, reaching for the door. My hand hit the trunk as the cab peeled away, taillights like dying stars in the dark.

My chest heaved. Rage burned hotter now, blinding. She thinks this is over. She has no idea who she’s dealing with.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I yanked it out, barely glanced at the screen.

“Mr. Kincade, we have a problem,” Thompson said. His voice was clipped. “There’s no record of Victoria Valencia. The name’s fake.”

My grip tightened. “What do you mean, fake?”

“Her HR file, her background, all of it, fabricated. But I had a friend pull traffic cam footage. He tracked her route home.”

“Text it to me,” I snapped, voice low and sharp.

The message pinged a second later.

“Good work, Thompson.” I was already opening it. “I’ll handle the rest.”

I ended the call, a sneer curling my lips. The mystery had only deepened, but I was closing in.

“You can run, Tori Valencia, or whatever your real name is,” I muttered. My voice was calm now, colder.

“But every time you breathe, every step you take... I’ll be right behind you.”