Chapter 2

That afternoon, I swallowed my anger and walked into the marketing department. "I have an important meeting with our international partners at two. I need two people to come with me."

Dead silence. Nobody stood up.

Some leaned back and scrolled through their phones while others filed their nails, as if I weren't there.

Lucas sat with his legs crossed and sneered. "Listen up, everyone. Ms. Hart needs us."

Someone beside him snickered. "God, we still haven't gotten our bonuses. Who'd lift a finger for a twisted, greedy boss like her?"

Their mocking laughter echoed through the room.

"Fine." I had a meeting to prepare for and no time to waste on these idiots, so I headed for the elevator.

Lilith hurried after me. "Ms. Hart, wait!" she pleaded. "Please don't be angry with Lucas. He just doesn't want to lose his apartment. Can't you withdraw the eviction notices? Everyone's already so stressed out."

I stared her down. "You think Lucas was right to spread lies and try to blackmail me?"

"Of course I'm on your side," Lilith said, refusing to meet my eyes. "But Lucas does have a point. You're rich, Ms. Hart. If you won't let us stay in those luxury apartments, the least you could do is find us somewhere cheaper to live or just give us the money instead..."

The last bit of warmth in me froze solid.

She was hiding behind Lucas and playing the helpless victim to test my limits.

"Lilith, drop the act and get back to your desk." My voice was ice-cold.

Lilith went pale but still tried to argue.

"Ms. Hart, I'll go with you." Andrew strode over with his briefcase and planted himself between Lilith and me.

Without warning, an enraged mob stormed the first-floor lobby.

Camera flashes went off in my face amid a barrage of obscene curses.

"There she is! The pervert boss in the suit!"

"Die, bloodsucker! Give back everybody's hard-earned money!"

The crowd spiraled out of control. Someone hurled something hard, striking me in the forehead and leaving me injured.

"Damn it! Get Ms. Hart down to the garage!" Andrew shouted as he called the police.

More than a dozen security guards held the lunatics back while Andrew hustled me into the car.

In the car, Andrew handed me his phone. "Ms. Hart, Lucas used his livestream to send those people here."

On the screen, Lucas was sobbing into the camera. "That greedy boss kicked us out of the apartments because I exposed the truth! She wants to squeeze every last drop of blood out of us and leave us on the street!"

The comments scrolling across the screen were filled with vicious curses aimed at me. Some people were even cheering at the footage of me getting hit in the head.

I stared at the screen, my fingers ice-cold.

What other company in this industry offers such generous benefits without making its employees work overtime? What more could they possibly want?

But what finally broke me was seeing Greta Novak suddenly appear on-screen.

She was sitting next to Lucas, wiping away tears as she backed up everything he said and called me greedy and heartless.

In that instant, it felt like a blade had been driven straight through my heart.

Greta's ex-husband was violently abusive. I was the one who brought in my personal attorney and called in favors so she could win in court and escape that nightmare with her child.

I knew how hard it was to raise a child alone, so I supported her however I could. I let her leave early, gave her extra bonuses, and even paid her child's tuition.

And now the woman I'd done so much to help was standing shoulder to shoulder with Lucas, twisting the knife!

Overwhelmed by despair and betrayal, I felt a sharp pain shoot through the wound on my forehead.

Outside the car, Lilith rushed over and banged on the window. "Ms. Hart, why don't you go live too? Just apologize, promise to let everyone keep their apartments, and throw in a few extra benefits. Then all this will blow over. It's what's best for the company..."

"Get lost!" I rolled down the window and glared at her, my voice raw. "Take your disgusting fake concern and get lost. Now!"

The murderous look I gave her sent Lilith running.

The car had barely started moving when Andrew took a call, and the color drained from his face. "Ms. Hart, the client saw the news online. They've pulled out of the deal."

At the same time, my phone started buzzing. It was my mother.

She was sobbing on the other end, barely holding herself together. "Lina, what is going on? A bunch of lunatics just threw red paint all over our front door and stuck notes on it calling you a bloodsucker! Oh my God, who did you cross?!"