THE CALL

The phone buzzed sharply on the polished black oak desk, slicing through the quiet tension that lingered in his office.

Eric smiled, he already knew who it was.

He motioned to Jared to let it ring twice before answering. He nodded and put it on speaker after the second ring.

“Hello” Jeremy's shaky voice came from the other end of the line.

“What do you want?” Jared's voice was almost impatient

“I would love to speak to Mr. Grey”

Eric nodded as he took the phone from Jared

his voice smooth, calm, and threaded with something unreadable. “jeremy.”

“Hello, Mr. Grey” Jeremy said, forcing a laugh, unaware that every word was digging his own grave. “i’m so Glad you picked up. I just found out you blacklisted me and you're planning to sue maybe we could talk? I'm willing to do anything”

A pause.

“About what?”

“I—uh—look, I think we got off on the wrong foot. I just want to clear the air as for Sarah I can cut ties with her if it would make you change your mind”

Eric’s lips curled at the corner. His wolf stirred beneath his skin.

“meet me at my office then”

“i was thinking somewhere neutral? I’ll text your assistant the address. It’s a lounge. Real public”

“if you don't like my office then forget about the meeting.”

‘“no, that's good id meet you there tomorrow”

Eric stared at the phone, his gaze darkening.

he couldn't wait to eliminate this one.

Jeremy adjusted his collar, standing as he saw Eric come by him. He had chosen a public place on purpose. There was something about Eric that made everyone's skin crawl and Eric still didn't consider it. He didn't like this meeting arrangement.

Still, he needed this meeting.

His life had gone to hell. In one day, seconds after he was blacklisted he lost all his investors, if he couldn't curry favour from Eric Grey He would definitely go bankrupt. It all happened so fast. His bank accounts where frozen and everyone was ghosting him, no one wanted to be an enemy of the Greys.

He couldn't even afford a lawyer so he needed to avoid this lawsuit with Eric, he needed his life back on track.

And Selena? She vanished. Not answering calls. Not at her apartment.

Now Jeremy was panicking.

So he called the man behind it all. Because what other choice did he have?

Eric arrived, wearing a dark coat over a black button-up. He looked like he walked out of a high-end magazine

“jeremy.” His voice was silk and steel.

Jeremy smiled nervously. “Eric. Thanks for meeting me.”

Eric nodded and walked past him. He followed but was stopped by Eric's assistant, Jared.

“I'm supposed to have a meeting with Mr. Grey. What is the meaning of this?

He asked confused.

“Mr. Grey has asked that you wait for him. He would see you when he's ready”

Jared said as he gave him a wry smile, his eyes filled with mockery as he left Jeremy confused.

He sat in the waiting room, watching people come and go for hours, his company getting more and more wounded. He started to pace, Eric was mocking him, he could feel it.

He watched as Jared walked up to him, that mocking smile still playing on his lips.

“Mr. Grey would see you now”

“Finally” Jeremy whispered under his breath.

He walked into the office, Eric sat there, his nose buried in his laptop. He raised his head as he closed his laptop.

“So?” Eric leaned back, eyes like storm clouds. “Talk.”

“Mr. Grey Ididn't know it was you in that video. I had nothing to do with Sarah posting it. I have already cancelled my engagement to her. Please, you're destroying me. You just recognised me, you know that my company has a lot to offer, we were supposed to sign a deal together

Eric said nothing.

“I just… I need to know. What do I need to do for you to stop trying to destroy me?

Eric lifted a brow. “Destroy you?”

Jeremy's fingers balled into a fist as his fingers dugged into his palm, the colour draining from his knuckles. Eric Grey was messing with him.

“My accounts. My job. My . Everything’s falling apart. And I know it’s you. People said you’re powerful, but this? This feels like... like you're playing god.”

Eric studied him with quiet intensity. “You think you’re the victim? Besides, I never denied the fact that I'm doing all this”

“No—no, I just—im sorry if I overstepped” He said as he bowed his head

Eric leaned forward, his tone quiet, but deadly

“Let me set you straight. You have nothing to offer the Grey's, you were nothing more than a charity case. A small alliance I wanted to create”

Jeremy's mouth opened. “you’re suing me, how do I pay for your damages? This would completely destroy me. this feels personal Mr…”

“and what if it is?” his voice had gotten lower, almost thunderous

Jeremy flinched.

Eric’s lips twitched. sensing his fear.

“I-I’m sorry, okay? Just tell me what to do. I’ll fix it. I’ll apologize publicly. Just tell me what…”

“You don’t get to ask questions.” Eric stood, towering. “You don’t deserve answers. You don’t even understand what’s been taken from you yet.”

“I don’t understand!” Jeremy said, voice rising. “That’s the problem. I’m losing everything and I don’t even know how to stop it”

Eric’s eyes went cold.

He leaned close, his voice low and final. “this meeting is over”

Darren stared at him, face pale.

“You’re crazy,” he whispered. “This is insane.”

Eric turned. “No, Jeremy. You are irrelevant. You would lose everything… and you’ll never know how. That’s what real power looks like.”

He pressed a button on his table and Jared came in ushering Jeremy out, that wicked gruyb still on his face

Jeremy stormed back into his apartment. Two uniformed security guards stood at the door.

“You can’t come in here,” one said.

Jeremg blinked. “What do you mean? I live here.”

“Not anymore. You’ve been evicted.”

“That’s not possible! I paid—”

“Not according to the bank.”

“What bank?”

They didn't answer him, he just stood there, a shell of his former self.

“Are you Jeremy Fraiser?” A man with a club asked. He walked in with three other men all holding weapons.

“Sorry do I know you?”

“Well Sarah took some money from us and she said her right fiancé would pay for it. I'm guessing that's you?”

He said as he pointed a club to him.

Jeremy's heart pounded as he turned to his phone, trying to call Sarah. But his phone was locked. A strange error screen flashed.

“Your access has been revoked.”

Even his phone wasn’t his anymore.

He ran to Selena's apartment next.

Her place was empty and the landlord came out, an annoyed expression on his face.

“She's been behind on rent, she's been evicted”

His hands shook as he called her number.

Disconnected.

“Hello?” came a voice behind him.

Jeremy turned sharply. A woman in her fifties stood in the hallway.

“Are you looking for the girl who used to live here?”

“Yes! Selena!”

The woman looked nervous. “She left some nights ago. Her parents helped her pack up.

“What? Where’d she go?”

“probably to live with her parents, she hadn't paid her rent and had just lost her job.

A sorry expression crossed his face as he realised what he had done. He shook of the feeling, he didn't have time to feel sorry for anyone, he had to think of himself.

“He doesn’t know about your connection to her.” Jared said as he handed Eric his suit.

“He doesn’t need to. He's the reason she isn't here. He dared to post photos of me, now he's jeopardising my plans and our existence, an idiot. That's what he is”