Chapter Seventeen: The Lamb Among Wolves

“I swear to God, if anyone so much as looks at you wrong, I’m committing a felony.” Jules said as she adjusted her sunglasses and scanned the front of the Reynolds headquarters like she was casing a bank for a hit.

“And before you ask,” she added, tucking her hand into her blazer pocket like it held a switchblade, “yes, I think prison orange would look incredible against my skin tone. Bold. Vibrant. An instant classic.”

I grinned at her. “We’re not killing anyone today.”

She stopped still. “Wait, what? No one?? At all?”

“No one, Jules, this will be a civilized conversation between civilized people.”

She facepalmed. “Aww, no! You’re making my work life boring, Scar. Let me do in at least one person!”

I shook my head. “Not today.”

Jules narrowed her eyes at me as if I just took her candy and she wanted revenge. “We’ll see.”

The Reynolds building rose in front of us like a glass monument to inherited arrogance. Modern and cold, it gleamed in the sun like it wanted to compete with the world—but it still paled in comparison to Blackwood Tower. That place didn’t just shimmer—it commanded.

Still, the Reynolds estate had its own brand of intimidation. The entrance was all steel and ice. Tall glass doors, too many cameras, and a marble floor so polished you could see your secrets in it.

I’ve only been here once, right after my marriage with Blake where it was quickly made known to me that I had married into hell.

I still remember the humiliation like it happened yesterday.

But then, I was an unwanted Reynold. I was a nobody, I was the trash bag everyone could fling around.

Now? Now I’m a Blackwood woman and if anyone dares to touch me, they will suffer for it.

As soon as I stepped through the doors, I felt it.

The eyes.

The judgment.

The receptionists, all dressed in pale beige with matching buns and colder smiles, glanced up. One of them—a middle-aged woman with narrowed eyes and a mouth too tight for her ugly red lipstick—immediately scowled.

I approached her desk. “Good morning. I’m here for the shareholder meeting—Scarlett Blackwood.”

She didn’t respond. Just looked me up and down like I was dirt tracked in from the street and looked away like I wasn’t worth her time.

“Boardroom?” I prompted.

“You’ll find it,” she said curtly, before turning her face away entirely. “Please go away from here.”

Jules stepped forward, literally baring her teeth but I quickly stopped her and shook my head.

Then I looked at the woman and smiled. “Thank you.” We turned and started to walk away, but basically I was dragging Jules from commiting a murder in enemy territory.

I heard one of the others mutter, “Unbelievable.”

Jules stepped closer to me. “If you would just let me, I would knock her head into the bell jar she calls a brain and call it a morning, what do you think?”

“Not yet, Jules. The time for drama will come soon.” I said and Jules groaned.

The elevator ride up was quiet. Tense. My reflection stared back at me from the chrome doors—sharp red dress, red lips, red rage simmering beneath.

I’ll show everyone what happens when you mess with a woman like me.

When we stepped out onto the top floor, two security guards were stationed outside the boardroom doors. One of them—tall, bald, built like a concrete slab—stepped directly into my path.

“Ma’am,” he said, voice hard. “This meeting is private, please leave.”

“I was invited.”

“No record of that.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but then—

The sound of choking.

In less than two seconds, Jules had the man in a headlock, twisting his arm back at a brutal angle while slamming him against the glass wall.

“Didn’t your mama teach you how to talk to a fucking lady?” she hissed.

The man gasped, struggling, face turning red as his feet lifted slightly off the ground.

“Oh my goodness, Jules,” I groaned softly.

She didn’t budge.

“Jules, do not kill the security guard at Reynolds!”

She finally looked at me. Reluctantly. Like a predator denied its kill.

“I’m fine,” I said gently. “See? I’m fine. And no, prison orange would not look good on you at all, drop him.”

She glared at me. Like a petulant child.

I shook my head. “Drop. The. Poor. Man.”

She let go with a growl, and the guard dropped to his knees, coughing and sputtering on the floor.

“You’re lucky she called me off,” Jules snapped at the other guard who stood, frozen and pale. “Because what he’s coughing up right now will feel like mercy compared to what I’d do to you.”

This female, I shook my head with a smile.

I turned toward the now-silent boardroom and walked in.This time, no one dared to step in my way.

Every head turned.

Every eye narrowed.

Blake’s mother stood from her chair immediately. Her voice rose like a whip across the room.

“Who the hell allowed that slut in here?”

My steps didn’t falter, I kept walking forward.

She stormed toward me as well, her face flushed, her fingers twitching like she wanted to slap me across the face in front of the entire board.

“You are not allowed in this building. You are not welcome—”

“You touch Scarlett,” Jules cut in coldly, “and that guard out there will feel like a warm-up when I’m done with you.”

Mrs Reynolds froze, her eyes flickering to the still coughing, red faced guard. Then back to Jules. “You crazy bitch! How dare you threaten me! Do you know who I am?!”

Jules just shrugged. “Oh I do, you’re Mrs Reynolds. The question is, do you know who this woman is??”

Blake’s mother opened her mouth but Jules cut in. “I doubt you do, because if you did, you would never think of speaking to her like that.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Jules walked to my side and folded her arms, daring anyone to move. Blake’s mother took one step back.

The moment passed.

I said nothing. Just walked forward.