Chapter 26

Esmeralda’s POV

Sitting in the executive office, I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Mulan's face flashed in my mind, followed by the image of the burly man in the hallway. Mulan had only tried to help a friend in desperate need. If I confessed now, not only would Mulan lose her job, but I would also face dangerous retaliation from the man downstairs.

“I... I...” I stammered under Jayson's watchful, sharp gaze.

"Take your time," Jayson offered, his tone surprisingly patient.

I glanced around the room as thoughts panicked in my head. Jump out the window? I was on the fifth floor, so that was out of the question. Tell the truth? That too felt dangerous.

Before I could formulate an answer, the rich smell of warm bacon and fresh pastry dough wafted up through the ventilation shafts from the main kitchen.

Without warning, a sharp wave of nausea surged up my throat.

"I am so sorry, sir." I pressed a hand over my mouth, jumping out of the chair. "I need to use the restroom immediately. I'm so sorry…"

I was already halfway to the door.

"Of course," Jayson stood up, a look of genuine concern crossing his face.

I scrambled down the service corridor to the staff bathroom on the floor below, gripping the sink as I heaved until my stomach was completely empty. Running the cold tap, I splashed water on my face and pressed wet palms to the back of my neck, breathing heavily until my vision cleared.

“Esmeralda, think! You can't go back into that room,” I whispered to myself in the mirror.

I couldn't go back up there. The moment I sat back down in that chair, Jayson would press for answers I couldn't give without endangering Mulan or myself.

As I stepped out into the hallway, I noticed a service corridor with an exit sign leading toward the street.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Jayson," I murmured under my breath, making a split-second choice.

And I ran.

I just needed to get home before anyone realised I had run.

I hurried past the kitchens, pushed through the heavy metal side door, and stepped out into the crisp morning air.

I didn't look back.

I walked briskly around the perimeter of the building toward the bus stop, my heart pounding in my chest over the fact that I had just fled an investigation.

“Why?’ I thought bitterly, picking up my pace. “Why does something always go wrong the moment my life starts stabilizing? Just give me a damned break for once!”

I was waiting near the curb for the staff shuttle home, when a dark SUV pulled out of traffic and screeched to a halt right in front of me.

The passenger window rolled down.

The faces that appeared were the very last people on earth I wanted to see. Fear gripped my throat as memories of our previous encounter flashed through my mind.

"Well, well, well," a smooth voice drawled. "Look who it is. Our little debtor princess."

I stood up straight, trying not to show weakness. I was not going to let them intimidate me over a debt that wasn't even mine.

"I'm not your debtor," I said through gritted teeth.

The driver smirked, exchanging an amused glance with the man beside him.

"Getting feisty with us now, are we?" the driver taunted.

"We swung by your old address," the first man said, stepping out of the vehicle with slow, dangerous confidence. "Your landlord mentioned you got kicked out. Have you been hiding from us, pretty face?"

"I wasn't hiding. I was evicted," I replied curtly.

"What was that?"

I lowered my gaze. "Nothing."

"That's what I thought." He stopped a few feet away, close enough for his presence to feel heavy. "We're here for the next payment. You remember what we agreed on."

"I remember," I said, meeting his eyes. "But I don't have any money on me. You took everything I had last time." I took a breath. "Which is also why you couldn't find me is because I've been struggling just to find a place to sleep. I have nothing. I'm homeless."

The man studied me, but all my frustration boiled over. "And honestly, why can't you just track down Victor? He's the one who took out the loan! You lent money to a gambler who vanished, and now you're harassing his innocent daughter who never spent a single cent from it!" My voice rose before I caught myself and brought it back down. "With all due respect, it isn't my job to pay for your poor business decisions."

The man took a slow, heavy step forward.

"What," he whispered dangerously, "did you just say to me?"

"I..." I took an immediate step back. "Nothing. I'm sorry. I didn't mean……"

“Boss, she basically called us idiots,” the driver sneered from the car.

"Say that again to my face," the leader warned, his voice dropping an octave as he closed the remaining distance between us. "Say it again, and I'll slam your pretty head against this pavement."

"No... please.”

“Bloody rascal.” Another spat.

“I'm sorry. It was a slip of the tongue," I held up both hands pleadingly. "I take it back. All of it. I'm sorry."

He stopped right in front of me and slammed his fist into the brick wall right beside my ear. The loud crack made my heart stop, and I gasped.

"You have one more chance, girl," he sneered, leaning in. "Next time we find you empty-handed, you'll regret ever opening your mouth. Do you understand me?"

"I understand," I said quickly.

My eyes darted to my wrist, catching the time. I couldn't let them follow me back to Mulan's apartment, so I fabricated a story on the spot.

"Victor. He's actually supposed to meet me right here today. If you just wait a couple of minutes, you can catch him yourself and get your money back." I looked down the street with urgent focus. "He said he'd be here by now. Give it two minutes, and he'll walk around that corner."

The two men exchanged a quick glance.

"Two minutes," the leader said flatly.

"Exactly two minutes," I promised, nodding earnestly. "He's very punctual when he wants to be."

I looked down the street to my left, then to my right, looking everywhere except directly at the approaching bus.

The city transit bus pulled up to the stop right on time, its pneumatic doors hissing open.

"There!" I pointed past them down the opposite block with absolute conviction. "That's him! Over there! Victor!"

Both men whipped their heads around in unison.

And I ran.

I sprinted harder than I ever had in my life, hitting the bus doors just as they began to close. Pushing my way inside, I threw myself into the nearest window seat and pressed my back against the frame.

The doors shut, and as the bus pulled away from the curb, I saw the men frantically scanning the street before realizing what had happened.

Through the glass, I could read the leader's lips as he glared at the retreating bus. “You little bitch. You'll pay for this.”

“Fooled ya!” I let out a breathless chuckle, offering them a small, sarcastic wave as the bus drove off.