CHAPTER SIX

The black sedan, long and discreet, pulled up to the service entrance of Emberwood. Even though the engagement party had officially ended the night before, the atmosphere around the restaurant still hummed with the aftershock of the scandal. Reporters lingered near the main entrance, hoping for a quote from the dumped fiancée, but William had timed their arrival perfectly, slipping through the secure rear gates.

Mimi felt the heavy, cold weight of the diamond ring on her finger, a constant, tangible reminder of the lie. She adjusted the dark designer sunglasses William had provided, the large frames hiding the fierce apprehension in her eyes. She wore an elegant, understated silk dress, another item from the emergency wardrobe Mrs. Ade had prepared. She looked every inch the reserved, wealthy fiancée.

William, looking impossibly composed in his bespoke suit, turned to her before the driver opened the door. Five minutes, Mimi. You are acting the part of the slightly nervous, secretive bride to be, unwilling to face the press. You stick to my side. You nod and smile only. If we see Victoria, you look directly through her. You are her new owner now. Do not forget the contract.

I won’t, Mimi murmured, her voice steady. She didn’t need the reminder. The thought of seeing Victoria, the woman who had tormented her with petty criticisms just two days ago, filled her with a tense, cold focus. This was her chance to demonstrate the power the contract had granted her.

They walked quickly through the service corridor. The staff they passed immediately froze, their eyes wide with disbelief and shock. The contract waitress had returned, not through the staff entrance, but on the arm of the city’s most eligible billionaire, adorned with a ring that screamed old money and undeniable power. The whisper of gossip followed them like a hostile tide.

William led her straight to Ethan’s private office, knocking sharply once before walking in.

Ethan was on the phone, his face lined with exhaustion and frustration. He immediately ended the call, slamming the receiver down. Are you out of your mind, Will. The press are outside, the family is in revolt, and you bring her back to the source of the scandal. What if someone sees you.

I needed her personal documents, William stated, his voice flat. She needs the key to the staff locker. Where is Rachel. She was holding Mimi’s work bag.

Ethan sighed, rubbing his temples. Rachel is on a stress leave, thanks to your little performance. I told her to leave all key event items with Victoria. Victoria is probably still in the staff room, organizing inventory.

Mimi felt a shiver of dread and anticipation. Victoria. The perfect audience for her flawless performance.

Fine. Mimi, you go with Ethan. Get your key and your bag. I’ll wait here and deal with the fallout from your mother. Do not take longer than two minutes. Ethan, do not let her speak to anyone. I need her back here, safe, now. William sat down heavily on the sofa, pulling out his phone to deal with the inevitable family calls.

Ethan gave William a look of complete disbelief, then turned to Mimi. Follow me, Mimi, he emphasized her name with a wry dryness that suggested he was already enjoying the sheer absurdity of the situation.

The walk from the office to the staff changing area felt like crossing a minefield. The kitchen was quieter now, but the few staff members present openly stared, their hushed whispers following Mimi like little stinging insects. She kept her head high, the large sunglasses concealing her expression, her posture regal. She was no longer Mimi the contract worker. She was the one who had replaced Sophia.

They reached the staff area, and Mimi spotted Victoria immediately. The head waitress was standing over a table covered in paperwork, looking stressed and exhausted in her pressed uniform. Her dark hair was pulled back tightly, emphasizing the sharp angles of her face. When she looked up and saw Ethan, her expression was normal. When she saw Mimi standing beside him, it shattered into a mixture of pure fury and bitter disbelief.

Ethan, what is going on. Why is she here, Victoria demanded, her voice tight with suppressed hostility. She still hadn’t fully processed the news of the replacement fiancée, and seeing the former waitress standing there, dressed in silk and diamonds, was an unforgivable affront.

Ethan, ever the professional, adopted a cool, formal tone. Mimi is here at William’s request, Victoria. She needs the key to her staff locker. Rachel left her bag with you, correct.

Victoria’s eyes darted to Mimi’s hand, fixating on the enormous, glittering diamond. The sight was a punch to the gut. She had watched Mimi struggle, watched her work late hours, and now this girl was engaged to William Williams. It was an insult to her own position, a violation of the established social order.

The bag is in my office, Victoria spat out, not addressing Mimi but keeping her glare fixed on her face. I have to retrieve it. I can’t just hand over keys to staff members who have suddenly developed expensive tastes.

Mimi finally spoke, her voice calm, clear, and utterly devoid of the warmth Victoria was used to dismissing. She used the poised, powerful public persona she had been honing in her mind. Victoria, the key is for my private documents. My contract with Emberwood is technically concluded. I am no longer a staff member. I am asking you, politely, as Mr. Williams’ fiancée, to retrieve my property immediately. There are important personal items that need to be secured.

The use of the title Mr. Williams’ fiancée was a subtle, deadly power move. It wasn’t a request from a former colleague. It was a directive from a new, highly dangerous member of the hierarchy. Victoria’s face flushed a deep red. She wanted to argue, to scream the truth about the lie, but she saw Ethan standing there, his face stern and unyielding. She saw the sheer expense of the clothes Mimi wore, the unflinching confidence in her posture.

Victoria knew, with a sinking horror, that she could not win this battle. She turned abruptly and marched into her small, cluttered office. She reappeared a moment later, clutching Mimi’s worn, canvas staff bag, along with a small envelope. She dropped the bag unceremoniously at Mimi’s feet.

Here is your bag, Mimi, Victoria sneered, letting the name hang heavy with contempt. I assume you won’t be needing this anymore. She threw the small envelope containing the staff locker key at Mimi’s feet, a final petty act of defiance.

Mimi didn’t react to the disrespect. She simply bent gracefully, picked up the bag and the envelope, and looked directly into Victoria’s furious eyes. The sunglasses magnified the contact, making her gaze feel penetrating and utterly cold.

Thank you, Victoria, Mimi said, her voice smooth and expressionless. She gave a small, formal nod that was more dismissive than any insult could ever be. Your efficiency is appreciated. Goodbye.

She turned and walked away with Ethan, leaving Victoria sputtering in impotent rage. It was a victory, but a hollow one. The taste of revenge was bitter, a painful reminder of the poverty and instability that had forced her into this contract in the first place.

As they walked back, Ethan suddenly grabbed Mimi’s arm, his grip urgent. He pulled her into an empty linen closet, his face serious.

Listen to me, Mimi. Forget the performance for one second. I don’t know what you and William are doing, but I’m running that background check right now. He forbade it, but I’m doing it. I have a very bad feeling about this. My friend, William, is blind when he’s desperate, and you came out of nowhere. If there’s anything in your past, anything that can be used against him, it will surface in the next twenty four hours.

Mimi felt a sudden, unexpected flood of gratitude for his honesty, even in his suspicion. She recognized his genuine fear for his friend. My past is clean, Ethan. Tragic, but clean. I have nothing to hide that would damage William’s business. But, she hesitated, thinking of the dark forces of jealousy and betrayal, Victoria saw us. She knows I was a contract waitress. She will talk. The entire staff knows.

Ethan shook his head quickly. “She will talk, yes, but no one will believe her. They’ll think she’s a jealous ex employee trying to get back at her boss. William’s story is too good, too dramatic for your waitress story to stick. The only danger is your documented past. I’ll send William a discrete message once the report is ready. You need to prepare him for whatever I find. Be smart, Mimi. This isn’t a game.

He opened the door and ushered her back into the corridor. Mimi’s mind was racing. Ethan was right. She had focused only on the contract and the money, forgetting that William’s world was ruthless, and that her history, though clean, contained vulnerabilities. Her professional certifications, her overseas living arrangements, her financial struggles all of it could be misinterpreted, twisted into a story of a gold digger or a con artist. She needed to retrieve her documents and secure her narrative immediately.

They walked back into the office. William stood up instantly. Took you long enough. Did you get the key.

Mimi held up the canvas bag. I got the key, and the bag. And I have confirmed your friend Victoria is extremely hostile, Mr. Williams. She will try to cause problems.

William dismissed the threat with a wave of his hand. Victoria is irrelevant. She’s just noise. Let’s get you home.

As they settled back into the sedan, Mimi looked at the canvas bag on her lap. It contained the proof of her diligence, her hard work, and her ambition. It was the truth of Mimi, the woman who was currently playing the biggest lie of her life. She realized her next move had to be preemptive. She couldn't just secure the documents. She had to take control of the narrative, preparing William for the storm Ethan was about to unleash.