Semua Bab Last Man Standing: Bab 181 - Bab 190

"Good morning! I'm here for an interview. I've got a time set up with Ms. Baack from HR," Talia informed the receptionist as she approached the front desk."Could I get your last name?" the receptionist asked, momentarily pausing her work to give Talia her full attention."I'm Ms. Talia Jenkins.""Sure thing. Just hang tight for a second!"A couple of minutes later, the receptionist, fresh off the phone, ushered Talia to a cozy conference room on the eighth floor."Ms. Talia Jenkins, Ms. Baack will be with you in a jiffy!""Thanks!" Talia said, settling into her chair with a nod.In about five minutes, a woman in a crisp uniform strode in.She was a young thing, not yet thirty, with a pretty face and just a touch of makeup that made her stunning figure stand out even more in her uniform."You're Ms. Talia Jenkins, right?" Sophia Baack sat across from Talia, her eyes lighting up with a spark of surprise at Talia's beauty."That's me!" Talia stood and greeted her warmly. "You m

With a violent rip, Joseph yanked at the buttons of Talia's blazer, popping them off one by one, his hands then clawing at the shirt beneath.Sophia, ever the opportunist, grabbed a camera from the desk and began recording the scene."Let go, you creep!"Talia fought back with all her might, and in a moment of distraction, she managed to shove Joseph off balance, sending him tumbling to the floor. She seized the chance and bolted for the door.Joseph dusted himself off, a smirk playing on his lips. "I've got to say, I do have a thing for strong-willed women like you. Makes the chase all the more rewarding.""Stay back...don't come any closer..." Talia's voice quivered as she yanked at the doorknob, trying to escape."Futile efforts, darling. You're not walking out of this office without my say-so," Joseph said, closing in on her."Get away from me, you jerk... Just back off!" Talia scrambled into a corner, seeking refuge."Time's running out, sweetheart. My patience isn't endle

Crash!Joseph hit the floor hard, trembling. Sweat poured down his face, his expression one of sheer terror. He could not wrap his head around the fact that Howard had actually killed Sophia."I... I was wrong, so very wrong... Please, I'm begging you to spare my life..." His voice was shaky as he begged for mercy.He had no doubt that Howard would just as easily end his life too."You're the Stewart family's big shot, huh?" Howard settled on the sofa and calmly said, "You've got thirty minutes. Call your folks to come get you."With that, he pulled out a cigarette, lit it up, and took a puff.Joseph's eyes flickered with desperate hope as he fumbled for his phone and dialed frantically.At the same time, since Talia had walked into that office, the head of the Mendorra Stewart family, Sawyer Stewart, was sitting in a grand hall of a Harrington estate, waiting for an audience. That estate belonged to Layton, the underground king of Mendorra.Sawyer was there for one reason: to

Sawyer was in full-blown panic mode.On his way over, he had asked Layton about who Howard was, and Layton's one question sent him spiraling into despair."How does the Stewart family stack up against the Austins, the Francises, and the Blakes?" Layton had asked.He was not an idiot. The meaning behind Layton's question was loud and clear.He could never have guessed that his son would mess with someone of such a high caliber, someone who could drag the Stewart family down the same path as the three major families!"Did you come to beg for mercy on his behalf?" Howard ignored Sawyer, turning his gaze to Layton and speaking with a calm detachment."I wouldn't dare!" Layton shuddered, then bowed deeply. "I just got wind of the trouble here and thought I'd check if you needed anything."To Layton, Howard was like a deity, not to mention he owed the man his life. The last thing he wanted was to cross him."Alright, you'll take care of this," Howard said calmly."Talia was here for

Just yesterday morning, Yuffie was lounging in bed when that headline hit her like a ton of bricks. Brilliance Beyond was coming to Mendorra, and not a dime for the pleasure was charged. It was enough to make her heart skip a beat.She was just as buzzed to find out which lucky lady would snag the ultimate prize—a marriage proposal gift nothing short of legendary.After they finished breakfast yesterday, she picked up the phone and dialed Howard, wondering if he could pull some strings at Mendorra Tower for a prime viewing spot.Howard was all in, thrilled that things were playing out just as he had hoped.The Holdens and Talia were against the idea. They could picture the swarms of people, and with little Riley to think about, it seemed like a hassle.However, Howard had a card up his sleeve. He sent word through Yuffie, telling them to ditch their worries. He would snag them a VIP spot, far from the madding crowd.That settled it. The Holdens agreed to go, if only to soak up th