I've Had Enough, CEO

Chapter 2 Lower Than Low

Elena's eyes were burning with fury. "Are you seriously pretending you don't know why I'm here?"

The entire office turned to look at Mia.

Feeling the weight of their stares, Mia's face flushed, but she forced herself to stand tall. "Don't act all high and mighty just because you're close to Mr. Cross. I'm your assistant, not your servant! Are you really going to humiliate me in front of everyone like this?"

Elena stepped in closer, her gaze cold as ice. "Did you know my office has a hidden camera?"

Mia's entire body froze. The only reason she had dared to mess with Elena's work was because she believed there were no cameras in the office. Even if something went wrong, she figured she could just lie her way out.

She had always thought Elena was nothing more than a desperate woman clinging to Nathaniel's favor.

But now...

Elena tossed the report onto Mia's face. "Pack your things. You're done here. The finance department can't handle someone as 'important' as you."

Tears of rage and humiliation welled up in Mia's eyes, but Elena didn't wait to see her reaction.

She turned and headed for the rooftop, answering her phone as it continued to ring.

"You think just because you've got a fancy job now, you can forget about your old man and your sister, huh? Do you have any idea how close I came to getting beaten to death by those loan sharks?"

The moment she heard his voice, Elena's mood soured even more.

The man on the other end was her father—Franklin Blackwood.

Since she was a child, Franklin had been nothing but a gambling addict. He'd never cared for her or her sister, only himself.

Greedy, selfish, and heartless, he was the living embodiment of every nightmare she'd had growing up.

And now, every time he called, it was always for one thing—

Money.

'Like I haven't had enough to deal with,' she thought bitterly, her mind flashing back to the office whispers and Nathaniel's growing coldness since Gwendolyn's return.

And now this man, the one who should've cared about her, treated her like she was nothing more than a cash machine.

She'd had enough.

"Work's been tough lately. I don't have any money," she said, her voice flat and emotionless.

"No money?" Franklin's voice took on a menacing edge. "You think you're too good for me now, don't you?"

His tone shifted, full of bitter amusement. "Well, I guess you didn't hear. Lily's in the hospital—critical condition. The doctor's already talking about pulling the plug. But hey, if you don't care about your sister's life, that's fine by me."

Elena's hand tightened around the phone, her knuckles white. "Lily's my sister, but she's your daughter, too! What kind of father are you?!"

Her younger sister, Lily, had been suffering from a heart condition for months. She had been hospitalized, and Elena had been covering the massive medical bills ever since.

But to use Lily's life as leverage—how could Franklin be so heartless?

Franklin's voice turned sly, triumphant even. "Let's cut to the chase. I need a million dollars. Get it to me within the month, and Lily keeps breathing. But if you don't, I'll pull the plug myself."

Elena's anger mixed with disbelief. "You think you can keep blackmailing me? All the money I've given you over the years, and you still don't care about Lily's life? Well, guess what, I'm done. I won't be your puppet anymore."

Franklin's tone grew dark with rage. "You think you can defy me? If anything happens to Lily, it's your fault!"

Elena took a deep breath, her voice steady but cold. "I care about Lily, but I'm not letting you drag me down anymore. I'll find out where she's being treated and pay the hospital directly. You won't see another cent. And if you lay a finger on her, I swear I'll make sure you pay for it."

Franklin chuckled, a sick, twisted sound. "You think you can stop me? You think you can find her before I do something?"

Elena's expression hardened. "I've got my own connections. I'll find her, and when I do, I'll make sure she's as far away from you as possible. Pray that she's still safe when I get to her."

Franklin had clearly been prepared for this. His laugh sent a chill down Elena's spine. "Fine. Let's see who wins this little race—you or me. But don't get your hopes up. If I want her gone, she'll be gone before you even get close."

His laughter echoed in her ears long after the call ended.

'How could he be so far gone, so completely consumed by greed?'

Even through the anger boiling inside her, Elena knew she had to play this smart. Grinding her teeth, she forced herself to make a final compromise. "I'll gather the money one last time. But after that, we're done. You'll never hear from me or Lily again."

Franklin's smug voice rang out one last time. "Get me the money first. Then we'll talk about your little conditions."

As the call ended, Elena stood there, her heart pounding, the weight of the world pressing down on her. Worry gnawed at her, but she couldn't keep letting Franklin pull her strings.

She had to find the money. And more importantly, she had to find Lily.

Staying here—waiting around for things to fall apart—was pointless.

Once Gwendolyn came back, she'd be the office joke.

She could already picture the sneers, the whispered insults calling her the "other woman."

For the sake of whatever pride she had left, Elena decided she needed to leave this place. Start fresh somewhere else.

Meanwhile, back in the finance department, Mia wiped her eyes, trying to pull herself together as she packed up her things.

A coworker couldn't resist the urge to ask what had happened.

"Mia, what went down between you and Elena? I mean... even if you messed up, the way she came at you seemed a bit over the top."

Mia gritted her teeth, spite filling her voice as she answered, "All I did was accidentally mix up some files, and she exploded like a crazy woman. She's just mad she couldn't secure her spot at the top, and now she's taking it out on me. I bet she's up on the rooftop crying because Gwendolyn Price's back, and she knows it's game over."

Just as she finished, Nathaniel, on his way to a meeting, passed by and overheard every word. His eyes darkened, a flicker of irritation crossing his face.

He had thought Elena's outburst earlier had been nothing more than an excuse.

But now, he wasn't so sure.