Chapter Six: A Dangerous Favor
955 Words
Chapter Six: A Dangerous Favor
Jules stood frozen outside the chairman's office.
Every employee on the floor seemed to be watching her.
Whispering.
Speculating.
Judging.
Her palms grew sweaty.
"What does the chairman want with me?" she asked quietly.
The manager forced an awkward smile.
"I... don't know."
Jules immediately knew that was a lie.
Everyone knew something.
Everyone except her.
Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the large wooden door.
A calm voice answered.
"Come in."
She pushed the door open.
And nearly stopped breathing.
The chairman himself sat behind a massive desk.
But he wasn't alone.
Standing beside the window was Liam.
Their eyes met instantly.
For a moment neither spoke.
The chairman noticed.
A small smile touched his lips.
"Ms. Jordan, please sit."
Confused, Jules obeyed.
Her heart pounded.
Why was Liam here?
And why did the chairman seem so interested in her?
The chairman folded his hands together.
"Ms. Jordan, do you know who Mr. Liam Lorenzo is?"
Jules glanced at Liam.
"Yes."
"How?"
"We met recently."
The chairman chuckled.
"Recently."
Liam rubbed the back of his neck.
Clearly uncomfortable.
The chairman continued.
"Mr. Lorenzo's family owns forty percent of this company."
Jules blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then stared at Liam.
"You own part of the company?"
Liam winced.
"It's complicated."
"No."
Jules laughed nervously.
"It's actually very simple. You never told me."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Everything made sense now.
His expensive clothes.
The luxury car.
The confidence.
The connections.
He wasn't just wealthy.
He was powerful.
Dangerously powerful.
The chairman spoke again.
"Mr. Lorenzo specifically requested that your employment file be reviewed."
Jules immediately stiffened.
"What?"
Liam stepped forward.
"Jules, listen—"
"Why were you looking at my file?"
"It wasn't like that."
"It sounds exactly like that."
The chairman wisely decided to remain silent.
Liam sighed.
"When Jayda was hospitalized, I found out your manager ignored your emergency request."
Jules felt her stomach drop.
"The hospital."
Liam nodded.
"I wanted to know why."
Now she understood.
The chairman opened a folder.
Inside were dozens of documents.
Complaint reports.
Attendance records.
Internal emails.
Evidence.
A lot of evidence.
The chairman's expression hardened.
"We discovered several violations during our investigation."
Jules looked toward her manager's office through the glass walls.
Her manager was pacing nervously.
Sweating.
Terrified.
"The company has decided to terminate his employment effective immediately."
Jules stared.
"What?"
The chairman nodded.
"He abused his authority multiple times."
A strange silence followed.
For months she had endured humiliation.
Unfair treatment.
Threats.
Extra work.
All because she needed the job.
And now...
It was over.
Just like that.
The chairman closed the folder.
"There is something else."
Jules suddenly hated those words.
"What now?"
The chairman smiled.
"We would like to promote you."
Her brain stopped working.
For several seconds she simply stared.
"Promote me?"
"Yes."
"No."
The chairman blinked.
"No?"
"I don't deserve a promotion."
The honesty surprised everyone.
Including Liam.
Jules swallowed.
"There are employees who have worked here longer."
The chairman leaned forward.
"Ms. Jordan."
His voice softened.
"We are not promoting you because of Mr. Lorenzo."
She wasn't convinced.
He continued.
"We're promoting you because your work record is excellent."
Another folder appeared.
Filled with performance reports.
Positive evaluations.
Customer feedback.
Projects she had completed.
Achievements she never knew anyone noticed.
For years she had worked hard.
Silently.
Without recognition.
Without praise.
And somehow someone had been paying attention.
A painful lump formed in her throat.
The chairman smiled kindly.
"You earned this."
For the first time in years...
Someone acknowledged her effort.
Someone saw her.
Not as a struggling single mother.
Not as a burden.
Not as a charity case.
As a capable woman.
As a professional.
As someone valuable.
Jules quickly looked away before anyone noticed her tears.
Unfortunately Liam noticed anyway.
He always seemed to.
The meeting ended shortly afterward.
As Jules exited the office, the entire floor erupted into whispers.
Some employees congratulated her.
Others looked jealous.
A few looked angry.
But Jules barely heard any of it.
Her mind was elsewhere.
Liam followed her into the elevator.
The doors closed.
Silence.
Then she spoke.
"You should have told me."
Liam sighed.
"I know."
"You let me think you were normal."
He laughed.
"That's the first time anyone has accused me of that."
Despite herself, Jules smiled.
Then her expression faded.
"Why me?"
Liam looked confused.
"What?"
"Why are you doing all this for me?"
The question hit harder than she intended.
Because she genuinely didn't understand.
People didn't help her.
Not without expecting something.
Not without conditions.
Not without strings attached.
Yet Liam had repeatedly appeared whenever her world was falling apart.
The elevator stopped.
Neither moved.
Liam finally answered.
"Because when I look at you..."
His voice softened.
"...I see someone who keeps standing no matter how many times life knocks her down."
Jules froze.
Her heart forgot how to beat.
"And I admire that."
The elevator doors opened.
Neither noticed.
Neither cared.
For a brief moment the world disappeared.
There was only him.
Only her.
Only the feelings neither was brave enough to name.
Then a voice interrupted.
"Liam."
Both turned.
Standing in the lobby was Lorenzo.
His father.
His expression was unreadable.
Cold.
Calculating.
Dangerous.
And beside him stood a beautiful young woman.
Elegant.
Wealthy.
Sophisticated.
Everything Jules believed she could never be.
The woman smiled and slipped her arm through Liam's.
"Hello, Liam."
Jules felt something twist painfully inside her chest.
Lorenzo's eyes settled on her.
And for the first time...
Jules understood exactly what kind of battle she had unknowingly walked into.
The woman beside Liam wasn't a stranger.
She was the fiancée Lorenzo had already chosen for his son.
End of Chapter Six.
- Writer
