Unremembered Beforefall by Mark Twain 4
Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal
Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal
Back in the riverfront apartment he’d so magnanimously “left” to me.
I didn’t turn on the lights. I moved directly to the window.
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My phone lit up repeatedly-notification after notification. “Stephenson Group CEO Spotted Dining With Rising Star Teresa Easton-Engagement Rumors Swirl.” “Is Teresa Easton Replacing Jasmine Watson as the New Face of Stephenson Group?” The attached photo captured them wrapped around each other, laughing like a perfect little love story-sickeningly bright, painfully staged.
A wave of nausea twisted in my gut.
I powered the phone off, plunging it into silence, and let the darkness claim me.
Did he truly believe the apartment and thirty million were a generous gift? A final charity bestowed upon
me?
Did he imagine I was still that “faded influencer who needed to cling to him, to the fickle currents of the entertainment industry for survival?
Did he think the title “Miss Watson Of Horizon Capital” was merely a bluff I’d concocted?
Kevin Stephenson. You, and the petty empire you’ve built, have no conception of true power.
The next morning, I followed my usual routine. I washed, I dressed, I made myself breakfast.
At ten o’clock sharp, I stood at the base of the Stephenson Group tower.
Today, they were hosting a crucial quarterly earnings report. Kevin and Teresa would be there, performing for their audience.
I stepped into the lobby and moved toward the private elevator he’d installed specifically for me. Two new receptionists intercepted me.
“Sorry, Ms. Watson,” one said, her expression a poorly fitted mask of apology. “Mr. Stephenson’s orders. You’re no longer permitted to use the private elevator. The standard employee elevators are over there.”
The other added, a thread of glee in her tone, “Also, your keycard access has been revoked. Should I connect you with Administrative Services?”
So. He was erasing me with small-minded haste.
Before I could reply, a voice, sweet and sharp, cut through the air.
“My, my. Look who it is.”
Teresa glided into the lobby, a constellation of assistants and security orbiting her. She was dressed for conquest, every detail screaming her new status.
She stopped before me, her gaze performing a slow, insulting inventory. A crimson smile curled her lips.
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09:47 Tue, Jan 20
Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal
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“What’s this? Planning to go up and see Kevin? Don’t forget-you signed the papers yesterday. Showing up here and clinging on now… it’s not a good look, sweetie.”
Her voice wasn’t quiet, either. Heads turned. Employees passing through the lobby paused, whispering.
I stood perfectly still, my face a placid mask, and watched her performance unfold.
“Miss Easton,” I said, the words cool and level. “You’re in my way.”
A flush of ugly color crept up Teresa’s neck. “Jasmine! Who do you think you’re fooling with this act?” Her voice sharpened, losing its performative sweetness. “What right do you have to stand there like you own the place? Kevin said he doesn’t want to see you! Have some dignity and just leave!”
At that moment, the chime of another elevator announced Kevin’s arrival. He strode into the lobby, clearly on his way to the press conference with Teresa.
He took in the scene and moved quickly. His hand closed around Teresa’s arm, pulling her behind him in a gesture of possession. His face, when he turned to me, was a mask of impatience and revulsion.
“Jasmine. What are you doing here?” He thought I had come to cling to beg. “The agreement is signed. The money and apartment will be transferred through my lawyers. This is no longer your concern. Stop showing up. Stop hanging on. Do yourself a favor and keep whatever dignity you’ve got left.”
09:47 Tue, Jan 20
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