Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back in the riverfront apartment he\u2019d so magnanimously \u201cleft\u201d to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t turn on the lights. I moved directly to the window.\u00a0<\/p>\n
+35 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
My phone lit up repeatedly-notification after notification. \u201cStephenson Group CEO Spotted Dining With Rising Star Teresa Easton-Engagement Rumors Swirl.\u201d \u201cIs Teresa Easton Replacing Jasmine Watson as the New Face of Stephenson Group?\u201d The attached photo captured them wrapped around each other, laughing like a perfect little love story-sickeningly bright, painfully staged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A wave of nausea twisted in my gut.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I powered the phone off, plunging it into silence, and let the darkness claim me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Did he truly believe the apartment and thirty million were a generous gift? A final charity bestowed upon\u00a0<\/p>\n
me?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Did he imagine I was still that \u201cfaded influencer who needed to cling to him, to the fickle currents of the entertainment industry for survival?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Did he think the title \u201cMiss Watson Of Horizon Capital\u201d was merely a bluff I\u2019d concocted?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin Stephenson. You, and the petty empire you\u2019ve built, have no conception of true power.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next morning, I followed my usual routine. I washed, I dressed, I made myself breakfast.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At ten o\u2019clock sharp, I stood at the base of the Stephenson Group tower.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Today, they were hosting a crucial quarterly earnings report. Kevin and Teresa would be there, performing for their audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped into the lobby and moved toward the private elevator he\u2019d installed specifically for me. Two new receptionists intercepted me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, Ms. Watson,\u201d one said, her expression a poorly fitted mask of apology. \u201cMr. Stephenson\u2019s orders. You\u2019re no longer permitted to use the private elevator. The standard employee elevators are over there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The other added, a thread of glee in her tone, \u201cAlso, your keycard access has been revoked. Should I connect you with Administrative Services?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
So. He was erasing me with small-minded haste.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before I could reply, a voice, sweet and sharp, cut through the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy, my. Look who it is.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Teresa glided into the lobby, a constellation of assistants and security orbiting her. She was dressed for conquest, every detail screaming her new status.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She stopped before me, her gaze performing a slow, insulting inventory. A crimson smile curled her lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:47 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal\u00a0<\/p>\n
26\u00a0<\/p>\n
+35 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this? Planning to go up and see Kevin? Don\u2019t forget-you signed the papers yesterday. Showing up here and clinging on now\u2026 it\u2019s not a good look, sweetie.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her voice wasn\u2019t quiet, either. Heads turned. Employees passing through the lobby paused, whispering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stood perfectly still, my face a placid mask, and watched her performance unfold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss Easton,\u201d I said, the words cool and level. \u201cYou\u2019re in my way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A flush of ugly color crept up Teresa\u2019s neck. \u201cJasmine! Who do you think you\u2019re fooling with this act?\u201d Her voice sharpened, losing its performative sweetness. \u201cWhat right do you have to stand there like you own the place? Kevin said he doesn\u2019t want to see you! Have some dignity and just leave!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
At that moment, the chime of another elevator announced Kevin\u2019s arrival. He strode into the lobby, clearly on his way to the press conference with Teresa.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took in the scene and moved quickly. His hand closed around Teresa\u2019s arm, pulling her behind him in a gesture of possession. His face, when he turned to me, was a mask of impatience and revulsion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJasmine. What are you doing here?\u201d He thought I had come to cling to beg. \u201cThe 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\u2019ve got left.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
09:47 Tue, Jan 20\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unremembered Beforefall by Mark Twain 4 Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal\u00a0 Chapter 4 Monument of Betrayal\u00a0 Back in the riverfront […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-new-room"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20200\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}