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Chapter_4
On an early Monday morning, Sadie hurriedly took the three children to their new kindergarten with Brenda before rushing off to the VIC Group.
In the past few days, Sadie had sent out 35 resumes and attended 17 interviews. The rejections, both direct and indirect, had become a painful routine. Yet, today, she had received something different—a job offer. From the VIC Group. The VIC Group. The legendary company that everyone would kill for.
Her heart fluttered with excitement, but doubt crept in. How could the VIC Group reach out to me? Why would they choose me when even the less prestigious companies rejected me? The VIC was the pinnacle of success, its doors not easily opened to just anyone.
When Sadie arrived at the VIC Group’s HR Department, she thought she might have misread the situation. But the moment she stepped inside, it became painfully clear.
“It’s you!” A voice rang out across the room.
Sadie froze. The man standing before her, a smirk plastered on his face, was none other than Samuel Brown. His eyes gleamed with malice.
“It’s been a while,” Samuel greeted her, his grin widening. “You haven’t changed a bit. Still just as gorgeous as before.”
Sadie’s stomach turned. Samuel! She had not seen him in years, and now, of all places, he was here. Samuel had once been the Deputy CEO of the Roth Group until Edmond had kicked him out for inappropriate advances toward Sadie. She had never expected to run into him again—certainly not at the VIC Group.
“How dare you show your face here?” Sadie’s voice was sharp with fury. “When my father kicked you out of the Roth Group, he banished you from Newark! How can you come back?”
Samuel’s smirk deepened, his tone dripping with disdain. “The Roth family is done for. Do you still think you’re the little princess you once were?” He sneered. “You’re nothing now. And you got that job offer because I allowed it. Be grateful.”
Sadie’s blood boiled. She clenched her fists, turning on her heel to walk away, but Samuel’s voice echoed behind her, dripping with venom. “Sadie, this is your last chance. Once you walk out that door, I’ll make sure you never find a job in Newark again. Unless, of course, you want to become Mr. Clemens’… plaything.”
Her heart raced with a mix of anger and disgust, but she refused to let him see her falter. She quickened her pace, determined to leave the man behind.
As she reached the reception area, Sadie was taken aback. The entrance was crowded with people, and the tension in the air was palpable. A middle-aged man stood in the center, holding a handgun, shouting at anyone who came too close.
“Don’t come any closer!” he yelled. “I want to see Micah Clemens! Now!”
The crowd scattered, fear spreading like wildfire. The security guards, standing in a silent standoff, seemed ready to spring into action at any moment. Several senior executives attempted to reason with the man.
“Darian, calm down. We can talk about this.”
“Calm down?” The man, Darian, exploded. “I didn’t do anything to him, but he destroyed me! He made me go bankrupt overnight, and now look at me! I’m homeless, jobless, and completely ruined! How the hell do you expect me to calm down?”
Sadie’s mind raced as she watched the scene unfold. She had heard whispers about the sudden downfall of the Roth Group, but no one had ever explained the full story. It had happened overnight, and Sadie had never understood why. Her father’s death had only added to the confusion, leaving her with more questions than answers.
Could someone have taken my father down? Was this Micah Clemens somehow involved?
Just as the thoughts swirled in her mind, a voice cut through the tension.
“Mr. Clemens is here!”
Sadie looked up, her breath catching in her throat. A Rolls-Royce Phantom was slowly making its way through the crowd, the security guards immediately clearing a path. The onlookers stepped back in awe, the air thick with anticipation.
Darian, his grip tightening on the gun, stormed forward and stood in front of the car, blocking its path. “Micah!” he shouted. “You owe me an explanation!”
The car slowed to a halt. The moment felt suspended in time, as if the entire city held its breath. The man inside the car could shake the foundations of Newark with a single word.
Through the half-open window, Sadie glimpsed the man sitting in the back seat. He was impeccably dressed, his eyes focused on his phone, seemingly unfazed by the chaos outside. The driver and bodyguard in the front seat remained still, their posture rigid, as if waiting for his command. Even the air around the vehicle seemed cold and unyielding.
Without warning, Micah raised a hand, and the car surged forward, moving swiftly toward Darian. The crowd gasped, and Darian froze, unprepared for the ruthless approach.
But before the car could reach him, Sadie acted on instinct. She dashed forward, throwing herself in front of Darian and yanking him out of the car’s path.
The moment their eyes met, Sadie’s heart skipped a beat. Micah’s gaze locked onto her from inside the car. A flicker of complex emotions passed across his face—a mix of recognition and something darker.
