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Zara whirled around, eyebrows raised. “Who the hell are you? Her fucking boyfriend?”
“What does it matter to you?” Luca said coolly, walking to Anya and gently pulling her to his side. His arm rested around her protectively, but his eyes never left Zara.
Zara scoffed, folding her arms. “Whatever. You can both pay me back then. Twenty million—plus interest!”
Luca’s expression didn’t change. “Fine. You’ll get the money. I will arrange for an accountant to bring it all right now.”
Zara’s smug smile returned.
“But,” Luca added sharply, “before that, you’ll sign a legal document stating that Anya has no remaining obligation, no debt, and no relationship with your family ever again. No contact, no claims, nothing. Forever.”
Zara’s smile faltered. She blinked—and then let out a mocking laugh.
“Wow. You’re really taking this act seriously, huh? Have you ever seen that much money in your dreams? What are you going to do next, put me in jail for embezzlement?” she jeered. “You’re just a manager, not the owner. You have no right to talk to me like that.”
She looked him over, eyes dripping with disdain. “This bitch can’t even land a janitor. And now she’s clinging to some office manager like she hit the jackpot. Pathetic.”
Then, her voice turned sharper, accusing. “And how dare you ask me to commit a crime? Take money from this company’s accountant? You thief!”
Suddenly, Charles entered the building, his eyes catching the scene.
Several staff members froze, whispering nervously. One of the senior managers rushed forward, pale-faced and sweating.
“Mr. Carter, please stay back. We’re so sorry. There’s been a personal disturbance. We’re handling it.”
“Mr. Carter?” Zara turned sharply, her eyes widening in shock the moment she saw him.
In a heartbeat, her entire demeanor changed. Her rage melted into desperate charm. She practically flew across the floor toward him, hair swinging, lips curling into a sudden smile.
“Mr. Carter! You're the owner of the company, right? My parents are close friends with—”
“What’s the problem?” Charles cut her off, his voice ice-cold.
The pleasant facade on Zara’s face twitched, but she quickly recovered, flipping back into outrage.
“You came just in time!” she cried, jabbing a finger toward Luca like she’d caught a criminal red-handed. “This employee of yours—he’s scamming your company account! He’s throwing money at her!” She turned and pointed accusingly at Anya, her voice climbing. “She’s nothing but a low-level worker, and he’s paying off his mistress with company funds! They’re in it together, I’m telling you. Who knows how much they’ve stolen already!”
Her voice echoed in the tense silence.
With every accusation, Charles’s expression darkened. The muscle in his jaw ticked, his hands curled into tight fists by his sides. The temperature in the room dropped.
“Enough!” His voice cracked like a whip through the air.
Zara stumbled back, startled by the sheer force of his tone. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.
But Charles wasn’t done.
“We’ll pay you back for every damn penny,” he spat, his voice sharp with restrained fury. “And we’ll pay you back for every word that came out of your filthy mouth.”
Zara’s face crumpled in confusion. “Pay back? What are you talking about?”
Anya stepped forward, quietly placing a calming hand on Charles’s arm. “Dad,” she said softly, “it’s okay. Let it go. It’s not worth it. They never spent more than a few thousand. Now they’re trying to extort millions. It’s just a scam.”
Zara’s head jerked as if someone had slapped her. “Dad?” she echoed in disbelief. “You’re her dad?”
The entire room froze.
Gasps filled the air. Heads turned. Murmurs swept across the hall like wildfire. Employees exchanged wide-eyed glances, some already whispering behind hands.