Chapter 15: A manipulative liar.

Words : 1235 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 15: A manipulative liar. "What?" "Darling, have you forgotten the clauses you agreed to when you joined the company?" Denis’s voice was laced with sarcasm. "You can’t quit without my consent. And if you try, you’ll have to pay the penalty—something you’re in no position to afford right now." She had been so eager to work for him back then—so blinded by love—that she hadn’t even bothered reading the clauses properly before signing the contract. But now she regretted it. Denis’s voice dripped with condescension. "What? Do you remember now?" Anne tightened her grip on her phone. "Quit being stubborn," Denis said, his sarcasm fading into an icy tone. "Think about your father’s medical expenses. Come back to the office and get to work—I’ll overlook the trouble you’ve caused." Her heart pounded in frustration, but she knew he was right about one thing—she couldn’t afford the penalty. She had yet to pay her father’s hospital bills. Anne had no choice but to submit to his demand. "Fine," she bit out. "I’ll be there. But don’t regret it." She disconnected the call without waiting for his reply, her eyes flashing with cold resolve. "Denis, you are making a huge mistake by stopping me from resigning. I’ll make your life miserable. Just wait." "Is everything alright?" Augustine’s voice almost startled her. Anne quickly masked her emotions, turning to him with a forced smile. "Yeah, everything is fine. I need to go to the office." "Office? Haven’t you resigned already?" Augustine frowned, clearly not convinced. Anne sighed, rubbing her temple. "It’s complicated. Let me go and see what he has to say." Augustine studied her for a long moment before speaking. "Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. "I’ll go with you." "Relax." Anne gave him a reassuring smile. "I’ll be fine." He didn’t look convinced, but he relented with a sigh. "Alright. Call me if you need anything." Anne nodded before turning away. She stopped a taxi and hopped in. Augustine stood rooted to the spot, his gaze lingering on the empty road long after Anne’s taxi had disappeared into the distance. A deep unease settled in his chest. He was worried Denis would trouble Anne. Gustave appeared beside him, offering a slight nod in greeting. "The man revealed everything after the interrogation," he reported grimly. Augustine turned slightly, his sharp gaze locking onto his assistant. "His name is Billy," Gustave continued. "He is a dealer—supplies raw materials to various companies." Augustine remained silent, listening. "Denis placed a massive consignment order with him, worth millions. Billy was ready to deliver. But at the last moment, Denis canceled the deal, causing Billy’s business to take a devastating hit." Augustine frown deepened. ’Typical Denis. He never cared about the consequences of his actions—only what benefited him,’ he muttered inwardly. "This betrayal enraged Billy," Gustave added. "He wanted revenge." A cold sneer curled Augustine’s lips. "Denis can deceive anyone. He didn’t even spare the woman who devoted three years of her life to him. What else can we expect?" His expression hardened as he spoke. "Because of his mess, Anne was nearly raped—or worse, killed." The thought of it alone sent fresh anger coursing through his veins. "Make sure this Billy guy gets a good punishment. I don’t want him to go to prison simply. I want his entire business to collapse. " His gaze flickered with a dangerous glint. "Ruin him." "Understood, sir." Augustine turned away slightly, but then paused, his mind shifting to another thought. "One more thing." He held up a finger. "What about the acquisition of Starlite corp.?" Augustine moved toward the car parked beside. Trailing beside him, Gustave kept pace. "The work is progressing well. If everything continues smoothly, the acquisition will be finalized by next month." Augustine gave a small nod, satisfaction flickering across his face. No one knew the full extent of his wealth, and he intended to keep it that way for the time being. The Starlite Corp. was a small emerging company, significant enough to position him among the city’s business elites. It was the perfect tool to operate under while keeping his true identity hidden. "Try to quicken the process," he instructed as he slid into the backseat of the car. Gustave gave a firm nod before shutting the door behind him and moving to the driver’s seat. As the car smoothly pulled away from the curb, Augustine’s thoughts shifted back to Anne. "Anne is facing problems in resigning from Denis’s office," Augustine pointed out. "Look into this matter. I want every single detail." "I’ll look into it, sir." Gustave ignited the engine and pulled out the car. Augustine leaned back in his seat. He knew it quite well that Denis was trying to trap her, to keep her under his control. But if Denis thought he could toy with Anne like before, he was gravely mistaken. ’She is my woman now. I won’t let you bully her.’ ~~~~~~~~~ Anne pushed open the office door and stepped inside. The moment her gaze landed on Denis, seated behind his desk with his usual air of arrogance, a storm of rage ignited within her. The memory of last night’s incident was still raw, still burning in her mind. He had abandoned her, not caring about whether she lived or died. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. "You are finally here." Denis looked up, his eyes flickering with something unreadable before he stood and closed the distance between them. "I called you last night. Why didn’t you pick up the phone?" Anne let out a bitter laugh. ’He really has the audacity to ask that?’ "I think Mr. Beaumont has conveniently forgotten what happened last night." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "You abandoned me in the middle of nowhere, remember?" For a split second, something flickered in Denis’s eyes—something that almost looked like regret. But it was gone just as quickly as it appeared. Anne scoffed, disgusted by his fleeting hesitation. "You didn’t care about my safety," she continued with resentment. "That place was deserted. There was no network. Do you have any idea what kind of danger I was in last night?" Denis masked his uneasiness with a stern look. "Don’t start lying to me again. "What danger are you talking about? There was a bus stop barely a kilometer ahead. Even if you didn’t get a cab, you could have caught public transport easily. Don’t try to get my sympathy with these manipulative lies. I don’t have time for your drama." He motioned toward a thick stack of files. "Go through these and make a report. I need it by the end of the day." Anne sneered. He didn’t trust her. In his eyes, she was just a manipulative liar. Her heart twisted with bitterness, but she refused to let the pain show. She didn’t want to be here—not for a second longer, let alone working under him. But Denis had forced her to stay. Fine. If he wanted her here so badly—she’d make sure he regretted it. A dangerous glint flickered in her eyes as an idea took root in her mind. ’You’re so desperate to keep me here. I’ll make you wish you never did.’ "Okay, but don’t regret it later." She picked up the files and strode out, throwing him one last pointed look. Denis blinked, confused. "What does she mean by that?"

Chapter 15: A manipulative liar.

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