Because I was the one who had made sure Whitaker pulled out. I was the one who had been manipulating the situation for years, but now? This was the endgame. My revenge. For all the times he had deceived me, pretending I was everything to him when I was really just another pawn in his game.
"Daniel," I said, keeping my voice level, "maybe it’s not as bad as you think."
"It’s worse than you can imagine," he muttered, barely audible.
Before I could respond, the door to the apartment swung open, and Eduard, Daniel’s secretary, burst in without knocking. His face was ashen with panic.
"Mr. Eddy, there’s a mob outside the office," Eduard said, his voice trembling. "They’re demanding their payouts."
Daniel’s eyes widened with shock. "What?"
"They know we can’t pay them," Eduard continued, shooting a nervous glance at me before turning his attention back to Daniel. "The word’s out. Complaints are being filed. Lawsuits are coming."
Daniel’s expression morphed instantly from disbelief to rage. "Dismiss them," he snapped. "Find a flaw in their contracts. Anything that can stop them from taking more than they’re owed."
Eduard hesitated, clearly reluctant. "But, sir—"