"And right now, I'm the only one who can put up that kind of money."
I turned to look at her.
"What's the catch?"
Sarah leaned in close.
"Marry me."
I couldn't help it. I laughed.
"Sarah, what could you possibly want from me?"
"You. I want you."
She was good at this act. But I'd already died once. I would never fall for that line again.
I picked up the folder and tore it clean in half.
"Then let it go bankrupt."
"I'd sooner beg on the streets than marry you."
The second she left, I called the company's finance department to verify.
The situation was worse than she'd described. Not only had the cash flow dried up, but several massive debts were about to come due. Someone had clearly been pulling strings behind the scenes.
Who else could it be but Sarah?
She'd stop at nothing to force me to submit. The playbook was identical to my past life. First, engineer a crisis from the shadows. Then swoop in as the savior, so I'd fall at her feet in gratitude.
Not this time.
I listed my apartment for sale. I pawned every piece of jewelry I owned. I even reached out to former rivals, offering to sell my shares at a steep discount.
Every single one of them refused to see me.