I listed my apartment and jewelry for sale. I even reached out to former rivals, offering to transfer my shares at a steep discount.
Every single one of them refused to see me.
Clyde Henson had put the word out: anyone who helped me was openly declaring war on the Henson Group.
Leona called to talk me down.
"Jade, would it kill you to just give in?"
"Stan likes you so much he went to Clyde on his knees for you."
"Marry him, save the company, and you'll have a good life. Everybody wins. What's so wrong with that?"
I hit the end-call button and blocked her number.
Three days later, the court summons arrived.
I sat in the empty rental unit, alone.
The door swung open. Stan stood in the doorway, umbrella in hand.
"Jade, stop fighting this."
He walked toward me and looked down from above.
"All you have to do is say yes, and all of this goes away."
I lifted my chin and stared straight at him.
"Stan, do you really think that if you back someone into a corner and then toss them a scrap of mercy, they'll worship you for it?"
His brow furrowed.
"I'm just trying to help you."
"Help me?" I stood and walked toward him. "By cutting off every escape route I had? By having Clyde blacklist me?"