Chapter 16

I knew Vivian Lancaster all too well. That woman was as cunning as a fox—there was no way she'd agree to my terms so easily.

The silence on the other end of the line was deafening. I could hear her sharp, uneven breaths and Ethan Winslow muttering something in the background.

"Ryan, this is just bullying!" Ethan finally blurted out, his voice dripping with fake outrage. "Do you have any idea how hard Vivian worked to build this company? And you're demanding half of it?"

I smirked. Why was he so worked up? Probably afraid his golden goose was about to slip away.

"Vivian," I said, completely ignoring Ethan, "nothing comes for free in the adult world. If you want something, you have to pay the price."

A heavy thud came through the phone—probably a cup slamming onto a table.

"Three days to think it over." I didn’t give her room to negotiate before ending the call.

By evening, my phone rang again. Vivian.

"Would twenty percent work?" Her tone was cautious, probing.

"Not a single point less." My reply was firm.

Strange. Why was she so desperate? She was the one who wanted to break up in the first place.

At the celebration party, champagne flowed freely. While my colleagues cheered for the project’s success, an uneasy feeling nagged at me.

By 2 AM, I stumbled into bed, drunk. Then my phone buzzed violently.

"Mr. Gallagher? Miss Lancaster is drunk at our bar..." A stranger’s voice came through.

I squinted, my vision blurred from alcohol. My finger accidentally hit the answer button.

"Tell her to take a cab." I rolled over.

"But Miss Lancaster said..." The man hesitated. "She said if anything happens to her, you’ll be held fully responsible..."

I shot upright, the alcohol-induced haze clearing instantly.

"Send me the address."

After hanging up, I stared at the location on my screen, a cold smile curling my lips. With a quick tap, I dialed another number.

"Hello, police? I'd like to report a situation."