Chapter 69 I'll Take Him Back
Briar's POV
I stood at my apartment door and pressed my thumb against the new smart lock panel, watching the green light flash as it registered my fingerprint.
The door swung open, and I froze. Leah was in the living room, surrounded by cardboard boxes and an open suitcase on the coffee table. She was folding clothes with sharp, precise movements.
She didn't look up when I walked in. "I'm moving out."
I nodded slowly and closed the door behind me.
Leah turned around, and the coldness in her eyes. "But Briar, I'm warning you right now. If you treat Lucian badly, I'll take him back. I don't care what it takes."
I met her gaze and kept my voice steady. "If you were capable of that, you would've succeeded a long time ago, wouldn't you?"
Her face went pale, and for a second I thought she might actually throw something at me. Instead, she turned back to her suitcase and shoved a stack of shirts inside. She didn't say another word, and I took that as my cue to leave her alone.
I retreated to my bedroom and closed the door, leaning against it and letting out a long breath.
By the time I got out of the shower, the apartment was quiet. I toweled off my hair and climbed into bed, my muscles finally starting to unwind after the chaos of the day. I scrolled through my phone aimlessly, trying to distract myself from Leah's words.
I opened my ins and found a gif of someone getting punched in the face. I hit send, then immediately regretted it and pulled the message back three seconds later.
My phone vibrated almost instantly.
Lucian: [What did you just delete?]
I stared at the screen and felt my stomach drop. Of course he'd seen it.
Me: [Nothing.]
Lucian: [I saw it. Were you trying to punch me?]
Me: [You're seeing things.]
There was a pause, and I could practically see the smirk on his face through the screen.
Lucian: [Sure. Get some sleep. Good night.]
I tossed my phone onto the nightstand and buried my face in my pillow.
When I woke up the next morning, I padded down the hallway in my pajamas and pushed open Leah's door. The room was stripped bare, the closet empty, the bed neatly made.
I stood there for a moment, remembering the day I'd first moved in. Leah had been the one to help me unpack, showing me where everything was and making sure I felt welcome.
I shook off the nostalgia and grabbed my phone from my bedroom, unlocking it to check the time. My screen lit up with a barrage of notifications, and I scrolled through them with growing disbelief.
2:47 AM: A photo of Ember sprawled on her back, paws in the air, looking absurdly comfortable.
3:15 AM: A picture of an elaborate breakfast spread on a marble countertop, complete with fresh fruit and pastries. The caption read: [What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?]
5:20 AM: A shot of the city skyline at dawn, the sky just starting to lighten at the edges.
6:05 AM: A gym selfie. Lucian's hair was damp with sweat, his shirt clinging to his chest, and the angle was just flattering.
My ears burned, and I sent back a simple morning greeting emoji.
I got dressed and headed downstairs. The moment I stepped outside, I spotted Chloe leaning against a sleek black car, a bouquet of lavender in her hands and a smile on her face that looked genuinely happy for the first time in weeks.
"Morning, Briar," she said, straightening up as I approached.
I raised an eyebrow. "You look like you're in a good mood."
Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced down at the flowers. "Julian apologized and brought these."
I let out a short laugh and shook my head, thinking that Chloe was far too easy to please.
Chloe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at me hesitantly. "You know those throat lozenges you gave me? The ones that actually worked? Where can I buy more?"
"They're not on the market yet," I said, unlocking my car. "One of our team members developed them, so right now they're only available internally." I paused, an idea forming in the back of my mind. "But if you're interested, you could come by the office and take a look around. We might be able to work something out."
Chloe's eyes lit up. "Really? I'd love that." Then she hesitated, her smile fading slightly. "Sienna mentioned Vance Botanicals a few times. She said some things that weren't exactly flattering."
I opened the car door and slid into the driver's seat, giving her a pointed look. "And you believe everything that comes out of her mouth?"
Chloe laughed and climbed into the passenger seat. "Fair point."
By the time we reached the office, I headed toward the research and development wing. The moment I pushed open the door, I heard raised voices echoing down the hallway.
"Eric! What did you just say?!" Owen's voice was sharp with indignation, and I quickened my pace, Chloe following close behind.
We rounded the corner to find Owen and Eric standing in the middle of the lab, both of them glaring at each other. Eric had his arms crossed and his expression set in a look of utter disdain, while Owen looked like he was two seconds away from throwing something.
Eric's voice was cold and cutting. "I said your marketing plan is painfully mediocre. Is that clear enough for you?"
Owen's face flushed, and the moment he saw me, he rushed over and latched onto my arm. "Briar! Eric's being mean to me again! He said terrible things!"
I looked down at him, my expression flat. "I can say terrible things too if you'd like. Want me to demonstrate?"
Owen's grip on my arm loosened, and he pouted but didn't argue. I glanced over at Chloe, who was trying very hard not to laugh, and gestured toward the storage area. "Owen, why don't you show Chloe around? Let her see some of the products we've been working on."
Owen perked up immediately and grabbed Chloe's hand, dragging her toward the shelves lined with neatly labeled containers. I turned back to Eric, who was already pulling out a tray of samples from the refrigeration unit.
He handed me a small, rectangular bar wrapped in biodegradable packaging. "Try this."
I unwrapped it and took a bite, my eyes widening. The texture was dense but not heavy, with a subtle herbal undertone and a faint buzz of energy that spread through my chest, sharpening my thoughts.
"Eric, this is incredible," I said, taking another bite. "What's in it?"
He smirked. "Upgraded formula. I added mineral extracts from deep-sea algae to improve physical stability during the full moon cycle. The freeze-drying process locks in the active compounds—six months shelf life without refrigeration."
I finished the bar and wiped my fingers on a napkin, my mind already running through potential applications. "This could be huge for our next product line."
Eric nodded, then leaned against the counter and gave me a look that was equal parts curious and annoyed. "Speaking of next steps, you know Pinnacle Consulting is almost done with their due diligence, right?"
I froze. "What due diligence?"
He blinked at me, clearly surprised. "You didn't know? Finance said Marcus approved it. Pinnacle Consulting is the top due diligence firm in the country. They've been here multiple times over the past few weeks."
My blood went cold. "When did this start?"
"Right after you got back from the Shadowmoor estate," Eric said, frowning. "They've been coming in when you're not around, always with written authorization from Marcus. I assumed you were in the loop."
I felt my hands curl into fists, nails digging into my palms. The company's financials were a mess—I hadn't had time to clean up half the discrepancies from Marcus's negligence. If Pinnacle was digging into our books now, they'd find everything.
I turned on my heel and walked out of the lab, my heart pounding in my chest. The moment I was outside, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my blocked contacts until I found Marcus's number. I unblocked him and hit call.
The line rang twice before he picked up, and I didn't give him a chance to speak.
"Why didn't you tell me about Pinnacle?" I demanded, my voice shaking with barely suppressed fury. "Do you have any idea how unprepared we are? The financials are a disaster, and you just let them walk in without even warning me?"
There was a pause, and then I heard it. The sound of waves crashing against rocks, distant and rhythmic. He was at the beach.
Before Marcus could respond, a soft, sweet voice cut through the background noise.
"Sister! Is that you?"