Chapter 28 I Need My Money
Aria's POV
The sun wasn't even fully up when I woke up the next morning, I didn't sleep much last night. I reached under my pillow and felt the scrap of paper Grayson had given me. My fingers traced the jagged numbers he’d scribbled down. Part of me felt safer knowing I had a way to reach him, but the other part of me—the part that hated being a victim—was still stinging from the way he’d looked at me. Like I was a problem he had to solve.
"I am not a problem," I whispered to the empty room.
I got out of bed and moved quietly so I wouldn't wake Nana. She had a rough night with her breathing, and I could hear her soft snores coming from the other room. I checked the fridge. Half a carton of milk and a single egg. I skipped breakfast, choosing to save the egg for her.
I spent twenty minutes trying to make myself look "corporate." I didn't have my work clothes anymore; Jess had kept everything I left at his place. I settled on my best pair of black jeans and a white button-down shirt that was a little yellowed at the collar. I pulled my hair back into a tight, professional bun, ignoring the way my wolf wanted to just let it fly wild.
"You're going to get that money, Aria," I told my reflection.
"You earned it."
The bus ride to the center of Silverfang City took forever. The bus was crowded with people going to their shifts at the factories, the smell of grease and stale coffee filling the air. I stared out the window at the passing gray buildings. When the bus finally reached the Hart district, the scenery changed. The potholes disappeared. The trash was gone. The buildings were made of glass and steel that caught the morning light.
Apex Corp stood in the center like a giant throne. I stood on the sidewalk for a minute, looking up at the top floors where Grayson’s office was. My stomach did a little flip, but I shoved the feeling down. I wasn't here for him. I was here for my check.
I walked through the revolving glass doors. The lobby was even bigger than I remembered. The floor was so shiny I could see my own worried expression in the marble. I walked up to the reception desk.
"Hi, I'm Aria Jones. I'm here to see HR regarding my severance package," I said, trying to sound like I belonged there.
The receptionist didn't even look up from her computer. She was young, with perfect makeup and a headset. "Do you have an appointment, Miss Jones?"
"I shouldn't need one to pick up a check that was due three days ago," I said, keeping my voice level.
She sighed, finally looking at me. Her eyes traveled over my faded jeans and the yellowed shirt. She didn't hide the look of pity—or maybe it was disgust.
. "HR is on the fourth floor. You’ll have to sign in at the security kiosk first."
I went through the motions. I signed the digital pad, took the temporary badge, and headed for the elevators. My heart started racing as the doors closed. This was the building where I’d spent four years helping Jess build his dream. Every floor I passed felt like a memory I wanted to erase.
When I reached the fourth floor, the hallway was quiet. The carpet was thick and muffled my footsteps. I found the office labeled Human Resources: Payroll and Contracts. I walked in and saw a woman sitting behind a large mahogany desk. It was Mrs. Gable. She had been a close friend of Jess’s mother. Whenever she came to the office, she used to treat me like a servant, asking me to get her "specifically lukewarm" water.
"Aria," she said, her voice like sandpaper. She didn't look surprised to see me. "I wondered when you’d show up."
"Good morning, Mrs. Gable. I'm just here for my final pay and the four weeks of severance guaranteed in my contract."
Mrs. Gable leaned back in her chair and folded her hands. "Ah, yes. The contract. The one you breached."
I blinked. "I'm sorry? I didn't breach anything. I was fired without cause via a text message."
"Actually," she said, pulling a folder from her desk and sliding it toward me, "the records show you resigned. Under 'Gross Professional Misconduct.' There’s a signed statement here from Mr. Andrew stating that you were found stealing proprietary client data to sell to competitors."
My jaw dropped. I felt the heat rising in my neck. "That’s a lie. A total, complete lie. Jess wrote that? He’s the one who fired me because he’s marrying Delilah Hart!"
"Careful, dear," Mrs. Gable sneered. "Making accusations against the Hart family in this building is a very quick way to find yourself in a jail cell. We have the digital logs. Apparently, you accessed the server at 2:00 AM last Tuesday."
"I was at home in bed last Tuesday! Probably crying because he’d just dumped me!" I shouted. I didn't mean to yell, but the unfairness of it was like a physical weight on my chest.
"Well, the computer says otherwise. And since you were terminated for cause—theft—you aren't entitled to a single cent of severance. In fact, the company is considering suing you for the recovery of the lost data."
I felt like I was drowning. "I have no money, Mrs. Gable. My grandmother is sick. I worked for Jess for four years. I did his taxes! I picked up his laundry! You know I didn't steal anything."
Mrs. Gable stood up, smoothing her skirt. "What I know is that Jess is a rising star in this city, and you are a girl from the docks who got lucky for a little while. The luck is over, Aria. Now, please leave before I call security to escort you out."
"I'm not leaving without my check," I said, my voice trembling. I stepped closer to her desk, my hands balling into fists. "I know how this works. Jess is trying to scare me so I’ll go away quietly. Well, I'm not going to be quiet."
"Is that a threat?" Mrs. Gable reached for her phone. "I’m calling security."
"Call them!" I snapped. "Let them see what you're doing. Everyone in this building knows I was the one doing the work while Jess was out playing golf. You’re helping him steal from me."
"You really are as delusional as he said," she muttered, pressing a button on her phone.
"Yes, I need an escort in HR. A disgruntled former employee is being aggressive."
I stood my ground, even though my insides were shaking. I couldn't believe this was happening. I’d come here thinking that at least the law or a contract would protect me. But in Silverfang, the only thing that mattered was whose name was on the front of the building.
The door behind me opened, and I heard the heavy tread of security boots.
"Miss, you need to come with us," a deep voice said.
I turned around, ready to fight, ready to scream, ready to let my wolf out right there in the middle of the fourth floor. But then, the hallway outside the office went completely silent.
The security guards suddenly stopped and stood at attention, their faces turning pale.
I looked past them and saw a shadow looming in the doorway. The air in the room suddenly felt electric, thick with the scent of leather and cold winter air.
I didn't even have to look to know who it was. My wolf knew. My heart knew.