bChapter /b6

Aria’s POV

bI /bslightly rounded my eyes at him. Stunned.

W–What bdoes /bhe mean by thatb? /b

“Are you ready to tell me what breally /bhappened?” he asked.

b“/bOh… Yeah.”

I wiped my bface/b. My voice still sounded like I’d swallowed gravel. I told him how I got this job…and how bI /bbwas /bso broke that I’d been secretly living in the supermarket.

God.

I thought I’d already hit bottom when I begged him for a job.

Yet turns out, this bwas /bmy new low.

When I finished, I didn’t even dare look at him.

A guy like him would never understand what it’s like to be homeless. Would he look at me like everyone else out there does? Like I’m a street whoreb. /b

“bI /bbsee/b,” he said eventually. “Can you stand? Wipe your face. Let’s get back.”

Nervousb, /bI got up and followed him.

So, what nowb? /b

Was he going to fire me?

Or bask /bme to pay for all the water and electricity that I have used?

Oh bdear /bMoon Goddess this bwas /bso humiliating.

At the front, that assistant named Nova bwas /bstanding by the entrance, keeping an eye on everyone. Jonathan and my manager were huddled together, looking tense as hell.

b“/bAlpha Grayson!” The manager rushed over the second he saw us. His bvoice /bwas practically shaking. “Please don’t believe anything that girl bsays/bb. /bShe’s ba /bshameless bliar/bb. /bThe bworst /bemployee anyone can possibly haveb!/bb” /b

bI /bbred /bat him.

Funny how he didn’t have a problem with me when I volunteered to cover all the shifts that no one belse /bwanted.

“Any usations need evidence. Otherwise, bit’s /bdefamation,” Nova said loudly.

“The evidence is right thereb! /bShe bwas /bsleeping in the store without my permission. God knows how much electricity and bwater /bshe bused/b, or how much food she’s stolen! bWhat /bif she’s carrying ba /bbdisease/b? What if she infected our customersb?/bb” /b

“bI /bsubmitted my bhealth /breport when I got hired,” bI /bsnapped. “I’m clean.”

He ignored bme /band continued ranting, “You don’t know about these poor girls, Ms. Nova. They bare /bfreakishly bgreedy/b. Always try to leech off bigpanies with good benefits. Like fucking cockroach.”

My bface /bturned bred /bbat /bhis insult.

Just when I was about to fire bback/bb, /bGrayson interrupted his bjabber/b:

“Enough. You’re fired.”

Silence.

b9:52 /bAM

The bair /bwent bdead /bstill.

I thought he bwas /btalking to me at first. Then I realized…he meant the manager.

The manager’s mouth dropped open in horror. He nearly copsed. “W–what?! Why Alpha? I–I don’t understand-”

b*/bAll of our supermarkets are supposed to provide employee housing and 3 meals a day. Tell me why Ms. Collins didn’t receive any of those benefitsb./bb” /b

My bjaw /bdropped.

bWait /ba second… Housing and meals?

b23 /b

I’d never even heard of them. And I bet May or any of the other employees hadn’t either.

“That’s right,” Nova chimed in, eyes locked on the now pale–bas/bb–/bba/b–sheet manager. “Thepany allocates hundreds of thousands to each store every year just to make sure employees are cared for. If Aria had gotten what she was owed, she wouldn’t bhave /bhad to sleep cold floor. So did you pocket those funds yourself?”

on

ba /b

The manager swallowed hard.

He looked like he wanted to argue, but the look on his face said it all.

“Nova,” Grayson said icily, “once his termination’s processed, file charges for embezzlement. I want him serving no less than 20 years.b” /b

b“/bUnderstood, Alpha.”

20 yearsb. /b

I felt dizzyb. /b

Grayson had spoken less than ten words. And just like that, this man’s entire future was done.

That was breal /bfucking power.

The manager dropped to his knees, horrified. He sobbed and begged, wailing about his kids and his family. But it was toote.

Grayson didn’t even look at him. His cold gaze shifted to Jonathan.

The guy bwas /bso cocky and arrogant before. But now he bwas /bliterally shaking like a scared cat. “A–Alpha bGrayson/b, please, let me ex

exin. I -I had nothing to do with this-”

b“/bbYou /bsaid Aria was stealing and bsuggested /bto throw her in jail. Now show me your evidence,b” /bGrayson demanded darkly.

!…I don’t bhave /bany. But had reason to be suspicious! Back at bApex/bb, /bshe lost us à million–dor deal. bShe’s /bshady.”

“bThat’s /bnot evidenceb,/bb” /bGrayson’s voice bwas /bharsh like a de.

“Ib–/bIb–/bI’m sorry Alpha. bI /bdon’t know what I bwas /bthinking…I can apologize to her right now…”

bGrayson /bcut him off. b“/bbSave /bit for HR. They’ll be investigating whether you’ve fabricated ims about any other subordinatesb./bb” /b

b“/bbNo /bbwait/bb–/bbI /bjust brought in a huge bdeal /bbst /bbyear/b! I’m a valuable employeeb! /bbPlease /bdon’t do this to meb… /b

Yet Grayson had balready /bwalked bpass /bhim, leaving the bstore /bin long strides.

Jonathan breathed bheavily /bin bpanic/bb. /bSuddenly, he spun around and lurched toward me, his bface /bbtwisted /bin brage/b.

b“/bYou better bexin /bto Alpha about this,” he hissed

Teyed him coldly. “What’s bthere /bbto /bbexin/b? bHe /bbgot /bthe whole truth.”

“Goddammit, you bpathetic /bbitch! I can’t lose my fucking job over this! bI /bswear to God, bAria-/bb” /b

b“/bbIf /byou threaten bMiss /bCollins bagain/b,” Nova bappeared /bat my side like a guardian angel, b“/bI’ll bfire /byou bmyself /band press charges bfor /bharassment.”

9:52 AM

Two bodyguards stepped up behind me. Jonathan took one look at them and shut his mouth. But his eyes still burned with hate.

“Come Ms. Collins.”

Nova and the guards escorted me outside. It was honestly a little surreal–walking out surrounded by arge group like I was some kind of VIP. It was a brand–new experience.

“If that asshole bothers you again, you tell Alpha,” Nova huffed.

I gave her an appreciate smile. But honestly, I don’t think I’d want to bother Grayson with my problem again.

He obviously didn’t care. Or he couldn’t care because of his rtionship to Dalh and Jace. He made it very clearst time at his office.

Outside of the store, his car–THE car–was waiting. The only silver Rolls–Royce in the entire Redstone Pack.

He was by the car signing something one of his staff handed him. He looked busy. Too busy to even talk to me.

I hesitated whether I should go over there. But then he turned and looked right at me, and my heart did a somersault.

“Thank you,” I murmured. “Really.”

He brushed off another document from the staff and stepped closer, giving me his full attention.

“What’s your n now?” he asked.

“Well…” I gave him a nervous smile. “I guess I can’t work here anymore? So….probably find another job? But if I identally end up at one of your restaurants or malls, you can’t think I’m stalking you again. Your empire’s just that big.”

He didn’tugh at that joke.olliOK. Just kill me now./li/ol

“What about housing?” he asked with a frown.

“I’ll probably crash with a friend for a few days. Or maybe… sleep on the floor in my grandma’s hospital room.” I tried to make it sound like nothing. “Honestly, you don’t need to worry. And you were right at the office–you can’t take my side. I get it. I’ll figure it out myself.”

He took a deep breath. “Get in.”

“What?”

He didn’t exin. Just opened the door and got in himself.

I stared, speechiess. Then I climbed in as well.

“Is there something else you need to tell me?” bI /bbsat /bnext to him, still confused.

“I’m taking you back to my house,” he said.

b3/3 /b