More Than A Favor

Chapter 99

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I didn’t take Ashton’s effort lightly. After finishing the breakfast he had prepared for me, I sent him a simple message: “Thank you.”

Two small words, but they carried more weight than they seemed. I didn’t want to take his kindness for granted.

After sending the message, I busied myself with the trinkets I had bought from the night market the night before. I hadn’t even gotten far when my phone rang.

For a fleeting moment, my heart raced. I felt a brief surge of anticipation.

But when I saw the number on the screen, my heartbeat returned to normal. I sighed and answered, “Mr. Langston.”

Victor cleared his throat before speaking. “Ms. Hart, have you found a new job?”

The question caught me off guard. “Yes,” I replied, nodding even though he couldn’t see me. “Is there something you need?”

Victor cleared his throat again, clearly hesitant. Instead of answering, he asked another question, “Have you started yet?”

His evasive tone made me suspicious. “Mr. Langston,” I said, my patience thinning, “just say what you need to say.”

“Uh, no, it’s nothing. Just checking in,” Victor replied, still beating around the bush.

I scoffed lightly. “If you’re so concerned, Mr. Langston, why not come out with it instead of dancing around the point?”

Victor fell silent. I could sense he was struggling, debating whether or not to tell me the truth.

I wasn’t in any hurry. I placed my phone on speaker and continued tinkering with the little trinkets in front of me, waiting for him to gather his courage.

Finally, Victor sighed and confessed, “Mr. Mercer knows about your new job.”

I wasn’t surprised. Of course Logan would find out. But I knew Victor hadn’t called just to tell me this.

I stopped fiddling with the trinkets and asked bluntly, “So? Is he planning to stir up trouble again?”

“Ms. Hart, you know Mr. Mercer well,” Victor admitted with a sigh.

I frowned. It seemed Logan wasn’t going to let me start my new job in peace. But I hadn’t received any calls from my new employer yet.

Even though I hadn’t officially started, I had already signed the contract. If they wanted to back out, they would have to notify me.

I wasn’t angry–just amused. I let out a light laugh and asked, “Did he threaten them? Did he say that if they hired me, he’d make sure they disappeared from Hilcord?”

Victor chuckled awkwardly, which was answer enough.

Logan Mercer, the quintessential overbearing CEO, really thought the world revolved around him. If someone crossed him, he’d try to erase them from existence.

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“Well,” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm, “he better be prepared to get rid of every company in Hilcord.”

Victor sighed again. “Ms. Hart, Mr. Mercer still cares about you.”

I laughed, but there was no humor in it.

Victor hesitated before adding, “He was quite embarrassed when you didn’t show up for the proposal yesterday. He threw a fit at first, but on the way back, he told me that if you came back to him, he’d let Selene go.”

I stared at my phone, my expression unreadable. “It’s too late.”

but I

have a boyfriend now.”

silence on the other end of the

a clean cut was the best way to untangle a messy

that severed my ties with

on Victor, I went back to organizing my trinkets and tidying up the house. Ashton had neatly folded the pink blanket he had used the night before and placed

that small pink blanket

of difficulties, but moments like this reminded me there were

calm. I was surprisingly composed, waiting

every corner of my little apartment, tended to the flowers on the balcony, and still, my phone remained silent.

the rocking chair on

a group of movers unloading furniture. Two of them were smoking and chatting while others

later, the landlady arrived on her

was for the new tenant moving into the apartment

the night before, the thought of having a male neighbor didn’t seem so

as I returned to

a knock

standing there, smiling apologetically. “Elaine, I’m really

to–her inability to negotiate a lower rent for

back. “It’s

the open door across the hall, I asked

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first, but early this morning he called and insisted

I said,

a good guy. You won’t have to worry. I told him to be

my best to get along with him.”

mop I could borrow? I forgot to bring one, and I need to clean up

I’ll grab it for you,” I said, heading

the hallway. I decided to take the mop into the new neighbor’s apartment

white, with a

man didn’t mind the old furniture except for the bed and bookshelf. Look at that bed–it’s perfectly fine! But he insisted on replacing it and even paid for it

briefly before

employer. It puzzled me. Was Logan’s interference less effective than I

check if my phone

you serious about this

in my chair, smiling. “When I’m ready to take him seriously,

tongue. “So

toes. “I’m not

than once. How could I not feel

a jerk.” Nora said, her tone warm and sincere As Nora and I continued chatting happily, I

across the hall.

new tenant would be moving in today, so it seemed my new neighbor had

do you think I should go introduce myself to my new neighbor? You know, just in case something like last night happens again. It might be easier to

the line. “Elaine, your neighbor is a man. If you knock on his door right after he

tone made me laugh. “Really? You think

she said firmly.

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I’ll wait for a chance encounter then,” I replied, shaking my head at her playful

we lived right across from each other, I figured it wouldn’t take long to run into

I was wrong.

catch even a glimpse of my new neighbor. It was as

was that Ashton hadn’t come