When Love Breaks by jack

The following morning, the sun rose as usual, and the internet was still buzzing with rumors. Even the younger folks at the office were throwing curious glances my way.

Christine had swung by my place the night before, returning my bag and phone with a hefty dose of self-blame. She had rushed to file a report but hit a wall when she mentioned the Myers family. In essence, without concrete evidence, we could do nothing. She confessed it was her first real taste of the power of influence and the helplessness of the average Joe. She regretted breaking up with Steven, musing that even as a mistress, she wouldn't have been so helpless when I was in trouble. Utterly foolish.

She walked into the office with two steaming cups of coffee, set one before me, and pulled up a chair. Her demeanor was almost identical to the night before.

I was sketching out a custom design for Adah, puzzled. "What's up? Who's bothering you now?"

After a moment, she dropped a bombshell. "The Ferguson Group just declared bankruptcy."

My pen slipped, drawing an unintended line across the paper. I was stunned. "Bankruptcy?" Weren't they celebrating an engagement with the Myers family the day before? How did they crash without warning?

"Yeah, their funding just vanished." Christine nodded, "The news broke five minutes ago. The Myers family must be reeling. There's already a feeding frenzy over their shares. Bryant is probably going to lose everything."

I grabbed my phone to find the news she mentioned.

In a short time, the internet was ablaze. The bankruptcy of Ferguson Group signified a seismic shift in RiverCity. It was like the city was getting a new ruler. And Bryant? He was used to being on top. To fall from grace so suddenly...

I frowned, suspecting there was more to the story. "How did the Ferguson Group suddenly go bankrupt?"

"It looks like a research project ate up a big chunk of their funds without any returns, plus a series of failed partnerships. Their financial backbone just snapped," Christine explained.

"Still odd." My trust in Bryant, on a personal level, was long gone. But I knew his business acumen. It wasn't him to get caught off guard. He was always cautious and always had a contingency plan. Bankruptcy without a murmur didn't fit his style.

"What's there to be surprised about? He's getting what he deserves," Christine mused, propping her chin in her hands as she continued to share the juicy details. "Guess who's most likely to buy his shares?"

I was curious. "Who?"

"RF Group." She showed me the scoop she'd found online. "Turns out he's been in secret talks with York recently."

She seemed almost gleefully vindictive, "Imagine that. Your ex ended up not so different from us after all."

RF Group was already a behemoth. Swallowing Ferguson Group would instantly elevate them to the top spot in RiverCity. Their ambition was unmistakable, and their move into the domestic market was bold.

After Christine left, I stared out the window at the towering buildings reaching into the sky.

My phone suddenly rang, snapping me back to reality. It was Mark. I greeted him with a smile. "Hey, Mark."

"Jane..." There was a tremble in his voice, quickly suppressed, "Are you okay?! Reand Gregory came to your rescue?"

I confirmed, "Yeah, it was him. I'm fine. But you sound off. What's wrong?"

"Oh, just stepped outside. It's chilly."

Mark's voice was warm and gentle, warm,

"

"None at all!" I denied it immediately, well aware of the good he had done me and the tight spot he was in.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.