Termination

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CHAPTER 4

~Kaia's Pov~

For a second, I couldn't believe it. Termination? I opened the email and read the brief, cold message from HR. Effective immediately, my employment was terminated.

Shock, confusion, and then anger hit all at once. It didn't take three guesses to know who was behind this. Shawn. His revenge for me left him, a way to punish me for not playing along. 

I could practically hear Shawn's smug laughter behind it, but instead of feeling defeated, I just felt… angry. 

So typically stupid.

But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of watching me fall. Setting the phone down, I took a deep breath. I'd wanted to leave that job anyway; all he'd done was speed up the process. 

My mind raced with possibilities. I knew exactly what my next move was going to be.

I set my jaw and fetched my laptop from my bag, the only belongings I picked from my parents' house. Thankfully, I had spent a night there before my bachelorette to tend to some pressing work and left it there. 

I deleted the email and immediately pulled up a list of top finance firms. If Shawn thought he could sideline me, he was wrong.

I spent the next few hours crafting applications and sending out my resume, feeling more determined with each click.

And when I was done, I felt something burn within me. Anger or joy? I wasn't sure, but I was thrilled.

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~Author's POV~

—Crescendo Club—An Hour Earlier—

Shawn sat at the bar with his best friend, Dan, tossing back his drink with a sneer. "Can you believe her? Most girls would be begging me not to leave. But Kaia? No, she's too good for that." He slammed his glass on the counter, jaw tight. "She'll regret this."

Dan raised an eyebrow, smirking as he leaned back in his seat. "So, what are you going to do about it?"

Shawn's lips twisted into a smug grin as he pulled out his phone. "I've thought about it."

"Already?" Dan asked rather shocked.

He nods, taking a swig of his wine. "Simple. I'm cutting her off from my mother's company. Let her see how far she gets without my help."

Just then, a voice cut through the hum of the bar. "Is that right?" 

Summer strode over, her hips swaying as she stopped to order a drink at the bar. She gave both men a sly smile before stepping closer to Shawn, her gaze dark and predatory.

Without warning, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, slipping her tongue past his lips in a slow kiss. 

When she pulled away, Dan laughed, shaking his head. "Guess you're free to play around now that Kaia's out of the way."

Summer let out a soft, teasing laugh, sliding her hand down Shawn's chest and letting her fingers drift lower until they rested against his growing member. 

She pressed against him, her hand grazing his groin through his trousers as she looked over her shoulder, watching for her drink. "It doesn't matter," she purred. "He's mine to fuck as I want."

Shawn let out a low chuckle, clearly enjoying the attention. "Drink up," he said, nodding toward the bar as her drink arrived. "Let's go finish what we started this morning."

Summer's eyes gleamed as she raised her glass to her lips, sipping slowly. Then, without another word, she grabbed Shawn's hand, and together they left the club without Dan.

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~Kaia's POV~

By evening, I had finally settled into the room and rearranged a few things to my liking. 

I'd noticed that once the maids were done for the day, they all left, leaving only the butler, who apparently took care of Blaze's needs. No wonder the place felt so cold and empty.

With my stomach rumbling, I decided to go down for dinner, realizing I hadn't eaten all day. But as I reached the dining room, I noticed it was silent and empty. 

Blaze wasn't even home tonight; it was just me and the ever-present butler, who stood silently by as I ate in solitude.

After dinner, I returned to my room, still too worn out to chat with my friends or even respond to their messages. I collapsed onto the king-sized bed, grateful for the chance to finally unwind. But before I could truly relax, there was a soft knock on my door.

"Kaia." Blaze's voice came through the door. I didn't know what he wanted or needed but I got the door and opened it for him. 

The second he saw him, something flickered in his eyes but as soon as it came, it was gone. He cleared his throat, straightened his black jacket and greeted, "Evening."

"Evening."

"I wanted to check in on you to make sure you..." his gaze darted past my head to the room, noting some subtle touches. "I see you've made some changes."

I gave a nod. "Good. Here." He handed me a gold bank card and I hesitated. "Have it. It is yours as my wife."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. I do not need your money. Having this is al…"

"You need it. Soon you will realize that my world stretches far from yours." I didn't know if I should feel insulted or not. 

Regardless, Blaze continued. "It's an unlimited card. The butler or driver can go shopping with you tomorrow. I couldn't get all of your clothes and accessories. So, get whatever you want and need. Do not hesitate at all. And if there's anything extra you need, should you max out the card, let me know."

I lifted my brows. "How does one max out an unlimited bank card? Am I buying the world?" 

As funny as that was, Blaze had a straight face. "You never know with you women. Anyway, that should be all. Good night." 

He stepped backwards and waited for me to say anything before walking away.

My lips parted, my eyes blinking in disbelief. I was tempted to toss it on the floor but something held me back. 

"Alright Mr. Blaze, we shall see just how pokered your face can get."

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~Author's POV~

The next morning, a storm was brewing in the boardroom of Shawn's mother's company. Word of Kaia's abrupt firing had reached Mrs. Caldwell, and she was livid.

She stormed into the office, slamming the door behind her with such force that it rattled the walls. Shawn barely glanced up from his desk, lounging back in his chair, looking far too relaxed for someone who had just made a catastrophic mistake.

"What the hell were you thinking, Shawn?" Mrs. Caldwell thundered. Her eyes blazed as she glared down at him, fury radiating off her. "Kaia was a damn asset to this company—one of the best we've had in years. And you tossed her out like yesterday's trash, all because your fragile ego couldn't handle a little rejection?"

Shawn, who had been lounging casually, rolled his eyes. "She's just one employee, Mum. Besides, she's the one who humiliated me."

"Humiliated you?" Mrs. Caldwell's voice dropped dangerously low, a cold venom seeping into every word. "You ungrateful little fool. Did she humiliate you? Do you have any idea what you've done? Kaia agreed to marry you for God's sake—she could have had anyone, and she chose you. Perhaps she had jitters, you dimwit!"

Shawn scoffed at his mother's last statement. "Dam right, jitters."

His mother's fury heightened. "You want to talk about humiliation? You just made a complete fool of yourself and this company. You think you can afford to lose someone of her calibre over your pathetic pride?"

Shawn's smirk faltered as his mother's words cut through him like a blade. Mrs. Caldwell didn't stop there; she took a step forward, her voice louder and more forceful now.

"This was a reckless, impulsive decision that could ruin us. Do you understand? You've just thrown away years of hard work and connections, all because of your pathetic tantrum. And I won't stand for it."

She took another step toward him. "Mark my words, Shawn. This will come back to haunt you, and I won't shield you from the fallout. If Kaia takes her talents to a rival firm and we lose not just her talent but potential clients, I'll make sure you understand the consequences of your stupidity."

She stopped right in front of him, eyes blazing with fury. "I'll kill you myself if this destroys everything I've built."