Chapter 8: Complicated Moves

LISA'S POV 

I sat at my desk, feeling stuck. Liam and I had been talking about getting Leo involved in the issue for as long as I could remember, but I still couldn't make up my mind.

"I don't know, Liam," I said, throwing up my hands. "I want to hurt Andre so bad, but involving Leo feels like a huge risk. Not after knowing what he is to us, I mean my father, it stresses me out.”

Liam leaned back in his chair. "I get it, but think about what you could gain. You could take down Andre and his whole empire."

I stood up and started pacing around the room. "I know, but it's not just about winning or losing. It's about me, and what I'm willing to do to get revenge."

I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, my mind still racing. As I drove home, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was in over my head.

When I got home, I collapsed onto the couch, feeling exhausted. I thought about Leo, and what he was offering me. I thought about Andre, and how much I wanted to hurt him.

But most of all, I thought about myself. What did I really want? And what was I willing to do to get it?

I tossed my phone onto the bed, then picked it up again. I couldn't shake off the feeling that I needed to talk to Liam. I dialed his number, and he answered on the first ring.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.

"I don't know if I can do this, Liam," I said, pacing around my room. "Involving Leo, I mean. It feels so...wrong."

"I know it's a lot to take in," Liam said. "But think about the bigger picture. You could take down Andre and his whole empire."

"But at what cost?" I countered. "I'd be involving a man my dad fights, just to get revenge. Is it really worth it?"

Liam sighed. "I don't know, Lisa. That's for you to decide. But I do know one thing - you can't let Andre win. You have to fight back."

I stopped pacing and sat down on the edge of my bed. "I know you're right. It's just...I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"Take your time," Liam said. "But don't wait too long. Leo won't wait forever."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Thanks, Liam. Just talking to you makes me feel better."

"No problem, ma'am," he said. "That's what workers are for."

We chatted for a few more minutes, then said our goodbyes. I hung up the phone, feeling a little clearer. But I still had no idea what I was going to do.

Although Liam was a personal investigator, it felt really good to talk to him sometimes. 

The next morning, I woke up to the warm sunlight peeking through my curtains. I stretched, yawned, and swung my legs over the side of the bed. My feet dangled in the air, searching for my slippers. I slipped them on and shuffled to the bathroom to start my morning routine.

The cool water on my face woke me up, and I began to scrub away the remnants of sleep. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and ran a comb through my tangled hair. I pulled it back into a ponytail, securing it with a hair tie.

I padded back to my bedroom, slipped on a pair of dark jeans and a crisp white blouse. I added a blazer to complete my outfit, then headed to the kitchen to fuel up for the day. I poured myself a bowl of cereal, added some milk, and took a seat at the table.

As I ate, I scrolled through my phone, catching up on the news and social media. I finished my breakfast, rinsed the bowl, and placed it in the dishwasher.

Just as I was about to grab my bag and head out the door, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen - it was Liam.

"Hey, what's up?" I answered.

"Lisa, we need you to come to the office ASAP," Liam said, his voice urgent. "There's trouble."

My heart skipped a beat. "What kind of trouble?"

"I'll fill you in when you get here. Just hurry."

I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, my mind racing with possibilities. What could be wrong? I quickened my pace, my heels clicking on the sidewalk as I made my way to the office.

I burst through the office doors, my heart racing with anticipation. But what I saw made my blood run cold. The entire building was being shut down, furniture covered in plastic, and equipment being hauled away.

I rushed up to one of the men binding the place, a burly man with a scowl on his face. "What's going on here?" I demanded.

He barely looked up, tossing a paper in my direction. "This branch is being closed down, effective immediately."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I screamed, "Do you know who I am? I'm the CEO's daughter!"

The workers around me burst out laughing, their scornful gazes making my face burn.

Liam appeared at my side, his hands outstretched to calm me down. "Lisa, let's talk about this..."

But I shook him off, storming towards my car. I locked myself inside and dialed my dad's number, my hands shaking with rage.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice calm as ever.

"Dad, the office is being shut down!" I exclaimed.

"Ah, yes. I was going to tell you about that," he said, his tone nonchalant. "Come home, Lisa. And send all the workers home for the day. We'll discuss this later."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What do you mean? This is my job, my life!"

"Lisa, just come home," he repeated, his voice firm.

I slammed my phone down, feeling like my world was crumbling around me. What was going on? And why was my dad being so calm about it all?

I stepped out of my car, my legs trembling with a mix of adrenaline and rage. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, but my anger was still simmering just below the surface. I addressed our workers, my voice firm but shaking slightly. "Everyone, please go home. The office is being shut down."

As I watched them disperse, I felt a sense of defeat wash over me. I got back in my car, my hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as I started driving home. But my anger was still boiling over, clouding my judgment.

That's when my phone rang, shrill in the silence. I glanced down, my eyes darting towards the screen, and that's when I saw it - a truck barreling towards me, its horn blaring. My heart skipped a beat as I swerved, dodging the truck by mere inches. I held my chest, my heart racing, as I pulled over to the side of the road.

I stepped out of the car, surveying the damage. My front bumper was crumpled, the pole scratched and dented. I looked down at my phone, still clutched in my hand, and felt a wave of despair wash over me. Why was this happening? Why now?

I kicked the car, feeling a satisfying crunch beneath my shoe. "Why now?" I screamed, holding my head in my hands. "Why is all this happening now?" The deserted street seemed to stretch out before me, empty and unforgiving.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, but my mind was racing. What was going on? Why was my life falling apart? I thought about my father, about the office, about Leo's call. It was all too much.

I slumped against the car, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the world, but my thoughts kept racing. What was I going to do? How was I going to get out of this mess?

And who was this caller that almost had me crashing into pieces? 

I looked at my screen one more time and saw an unknown number, I hesitated and made to dial a mechanics's number to come fix the car so I could go home, but something in me made me call that number back and I was soon starting to regret it until a still baritone voice came alive. 

“Who is it?” I asked unsure of what to say after he blared out the hello to me. 

“No one you should know, just know that you could fix what happened to your office, you can call this number or better still be at the address I will be texting to you, right after this call.” 

I was still baffled and about to ask questions to clear my doubts, since there was already a lot of lies and crimes going on, but the beep sound came on and the call ended and just then I saw the address. 

And the message that followed was “sorry about your car.” I looked around me, already getting scared.