Ex's Second Betrayal (1)

As Heather hurried out of the hospital vicinity, she remembered she had left her car at Mia's place. 

She hailed a cab, and as she settled into the back seat, her mind began to drift. Memories of Arthur, her brother, flooded back. She thought about why she had come to this city, leaving City M just a month ago. 

Her brother, Arthur, had been the one to insist she come here if he didn't return home within a week or two. 

Arthur had always been protective and forward-thinking. He had meticulously prepared everything for her in this new city: he bought her a car, signed the deeds of their fashion store in her name, and even arranged for a spacious house.

Their fashion store had a branch here, which she hadn't visited yet, and there was a contact, Mr. Craig, whose number Arthur had given her. 

---

"Heather, you have to promise me you'll go," Arthur had said, his voice unusually serious. 

They were sitting in her custom made office room in City M, surrounded by sketches and fabric swatches from their fashion line.

"Arthur, I don't understand. Why do I need to leave?" Heather had asked, confusion and worry etched on her face.

Arthur had sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There's something happening, something… big. I'd be traveling for it and if I'm not back in a week or two, you need to get to Z city. Everything will be ready for you there. I've made sure of it."

"But why can't you tell me what's going on? You're scaring me. Does it have to do with your secret job?" she had pressed, fear creeping into her voice.

"It's better if you don't know," Arthur had replied, his eyes full of a sorrow she didn't understand. "Just trust me on this, Heather. I need to know you'll be safe."

---

The cab weaved through Z city streets, and Heather felt a pang of guilt and hurt. She had been so overwhelmed by seeing Marcus again that she had completely forgotten the reason for her move to this city in the first place.

---

"I've got everything set up for you,"Arthur had assured her as he handed her a set of car keys. "A car, a big house, and our store's branch there. Mr. Craig will help you with anything you need."

"But Arthur, why all this now? Why so sudden?" Heather had asked, her voice trembling.

Arthur had looked at her with a mixture of determination and desperation. "Because I love you. And I need to know that if something happens to me, you'll be okay. You'll be able to continue what we've built together."

---

The cab arrived at Mia's place, and Heather thanked the driver before stepping out. 

She retrieved her car and sat behind the wheel, the keys feeling cold in her hand. She needed to clear her mind and refocus on why she was here. Arthur had sent her here for a reason, and she needed to honor his wishes.

As she drove towards the fashion store, Heather replayed her last conversations with Arthur in her mind. 

The way he had insisted, the urgency in his voice—it all made sense now. Something had been deeply wrong, and Arthur had been trying to protect her. He always did. 

She owed it to him to continue with their legacy and never let the flag fall.

Taking a deep breath, Heather pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Mr. Craig's number. Her fingers hovered over the call button for a moment before she pressed it. 

The phone rang twice before a calm, professional voice answered.

"Hello, Mr. Craig speaking."

"Mr. Craig, this is Heather Daniels," she began, her voice wavering slightly. "Arthur's sister. He told me to contact you when I got here."

"Ah, Miss Daniels," Mr. Craig responded warmly. "I've been expecting your call for sometime now." 

"Let's meet at the fashion store first," Mr. Craig suggested. "I'll give you a tour and then we can go to the house prepared for you. I'll text you the address."

"Thank you, Mr. Craig," Heather said, feeling a small measure of relief.

As she hung up, Heather received a text with the store's address. She started the car and drove towards her next destination, trying to push thoughts of Marcus and Eamon to the back of her mind. 

She needed to focus on the tasks at hand and figure out start up her work again but this time, in this city and she could no longer afford to be distracted.

The drive to the fashion store took her through parts of the city she hadn't explored before. It was bustling and lively, a stark contrast to the turmoil in her mind. 

When she finally arrived, Mr. Craig was waiting outside, a tall man with an air of quiet authority.

"Miss Daniels, welcome," he greeted her with a firm handshake but his expression betraying his professionalism. He had a look of worry. "Shall we go inside?"

Heather nodded, following him into the store. It was elegant and well-maintained, a testament to her and Arthur's hard work. 

As Mr. Craig showed her around, Heather felt a sense of pride mingled with worry. Arthur had built this branch, and now it was up to her to take care of it.

After the tour, Mr. Craig led her back to a distant door deeply situated at the right hand end of the wide building. "Now, let's go to the CEO office/room," he said with a smile that could be considered bittersweet.

What was going on?

When she arrived at the office, she saw Marcus and Mia. Her heart sank, but she steeled herself for the confrontation. 

As she approached, Marcus stood up, a look of calculated smugness on his face. Mia remained seated, her eyes avoiding Heather's gaze. 

Mr. Craig looked uneasy but didn't say anything. All he did was go take a seat as well.

"What's going on here?" Heather demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and anger.

Marcus smirked. "Heather, glad you could make it. We were just discussing some changes."

"What changes?" she asked, her voice rising.

Mia finally looked up, her expression cold. "Everything Mr. Daniels left for you is now under our control. We have the deeds, the store, the house—everything."

Heather felt the ground shift beneath her feet. "What? How is that possible?"

Mr. Craig cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, Miss Daniels. Arthur trusted me with the paperwork, but I was... persuaded to transfer everything to Marcus and Mia."

Heather's eyes widened in disbelief. "You dare not betray me, Mr. Craig," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Marcus stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with malice. "You should have stayed away, Heather. Arthur's gone, and everything he had is now ours."

Heather felt a surge of rage and desperation. "You can't do this! Arthur's my brother. He left those things for me!"

Mia stood up, her face a mask of indifference. "It's already done, Heather. You have nothing here. You might as well leave."

Heather's mind raced, trying to process the betrayal and loss. She had trusted Marcus and Mia, and now they had taken everything from her before she even had a chance to claim it.

"I won't let you get away with this," she said, her voice shaking but determined.

Marcus laughed. "What can you do, Heather? You have no money, no resources, and no one to help you."

Heather clenched her fists, feeling the weight of her helplessness. She pulled out her phone and dialed Arthur's number.