The Billionaire's Mistake (Anya and Daniel)

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Chapter 243: Invitation

Hazel had barely left the security office with the damning surveillance footage when her phone started ringing. She didn't recognize the number at first glance, but felt her blood run cold when she answered and the chillingly familiar voice on the other end spoke.

"Well, hello there Mrs. Green. Don't tell me you've forgotten all about your dear husband already?" The syrupy words oozed from the phone as Marcus Green chuckled darkly.

Hazel's mouth went dry as the events from that fateful night at the hospital came rushing back. In her haste to deal with the mess she was currently under, she had actually managed to temporarily put Marcus and his criminal underworld from her mind.

"O-Of course not," she stammered, trying to regain her composure. "I've just been... preoccupied."

She was quite brave with other people, but Marcus scared her deeply.

"Is that so?" Marcus replied smoothly. "Well, allow me to refocus your attention then, darling. I'm in need of a little favor from my dear wife."

Hazel felt her chest tighten with dread. Just what sort of nefarious demand was this mobster about to make of her? She drew a shaky breath, steadying her nerves.

"I've got a bit of a craving for some porridge from that little seafood joint downtown," Marcus continued in an almost bored tone. "You know the place famous for their fish soup with all the scrumptious morsels. I wouldn't be asking too much if I asked you to stop over and pick me up an order on your way to the hospital this evening, would I?"

He said it so casually, like a doting husband asking his spouse to pick up some groceries. But Hazel could detect the thinly veiled threat lying behind the request, that polite facade barely covering the sneering don who thought he owned her now.

Part of her wanted to angrily protest why didn't he just send one of his beefy man-thugs to fetch his food? But she held her tongue, knowing full well thayvshe did nkt yet understand this man. There could be consequences. But she knew Marcus was at this moment disastrous for her mental health, perhaps even fatal.

"O-Of course, Marcus," Hazel replied, her voice wavering slightly as she swallowed hard. "Consider it done. I'll make sure to stop by after work and bring you what you want."

"Okay, honey," Marcus crooned in a sickly sweet tone. "You should get on it as soon as you leave work. Don't keep me waiting too long now." With that parting quip, he abruptly hung up.

Hazel was left standing there in the hallway, her hand limply gripping the phone as her mind raced. First this sordid situation with that slime ball Mr. Reeds trying to peddle her out, and now Marcus had re-emerged to dangle his own set of threats over her head.

What was so special about this sea food porridge? Was it made by gods? Couldn't he live with our it? Could she poison it and be done with him

She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, feeling the her self control cracking, threatening to suffocate her entire being, everything crashing down all at once. It was like she was being slowly crushed beneath the sheer gravity of anger and rage. It was as though the entire world was testing her today.

Sucking in a deep, steadying breath, Hazel straightened her spine and started heading back towards her desk with renewed determination. Breathe in, Breathe out.

It was just a few scumbags. She could handle a few scumbags.

As she settled at her desk and began pecking away at her computer, Hazel felt a strange sense of calm determination settle over her.

Hazel did not know if she was truly calm or she was just a bomb about to blow.

Between being plotted against, gossiped about and running his stupid errands, she had reached her breaking point. If someone dared to speak one word to her, she will explode. She continued through out the day without interruptions, luckily.

And as for this shady "interview assignment" with Mr. Reeds and those investors....well, Hazel would play along to their twisted little tune as well. For now. Let the corrupt sleazebags at HUG Tech think they had successfully lured her into whatever degenerate trap they were setting. She would was not as worried as she had thought she would be. She was instead, quite calm to the thought of it all.

The hours ticked by as Hazel forced herself to focus on wrapping up her remaining tasks and projects, knowing she was about to burn every last bridge at this pillar of corporate peace the moment she stepped out of the office that day. If this company survived after what she does to them, she would bow to their backbone.

As evening settled over the city, Hazel rose from her desk with a grim sense of finality. The seafood place she had hoped to pick up food for Marcus was not too far from he office building, so she strolled over.

The aging seafood shack was closed by the time Hazel arrived, the rich aroma of simmering fish broths still wafting through the air. She eyed the “closed” sign with mixed emotions; relief at avoiding that distasteful errand war, but also worry over how Marcus might react to her defiance. She wondered if he would think she was refusing to buy it for him. She glanced at Marcus' men in the distance, watching her every move, and started walking back towards

them.

As she strolled back through the deserted plaza towards the parking garage, Hazel heard a car engine revving behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see a sleek black sedan idling, the

tinted windows hiding whoever was inside.

"Miss Greyson!" a gruff voice called out as the driver's window lowered a few inches. It was none other than Jack Reeds himself, wearing an Impeccably-tailored suit as always. "A word, if you please?"

Hazel felt her throat constrict as she approached the car, putting on a terse smile. "Good evening, Mr. Reeds. How can I help you?"

Reeds waved a hand dismissively. "No need to look confused, Miss Greyson. We both know precisely why I'm here. You should have already been informed that you are to join my team, correct?" he asked.

"Yes sir. Is there a problem?" Hazel asked.

"Get in the car, we are going to interview the investors of HUG Tech."

His words immediately Put Hazel on edge, the crude insinuations from the gossiping bathroom bandits echoing loudly. This was it; the disgusting set- up they had all been snickering about, the moment when she was meant to be captured and passed around as some sort of prized offering to wealthy investors. Just the thought of it made Hazel's skin crawl,

"Is that so? I'm actually running quite late this evening," she lied, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "I have an obligation to tend to."

Mr. Reeds expression darkened instantly. "I wasn't asking, Miss Greyson. I was telling you to get in the damn car. Unless you'd prefer getting fired and is this your first time doing an impromptu interview?"

The bald-faced threat hung heavy in the air between them. Hazel drew a calm breath, painfully aware of Marcus's men hanging back a short distance away, watching the scene. unfold with unnerving intensity.

"I have a brief stop to make first, then." she replied carefully, keeping her tone measured. Then I'll be along to the...interview shortly after." Reeds opened his mouth to protest, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, he simply leveled her with a pointed look. "Very well, just don't keep us waiting too long. These people would leave of you keep them waiting. It took a long time to get them over." He let the implication. hang there, making Hazel's skin prickle.