After I Left, His Empire Collapsed Chapter 23

After I Left, His Empire Collapsed Chapter 23

I checked my watch.

One week. That was the deadline for the second-year submission.

Sterling & Sterling chose us, a no-name shop, for one reason. My designs. My original work.

I was gone now.

Without my designs, what would Julian produce? His precious Sadie? I’d love to see what she could drum up.

And one more thing Julian had definitely forgotten.

The contract was lucrative. But his company carried all the risk.

If the designs didn’t meet Sterling & Sterling’s standards and they terminated the deal? Julian owed a penalty. Astronomical. The kind that required selling the company. The house. The watches on his wrist.

The last of my irritation evaporated.

What replaced it was stillness. Absolute calm.

“Ms. Vance? Are you still there?”

Ms. Miller’s voice pulled me back.

I leaned into the break room couch. Let my body settle.

“I’m here. Ms. Miller. It’s fine. I understand.”

“No deal, but no hard feelings. I hope we cross paths again.”

“And I believe we will. Soon.”

I hung up. Set my phone aside. Felt the corner of my mouth lift.

Dylan Croft. You want to blacklist me?

Go ahead. Try.

I’ll be here. Watching you light the fuse. Waiting for your own bomb to blow you apart.