Chapter 146

Melanie immediately understood. Her fingers trembled slightly as she took the termination contract.

"Thank you."

Without waiting for Derek's reaction, she grabbed Scarlett and bolted toward the elevators.

The glass doors slid shut just as Derek's roar erupted from the conference room.

"This is mutiny!"

He kicked over a chair and charged into the hallway, bellowing at the elevator. "Scarlett! Melanie! I'll make sure you never work in this industry again!"

Employees on the entire floor flinched.

Melanie laughed.

Five years.

That predatory contract had coiled around their necks like a venomous snake, making every breath painful.

Now they'd finally broken free. Even the stale garage air tasted sweet.

Scarlett wiped the corner of her lips, her eyes gleaming with long-lost light.

"Mel, we're free."

"Yes." Melanie clenched the contract. "Time to show them how high we can soar without chains."

The elevator numbers crawled downward.

Service elevators were always agonizingly slow.

Ding—

The garage lights glared harshly.

Julian leaned against his Bentley, exhaling smoke with a sinister smirk.

"Finally bought your freedom?"

He crushed his cigarette and reached for Scarlett's chin. She slapped his hand away.

"Back off."

She stepped aside like avoiding rotting trash.

"Playing hard to get?" Julian sneered. "If you hadn't been such a frigid tease, I wouldn't have needed Vanessa."

The overhead lights flickered.

Scarlett's lips curled in the erratic glow.

"Get your kidneys checked." She slowly pulled out a sanitizing wipe. "Erectile dysfunction requires medical attention."

Julian's face darkened.

"You bitch!" He seized her wrist. "Think your new sugar daddy can—"

His threat died mid-sentence.

Melanie's stiletto hovered at his crotch.

"Let go." She twisted her heel. "Or I'll neuter you."