I moved closer, instinctively placing a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him. "It might not be as bad as it sounds," I said, trying to offer comfort. "You’ve always managed to get through these things before. You’ll find a way."
His eyes darkened, and his voice dropped. "No, I won’t," he muttered bitterly, a vulnerability I rarely saw creeping into his tone. "It’s all gone."
"All gone?" I repeated, confusion lining my words.
"The money," he said quietly, his gaze sinking to the floor. "I gambled away the funds from the insurance company. I thought I could double it, but..." His voice trailed off, and he collapsed onto the couch, his hands covering his face in defeat. "I was counting on Whitaker to pull us out, but now they’re gone. It’s over. My father is going to kill me if he finds out. He won’t trust me again."
I blinked, holding back a sharp laugh. Of course, he had no idea. How could he?
Because I was the one who had made sure Whitaker pulled out. I was the one who had been manipulating the situation for years, but now? This was the endgame. My revenge. For all the times he had deceived me, pretending I was everything to him when I was really just another pawn in his game.
"Daniel," I said, keeping my voice level, "maybe it’s not as bad as you think."
"It’s worse than you can imagine," he muttered, barely audible.
Before I could respond, the door to the apartment swung open, and Eduard, Daniel’s secretary, burst in without knocking. His face was ashen with panic.
"Mr. Eddy, there’s a mob outside the office," Eduard said, his voice trembling. "They’re demanding their payouts."
Daniel’s eyes widened with shock. "What?"
"They know we can’t pay them," Eduard continued, shooting a nervous glance at me before turning his attention back to Daniel. "The word’s out. Complaints are being filed. Lawsuits are coming."
Daniel’s expression morphed instantly from disbelief to rage. "Dismiss them," he snapped. "Find a flaw in their contracts. Anything that can stop them from taking more than they’re owed."
Eduard hesitated, clearly reluctant. "But, sir—"
"I said, do it!" Daniel shouted, his fist crashing down onto the table, making the room vibrate.
Ed quickly nodded and hurried out, leaving the two of us in a tense silence.