My Fake Death Was The Punchline To His Cruel Joke Chapter 31
That same night, the Newport Yacht Club issued a statement permanently revoking the memberships of everyone involved.
The family foundation that had once hosted the rehearsal for test one hundred announced the indefinite suspension of all its events.
The people who had once used my pain as an admission ticket were now permanently blacklisted from the very circle they prized above all else.
I skipped the press conference outside the courthouse.
Leo and I slipped out a side door.
The snow was sticking now, dusting his shoulders. He looked back at the courthouse’s imposing columns.
“Is it over?”
“Legally, yes.”
“And the rest?”
I held out my hand, watching a snowflake melt on my palm.
For a long time, I thought that seeing them punished would be enough. That I would instantly feel whole again.
But the old Mara was still waiting for Bennett to choose her.
I didn’t want to be that woman anymore.
“The rest,” I said, “will take time.”
Just then, my phone rang.
It was the CEO from the company that had suspended our contract.
After a moment of awkward silence, he said quietly, “Elena, the board has reviewed the final judgment. We would like to resume the project.”
“And the terms of the contract?”
“Unchanged, of course.”
I watched the traffic light at the end of the street turn green.
“No.”
He was taken aback. “No?”
“During the suspension, my team reserved our resources for your project. The new contract will include a delay fee to compensate for that.”
The line was quiet for a long moment.
“I understand. Please send over the revised quote.”
I hung up.
Leo let out a short laugh.
“You finally learned how to charge what you’re worth.”
“I’m just taking back what’s mine.”
This time, it wasn’t just my name I was taking back.