Natalie exhaled sharply, clearly irritated. Her father had told her specifically not to force Tyler. Only to deliver the card and wait for his time. It burned her pride, but there was nothing she could do.
As her little revenge, she pulled the car to a stop with a scowl, and without another word, pushed the door open.
"Out."
Tyler stepped out casually, and the door slammed shut behind him. The car sped off, leaving a slight screech on the pavement.
***
A few blocks back, Trent had been holding his breath the entire time as he watched the luxury car disappear into the distance.
He finally exhaled, whispering to himself in disbelief, "That… that can't be real. There's no way that guy has anything to do with the Anderson family…"
Beside him, Erica was still sobbing, her hand pressed against her burning cheek.
"Who the hell was that woman?! And why did you slap me for her?!"
Trent's rage reignited at the question.
"That woman is Natalie Anderson, from the Anderson family! The one no one in this city dares to mess with. Not even my family. And you! Stupid as ever! Had the nerve to call her a slut?"
Erica's jaw dropped. The color drained from her face.
"The Andersons? That's impossible! It must be one of Tyler's tricks..He had to fake it somehow!"
"It better be," Trent growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Because if that bastard is really tied to them… then we're in trouble. Either way, I'm going to find out exactly what's going on. And the person who messed with me... won't get away with it."
Erica quickly wiped her tears and flung herself into Trent's arms, purring like a kitten trying to calm a lion.
"I knew I could count on you, baby… Don't let him get away with it. He humiliated us!"
***
Tyler took a deep breath as his mind settled on new priorities. Erica had betrayed him for Trent, but he felt nothing. However, he would give the rotten woman a taste of her own medicine at the right time. Trent Cooper would also get what was coming to him. Before that, there was another important matter to attend to.
Tyler's father, Hugh Grant, used to own a small business—a mini-mall. After his son was imprisoned, Hugh's manager, Ricardo, betrayed him by flocking to the Coopers.
Together, they forged his signature and drafted ownership transfer papers. With the help of shady lawyers and bribed judges, they ousted Hugh from the business and propped up Ricardo as the new owner.
The poor man's shares were usurped, and he was kicked out from the premises with utter public humiliation. It was time for Ricardo to answer for his actions.
When Hugh Grant was GlobeMall's owner, it was a bustling mini-mall. Big and popular brand stores occupied every rented space. It was frequented by family and friend groups alike from different social classes, thus generating consistent profit year after year. Hugh had also planned to induct a multiplex cinema hall on the third floor, among his other ambitious ideas.
Three years later, Tyler had expected GlobeMall to have grown by leaps and bounds, with expansion into a mega-mall. However, barely anything had improved since Tyler last visited. Moreover, many stores were not even rented out and appeared shut down. Hugh's absence and Ricardo's takeover seemed to have dampened the business.
GlobeMall was still frequented by the youth and middle-aged alike because of its past popularity. Wealthy people hung out in its arenas, which gave the impression that it was still doing well. However, the financial rot had spread, and things were going south.
As Tyler entered through the main revolving door, he found a security guard blocking his path. The uniformed man eyed him with suspicion.
Tyler had a scraggly beard, and his clothes looked quite ordinary. The guard had been instructed to keep out homeless ruffians like him.
"Hey! GlobeMall is open for paying customers only!" he called out. "It's not a place for bums to hang out. You can sit outside on the steps if you're looking for charity."
Tyler was mildly annoyed and directed his fiery eyes at the security guard. Ordinarily, such an insult would warrant a punch in the face. However, Tyler simmered down because he recognized the middle-aged guard.
"You are Abe, right?" he asked with a glint of familiarity.
The man gave him a quizzical look. "Yes, how did you know my name? Have we met before?"
"My father used to own this mini-mall. His name is Hugh Grant. When I was younger, I visited this place often, and I remember you working here."
The guard's expression softened immediately. "So you are Mr. Grant's son. Tyler, isn't it? I barely recognized you. By the way, I'm really sorry for what happened to you and your family. All employees, including me, held your father in high regard for his business acumen and integrity."
Tyler nodded. "The last time I visited, you were in the position of an Assistant Manager under my father. Why are you working as a security guard three years later?"
Abe lowered his gaze as his eyes moistened. "You have a wonderful memory, son. I was indeed working as an Assistant Manager with a good salary. But everything changed when Mr. Ricardo betrayed your father. He plotted with the Coopers to dismiss him and steal his shares. I opposed the move vehemently during that time. However, instead of listening to my pleas, Mr. Ricardo punished me, demoting me to a security guard. I wanted to quit immediately in outrage. But a man my age can't start looking for a new job in this economy. I have a family to feed."
Tyler nodded his sympathy. He pointed at the closed shops. "Three years back, the mini-mall was doing so well. Why is it worse off than before? Is it going bankrupt?"