Chapter 3: The Mogul’s Ultimatum

The mogul waved her off and called Mr. Harris over. Soon, the council president ushered everyone out except me—including Savannah.

The room emptied fast, leaving just the three of us. Savannah shot me a glare before she left, slamming the door a little too hard. Figures.

The office felt empty.

The tick of the old clock on the wall sounded twice as loud. I could hear my own breathing, steady and slow.

With no one else around, the mogul slowly pulled out a cigar, sniffed it, and offered it to me just to show off.

He rolled it between his fingers, making a show of the gold label, then held it out like he was offering a peace pipe. I just stared at it, unimpressed.

"Bet you’ve never smoked one of these, huh? Want a try?"

When I ignored him, he sneered.

He shrugged, lighting up anyway, filling the room with the heavy scent of tobacco. The smell hit me, thick and sweet.

"Don’t get cocky, kid. Meeting me is a blessing for someone like you!"

"But at least you know when to step aside."

"Honestly, an entire town’s redevelopment isn’t something you could handle. The senior center liked your town, but you only pushed for $50. I can offer more, so they won’t stick with you."

"How about this—your kickback days are over. But you have to give up your family’s land for $50 per square foot. That way, everyone’s happy."

I raised an eyebrow and smiled.

I let the silence stretch, letting him think he’d rattled me. Then I flashed a grin, cool as ice.

So even moguls can be this shameless. Not only does he want my property, he wants to take credit for my work.

It was almost impressive, the way he twisted the truth. Almost.

I knew exactly what he was after. The Woods family was interested in our town and had already sent a team to check it out. As a mogul, he must’ve heard.

Word travels fast in real estate. He wanted a piece of the pie before anyone else could get a bite.

He wanted to buy our town for $60, then team up with the Woods family for $150—making a killing off the difference? Not happening.

He was after the flip, the easy money. Let someone else do the hard work, then swoop in for the profit.

Too bad that’s just a pipe dream.

He’d underestimated me. I wasn’t about to roll over and let him win.

I was the one who landed the redevelopment, so it’d go according to my plan.

I’d done the legwork, built the relationships, earned the trust—at least until today. The deal would happen on my terms, or not at all.

I stood up, half-smiling. My mind was made up.

I leaned in just enough to let him know I wasn’t afraid.

"Looks like there’s nothing more to say. I’m honest—I don’t need your pity, Mr. Walker."

"At worst, let them sue me. Maybe they’ll even ask you to hire them a good lawyer."

I left him behind and walked out.

The door creaked behind me, and I didn’t look back. The hallway was empty, echoing with my footsteps. I felt strangely calm.