Page 98 of Knot Your Sunshine
"Given this data," Chadwick continues with the inevitability of an avalanche, "I recommend immediate termination of those contracts. Cut our losses, reallocate resources to profitable locations."
My hand flies to my mouth—what?
Now they'll explode. Josh with logical counterarguments. Keanu with unwavering optimism. Noa with protective intensity. They'll defend my choices, demand more time, insist the metrics don't capture everything—
"Mia's locations are really generating the least revenue?"
Josh sounds genuinely surprised. Like this possibility never occurred to him.
"Fuck, man." Keanu's voice is heavy. "She put so much work into finding them."
A pause. Then Noa, barely audible: "Damn."
That's it? Just... damn?
Not "those numbers don't tell the whole story." Not "Mia knows what she's doing." Not even "let's wait to hear her perspective."
Just... damn.
My legs move without conscious thought, carrying me backward. One step. Two. The voices continue behind the door, but I can't hear them over the roaring in my ears.
The hallway stretches and contracts around me. My hand trails along the wall for balance as I move faster, needing distance between me and that door.
A window alcove appears and I stumble into it, pressing my back against the cool glass.
I knew it was too good to be true.The thought arrives with the clarity of dawn. Three gorgeous alphas who want me, believe in me, support me no matter what? When has the universe ever been that generous?
Maybe this was all biology after all. Pheromones creating an illusion of connection. Chemistry masquerading as compatibility. Pretty words that dissolve the moment real challenges appear.
The hurt in my chest shifts, crystallizes into something harder. Anger. Raw, sharp, clarifying.
They lied. Stood in that lobby and lied to my face.
And now they're discussing my future without me. Chadwick's suggesting they cut my locations and my supposed partners, my alphas who promised to support my dream? They're just... taking it. No fight. No pushback. Just resignation.
My spine straightens. The hallway comes back into focus.
My sandals strike the floor with new purpose as I turn back toward the office, each step ringing with certainty.
They want to discuss my project with Chadwick? Make decisions about my franchises?
They're going to have to do it while looking me in the eye.
Chapter thirty-nine
Keanu
"The test was designed to find the winning approach." Chadwick's smugness oozes through the speaker. "Ms. Everly's franchisees are, regrettably, the losing ones. Since I don't see them recovering, cutting your losses with them now is just good business."
Noa's knuckles crack one by one. His fingers grip the table edge so hard the wood groans. Beside me, Josh stares at the screen, jaw clenched tight.
"Fuck the test." Noa's voice drops to that register that could make other alphas piss themselves. "We're not axing Mia's franchisees."
The words surge out of me before I can think. "Yeah, no way man. Cutting them now would be a betrayal."
"The test isn't even over," Josh adds, pushing his glasses up with shaking fingers. "We don't have sufficient data for such a drastic decision. We need to finish the test period, as agreed."
The silence stretches. I can hear Chadwick's breathing hard through the speaker.
