Chapter 775

Tanya didn’t give up. She pulled out an envelope stuffed with cash—Yuna’s earnings—and pushed it toward her alongside the box. “If you don’t take this, you won’t get anything at all.” She really knew how to corner someone.

That’s when I decided to step in. I pushed the door open and strolled in, as if I had no idea what was going on. “Well, well, Tanya. Entertaining guests, are we?”

Yuna didn’t even blink at my sudden arrival. No acknowledgment, no reaction—she acted like we were total strangers. Tanya, though, stiffened for half a second before slipping her mask back on. She turned to Yuna and smiled. “This is all yours. Take it.”

Without hesitation, Yuna grabbed the envelope but left the box behind, making her stance clear. As expected of a girl raised by Hayden—she had her pride.

“Thank you,” Yuna said before turning to leave.

From start to finish, Yuna didn’t say a single word to me. I couldn’t tell if she was still mad at me or just didn’t want Tanya knowing we were connected.

“If you ever want another side job, you’re welcome back anytime,” Tanya called after her, still fishing, even with me standing there.

“Good thing you’re a woman,” I said casually, watching Yuna leave. “If you were a man, I’d think you had a thing for her.” I strolled over to Tanya’s desk and picked up the box she’d packed for Yuna.

“Don’t you think that’s rude?” Tanya shot back, her tone as sharp as ever. Not a shred of respect for me as her boss.

I popped the box open. Inside was a diamond-encrusted bracelet—expensive enough to turn heads. “Wow. You’re pulling out all the stops just to keep her on your leash.”

“No pain, no gain,” Tanya replied, not even bothering to hide her intentions.

I snapped the lid shut. “Whatever plans you’ve got for that girl, let them go. Now.”

She didn’t flinch, just stared at me, waiting for an explanation. I wasn’t about to play coy. “She’s Hayden’s sister.”

Tanya froze for a moment. “Is that so?”

Chapter 275

She smirked. “Hayden’s sister, huh? Singing for tips in a bar? Forget Hayden—just you, as her sister-in-law, don’t seem very impressive.”

She was digging for more, but I wasn’t giving her anything. Sliding the box back across the desk, I leaned in slightly. “You’ve got a big bar to run. Plenty to keep you busy, don’t you think?”

It was a warning.

Tanya asked, “So, what’s the deal tonight? Surprise inspection or just killing time?”

“Both,” I said, making it clear I wasn’t some hands-off boss.

She didn’t flinch, didn’t look the least bit guilty. In fact, she smirked and said, “Need me to provide anything?”

I wasn’t about to spook her. She was still useful to me, after all. Instead, I gave her a little ego boost. “I’m thinking you’ve earned yourself a big bonus at the end of the year.”

Tanya’s smirk widened. “I’ll be waiting for it.”

Her smugness was almost funny, so I added, “You’ve got a real knack for management, Tanya. If you worked somewhere like Riverwave Corp, you’d probably be mid-to-upper management by now.”

She had the skills to rise on merit, but she’d always chosen shortcuts.

“Trying to provoke me?” she asked, sharp as ever.

“Just saying it’s a shame,” I replied, shrugging.

Tanya’s smile didn’t waver. “Everyone’s got their own ambitions. Look at you. You could’ve been a wealthy socialite. Instead, here you are, wandering around in the middle of the night, all alone.”

Classic Tanya—always ready with a comeback. For every jab I threw, she had one locked and loaded.

I yawned. “Looks like your business skills aren’t the only thing improving. Your wit’s sharper than ever.”

With that, I stood, ready to call it a night. Sleep was pulling me like gravity.

Just as I turned to leave, Tanya’s voice stopped me. “Have you seen Jace recently?”