THE DIVORCED EMPLYOEE HUSBAND IS A BITCOIN TRILLIONAIRE

Chapter 5: Begging for Favors

Thomas walked through the Crown Center lobby with his chest pushed out like a rooster on a fence post.

Kris followed half a step behind him, holding a thin folder of lease papers against her stomach. The lobby was louder than usual. Workers stood in small groups, whispering and glancing toward the private elevator at the far end.

"Did you see that?" Thomas leaned toward her, his voice full of pride. "Something big is going on today. Good thing I know the supervisor. When the right person asks, doors open."

"Thomas, I only need a few days," Kris answered, her voice low and tired. "Seven days to move my stock. That is all."

"Seven days is nothing for a man like Mr. Dunn." Thomas gave her a grin that was a little too bright. "Leave the talking to me. Just stand there and look sad."

Kris pressed her lips together. She did not feel sad. She felt like a person standing at the edge of a cliff, being told to admire the view.

The supervisor's office was on the second floor, behind a frosted glass door with a gold nameplate. Mr. Dunn sat behind a wide desk with his sleeves rolled up and a cold cup of coffee near his elbow. He was a lean man with narrow eyes and a mouth that always looked like it had tasted something sour.

"Thomas." Dunn did not stand. "I told you on the phone I had ten minutes."

"And I am grateful for every one of them, sir." Thomas bowed his head with a smile so sweet it could have rotted teeth. "This is Kris, the tenant I mentioned. A truly talented woman who has hit a rough patch."

"A rough patch." Dunn's lips curled. He flipped open the file on his desk and ran one finger down the page. "Three months of unpaid rent. A hundred and ten thousand in debts across four vendors. And an eviction notice that went out this morning."

"Mr. Dunn, I only need seven more days," Kris began, trying to keep her voice steady. "My stock is still in the shop. I have to move it somewhere safe, and I cannot do that by Friday."

"Safe for whom?" Dunn raised his eyes slowly. "You think this building exists to store your unsold dresses?"

His voice was flat and dry, without a trace of warmth. Kris felt her ears grow hot.

"Sir, she is a good tenant who paid on time for four years," Thomas jumped in, rubbing his hands together. "A woman like her has earned a little patience. Think of it as a favor between friends. I would remember it, believe me. I would send you something nice at the end of the year."

"A bribe, Thomas?" Dunn's smile was thin and cruel. "In my own office? You are as cheap as a street dog begging at a back door."

Thomas's smile froze for half a second. His cheeks went pink. "No, sir, of course not. I only meant that, well, we all help each other."

"Nobody in this building helps a loser," Dunn replied. He closed the file with a soft snap. "And I know exactly what kind of tenant this woman is. A woman who loses her business and drags her debts into my tower is like a stray cat that follows you home. You give her a little milk, and by morning she has moved into your bed."

Kris's fingers curled so tightly around the folder that the paper creased. She kept her eyes on the floor so no one would see them shine.

"I did not lose my business," she told him quietly. "My partner stole from me."

"Then you chose a thief for a partner. That makes you a fool." Dunn shrugged, as if he were talking about the weather. "A fool and a thief both live on the street in the end. You have until the end of the week to clear the shop. Not one day more."

"Friday is not enough time," Kris pleaded. Her voice cracked on the last word, and she hated the sound of it. "Please, I only need a little time. I will pay every cent."

"With what money?" Dunn let out a short, dry laugh. "You sold your car this week, I heard. That is what rats do on a sinking ship. They chew the last rope, and then they wonder why the deck is wet."

Thomas shifted his feet, and his eyes slid away from Kris. His grin had gone stiff, and he did not say a word to defend her.

Kris lifted her head. A tear had finally slipped down her cheek, and she wiped it away fast with the back of her hand.

Of course he will not defend me. He only came to be seen.

"Mr. Dunn, please reconsider," Thomas said at last, in a weak, polite voice. "I can promise she is honest. I will personally..."

The phone on the desk began to ring.

Dunn glanced at the screen, and his face changed. The lazy cruelty drained out of it, and his whole body went stiff. He snatched up the receiver before the second ring ended.

"Yes, sir. This is Dunn." He sat up straighter. "Yes, I am in the building. Of course."

For a long moment he only listened. A drop of sweat appeared at his temple and slid slowly down toward his jaw. His free hand gripped the edge of the desk until the knuckles went white.

"A VIP, sir? Today?" His voice came out smaller than before. "Yes. Yes, I understand. I will introduce myself the moment he arrives. Under no circumstances will I cross him. Yes, sir. Absolutely, sir."

He put the phone down very gently, as if it might bite. Then he stared at the wall for several seconds.

"Mr. Dunn?" Thomas leaned forward. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine." Dunn pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his forehead. His eyes jumped nervously toward the door, then back to the two of them. "I have an important matter to prepare for. This meeting is over."

"But sir, about the seven days..." Thomas started.

"Three." The word came out sharp and quick. Dunn waved a hand at them without looking up. "Three days. Not a minute longer. Now please go, I have no more time for this."

"Three days?" Kris stared at him. "Sir, that is far too short. I cannot possibly..."

"Take it or take the street." Dunn finally turned his eyes on her, and they were cold and tired. "I am being generous, so do not push your luck, woman. Get out."

Thomas grabbed her elbow and pulled her through the frosted door before she could say another word. He closed it gently behind them, and let out a long, satisfied sigh.

"You see?" He puffed out his chest as they walked down the hallway. "I told you. One word from me, and he goes from zero days to three. Imagine what I could do if I had a little more time."

Kris walked beside him in silence, her eyes on the carpet. Her mind kept replaying Dunn's voice on the phone, the sudden change in his face, the sweat on his temple.

"Thomas, I think something else made him change his mind," she said slowly. "Did you see how he looked after that call?"

"A coincidence." Thomas waved it off, smiling like a man who had won a prize. "People respect a good connection, Kris. That is how this world works. You should be thanking me."

"Thank you," she managed, in a small and tired voice.

"Now I really must run. I have clients waiting downstairs." He squeezed her shoulder, flashed his silver watch one last time, and walked away with his head high, already telling the story to himself.

Kris stood alone in the corridor, with the cold light of the hallway falling across her face.

Three days. It was not enough time to pack a single rack of clothes, let alone find a new place and move four years of stock. Her thoughts raced through the list. A truck she could not afford. Movers she could not pay. A warehouse that needed a deposit she did not have.

Three days. I will lose everything.

Her chest felt tight, as if someone had wrapped a belt around her ribs and pulled it slowly. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

Something small and stiff pressed against her palm.

She looked down. The white business card was still tucked inside the folder, crushed a little at the corner. She had been holding it all morning without even knowing.

A single name was printed on it, with a phone number below. And in a neat line of handwriting on the back, in dark ink, were the words she had barely noticed in the car lot.

Crown Center penthouse restaurant.