THE RISE OF THE APEX KING

CHAPTER 7

Isabella clenched her fists so hard that her perfectly manicured nails dug into her palms. The humiliation she had tried to pour on Richard had backfired in the craziest way possible and now she stood in the center of it all, shaking with rage and disbelief.

“This is ridiculous,” she snapped. “Whatever nonsense you did to her, whatever voodoo or trick you used on Michelle, it won’t last.”

She laughed bitterly. “She’ll wake up soon and realize what kind of trash she married.”

“That’s enough,” Michelle snapped.

The murmurs died instantly and she faced Isabella.

“I have tolerated your insults long enough,” Michelle continued. “And I will not allow anyone, no matter how valuable they think they are, to insult my husband under my roof.”

Isabella scoffed. “I'm your biggest model. He's just a loser leeching off your wealth."

Michelle nodded slowly.

“Well, in that case you are no longer needed at GLAM.”

Isabella froze. "What?"

“You’re fired!”

A sharp gasp echoed through the crowd. Several guests looked at each other in disbelief. A few others leaned forward, eager not to miss a single reaction.

“What?” she managed to mutter. "You can't be serious?"

Her face drained of color, her lips trembling as she stared at Michelle like she had misheard her.

“You heard me,” Michelle replied. “Your contract with GLAM is terminated, effective immediately.”

For a few seconds, Isabella just stood there, stunned. Then her shock turned into anger.

“Tell me this is a fucking joke!" she snapped. “You’re firing me? Your top model? Because of a dog like him?”

Mandy, sensing that matters were getting out of hand, stepped forward quickly. “Michelle, please,” she begged. “You can’t do this. Isabella is the face of GLAM. Every major deal, every campaign, she’s the one people recognize. Are you really going to throw all that away because of a man you just met?”

Michelle didn’t even hesitate.

“Yes,” she nodded.

The conviction in her voice shocked everyone even more.

“No one,” Michelle continued firmly, “gets to disrespect my husband and walk away untouched. I don’t care who they are or how famous they think they are.”

Richard cast her a side glance, genuine surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn’t expected this. He had assumed she might hesitate, might try to calm things down or protect her business interests. But she didn’t. She chose him and she did it so easily.

A small smile tugged at Richard’s lips. He leaned slightly towards her.

"You don’t have to do this.”

Michelle met his gaze. “I want to.”

She straightened and faced the crowd again. “I stand by my decision.”

Isabella’s knees weakened.

“This can’t be happening,” she muttered. “You’re choosing him over me?”

Michelle nodded again. “I am.”

The crowd went rowdy almost immediately. Some people were already calculating the impact that the decision would have on GLAM. Others were focused on Isabella, waiting to see if she would explode or break.

Richard squeezed Michelle’s hand gently.

“You're giving up your top model for a man you just met,” he said softly. "I promise you won’t regret trusting me.”

Michelle glanced at him and gave a small smile.

Firing Isabella was definitely going to be a bad decision for her company and she was certain that there was nothing Richard could do to remedy that.

But he was her husband now and it was her duty to protect his dignity, so she didn't mind the cost that came with it.

At that moment, Isabella lost control. Her pride shattered and desperation took over. She dropped to her knees immediately, clinging on to Richard's leg

“Richard!” She cried, tears streaming down her face. “Please! I’m begging you!”

Mandy’s eyes went wide in horror.

“Isabella, get up!” she whispered.

But Isabella didn’t care anymore.

“I loved you,” Isabella sobbed. “I really did! You have to believe me. I couldn’t wait seven years for you. I’m a model. My career would have ended. I was scared. I was young.”

She ranted on, ignoring the judgemental stares and the flashing cameras.

“Please,” she pleaded. “Help me save my job. Tell her to forgive me. I’ll do anything.”

Richard looked down at her pitifully. If only she had waited seven years for him. But all that was in the past now.

Before he could speak, the grand doors flung open and all heads turned to the entrance.

“What’s going on here?”

A tall man in an expensive black tux walked into the hall and his presence commanded attention instantly.

Richard's eyes blazed red with anger when he saw the familiar face. It was Chris Washington, the same man that Isabella had dumped him for.

Relief flooded her face the moment she saw him.

“Chris!” she cried, scrambling to her feet and rushing toward him. “Thank God you’re here!”

She grabbed his arm desperately and began ranting. “They’re trying to ruin me. She fired me all because of Richard! He's trying to get back at me for dumping him for you, baby."

Chris chuckled. "This lowlife again?"

His gaze lingered on Richard for a moment before he shifted his attention to Michelle. A wry smile spread across his face.

“Michelle Donovan,” he began. “It’s been a while.”

“I don't remember inviting you to my Gala party," Michelle snapped.

"You seem to forget that my brother, Denzel is the mayor of this city," Chris chuckled. "I can go wherever the fuck I want. Now that's power, isn't it?"

Michelle scoffed but she knew he was right. He had Denzel's backing. As a matter of fact, this was the very reason she had refused her family's arranged marriage proposal to Denzel Washington. He played dirty politics, and was affiliated to half of the criminal gangs in the city. The Washington family were not to be messed with.

"And speaking of my brother, Denzel," Chris ranted on. "Shouldn't you two be married by now? Why the fuck are you messing around with this lowlife?"

"He's not a lowlife!" Michelle snapped. "He's my husband."

Chris raised an eyebrow. “So you let go of your top model to please this 'husband'?”

“Yes," Michelle replied, defiant.

Chris glanced at Richard briefly, then smiled again. “Interesting.”

He stepped closer to Michelle, lowering his voice just enough to sound reasonable but still loud enough for others to hear.

“I think you’re letting emotions cloud your judgment,” Chris said. “Isabella is valuable. Firing her will hurt GLAM more than you realize.”

Michelle crossed her arms. “I’ve made my decision.”

Chris sighed as though she had pushed him to the wall. “Then let me make this easier for you.”

The hall went silent.

“You have two options,” Chris said calmly.

Everyone held their breath as they waited for him to drop the bombshell.

“First,” he continued, “you reinstate Isabella as your top model and you double her salary.”

Hushed gasps echoed through the hall. Doubling Isabella’s salary would make her earn more than even the shareholders at GLAM, more than Michelle herself.

Isabella smiled in satisfaction but Michelle remained calm.

"And if you refuse to do that," Chris continued. “Then I’ll use my influence to smear so much dirt over GLAM that no one would ever want to make a deal with you again.”