Chapter 35: Termination Contract.
Liam stared at the closed door for a long moment after Vanessa left.
His body was still humming and mind was still racing. But beneath the sexual frustration and the irritation, something else was brewing. Something that didn’t add up.
"Mrs. Harriet is doing way too much", Liam thought.
He walked back to his desk and sat down heavily. The termination letter was still there, open to the page he had been reading before Darren’s call interrupted him. He had scanned the first few lines of Section 14, Paragraph B. He had seen the wording about public visibility. But he hadn’t finished reading the rest of the paragraph.
"Time to finish what I started", Liam told himself.
He pulled the letter closer and read the full text.
"Indecent or objectionable behavior that is publicly visible or reasonably likely to become public shall constitute grounds for immediate termination. This includes, but is not limited to, actions captured on video, audio, or photographic media that are distributed through any channel, whether public or private, that may reasonably be expected to reach a wide audience or otherwise damage the reputation of the firm."
Liam read it again.
And again, his eyes narrowed.
"Reasonably be expected to reach a wide audience."
That was the key phrase and the previous version he had skimmed hadn’t included those words or maybe he had missed them. But now, reading the full text, the loophole was staring him right in the face.
A private Instagram story, twenty viewers or so. None of them journalists, none of them influencers, none of them with any reason or ability to share it widely.
That did not meet the threshold.
"They had no grounds to fire me", Liam realized. "None whatsoever."
He sat back in his chair, the letter clutched in his hands. The implications hit him like a wave.
Mrs. Harriet hadn’t been trying to help him. She had been trying to cover her ass. She knew the termination was shaky and she also knew he could sue. And she had been scrambling to get him back on the payroll before he figured it out.
"That’s why she sent Vanessa", Liam thought. "That’s why she was so desperate. That’s why she was willing to use someone so conventionally attractive to sway me."
The pieces clicked into place.
Mrs. Harriet hadn’t been generous. She had been terrified. And now, with this letter in his hands, Liam had leverage. Real leverage. The kind that could destroy careers and bankrupt firms.
Liam kissed his teeth in irritation.
He should have read this sooner. But he had been too busy drowning in self-pity, too distracted by Sara’s betrayal and Richard’s fists. He had let his emotions cloud his judgment. And in doing so, he had almost let Mrs. Harriet slip one past him.
"Not anymore", Liam thought. He wasn’t going to let anyone take advantage of him anymore.
He could sue, wrongful termination, breach of contract. Maybe even defamation, depending on how the termination was worded in internal records. The settlement would be significant—six figures on the high end, maybe seven. Enough to jumpstart his firm without needing to rely on the system.
But Liam knew better than to play that card too early.
"Hold onto it", he told himself. "Keep it in your back pocket. You never know when you might need it."
This was a jackpot, a massive jackpot. And if he played it right, he could use it to get more than just money. He could get recommendations, favors, access to clients and connections that would take years to build otherwise.
His phone buzzed on the desk.
Liam glanced at the screen. A text message.
[Bob: Hey Liam. Hope you’re doing okay. Just wanted to check in.]
Liam blinked.
Bob. Middle-aged, he was a family man with three kids. A senior associate at Harlan & Associates—the same firm that had just fired him. Bob had been at the firm for over a decade, but his salary was significantly less than Liam’s had been. Bob didn’t care, all he cared about was paying the bills and getting home to his wife and kids.
"Another recruiter?" Liam wondered. "Another attempt to sway me?"
But Bob wasn’t like that. Bob barely talked at work unless he absolutely had to. He was quiet. Unassuming. The kind of guy who kept his head down and did his job. Liam typed a reply.
[Liam: Hey Bob. I’m hanging in there. What’s up?]
The response came quickly.
[Bob: Nothing much. Just wanted to make sure you were okay. Rough break buddy.]
Liam stared at the screen.
"He’s not here to recruit me?", Liam realized. "He’s just checking in."
A wave of something warm washed over him. In a world of manipulation and hidden agendas, Bob’s simple message was refreshing.
[Liam: Appreciate that, man. It’s been a hell of a month.]
[Bob: I can imagine. If you ever need to talk or grab a beer, let me know. My treat.]
Liam smiled. Bob’s treat meant a cheap beer at a dive bar. But the gesture was genuine.
[Liam: I might take you up on that. How’s the family?]
[Bob: Crazy as ever. Kids are driving me insane. I wouldn’t have it any other way.]
[Liam: That’s good to hear, Bob. Seriously. Thanks for reaching out. It means a lot.]
[Bob: Anytime, kid. You take care of yourself.]
Liam set the phone down.
The interaction had been short and simple. Bob hadn’t tried to convince him of anything. He hadn’t mentioned the New York offer or Mrs. Harriet or any of the political nonsense that had gotten Liam fired.
He had just been a friend checking on a friend.
"Not everyone at that place is bad", Liam thought. "Just the ones in charge."
He looked at the termination letter again. The loophole stared back at him like a gift he hadn’t known he was holding.
Liam smiled.
He had leverage now. Real leverage. And he knew exactly how to use it.
-
Vanessa’s apartment felt smaller than usual when she walked through the door.
She dropped her purse on the counter, kicked off her heels, and stood in the middle of the living room with her hands on her hips. Her heart was still racing. Her skin was still warm and her mind was still replaying every single second of what had just happened.
"I showed him my tits", she thought. "I dry-humped him against his door. What is wrong with me?"
She flopped onto the couch and stared at the ceiling.
The next few hours passed in a blur. She changed out of her crop top and into sweatpants. She poured herself a glass of water—not wine, she had had enough of that. She scrolled through her phone without seeing anything. She checked her messages. Nothing from Liam. Nothing from Mrs. Harriet. Nothing from anyone.
"Of course", she thought. "Why would he text me? He probably thinks I’m insane."
By the time she heard the key turn in the lock, the sun had set and the apartment was dark except for the glow of a single lamp.
Penina walked through the door looking exhausted. Her dark skin had a slight sheen of sweat. Her sharp features were drawn with fatigue. She dropped her bag by the entrance and kicked off her flats.
"Long day," Penina announced, stretching her arms above her head. "I swear to God, if one more person asks me to work overtime I’m going to—"
"Penina." Vanessa’s voice cut through the air. "I need to tell you something."
Penina stopped mid-stretch. She looked at her friend, really looked at her, and immediately noticed the tension in Vanessa’s shoulders. The way she was perched on the edge of the couch. The slightly wild look in her green eyes.
"Oh God," Penina said. "What happened? Did someone die?"
"No. Worse."
Penina walked over and sat down across from her. "Okay. Spill."
Vanessa took a deep breath. Then, without pausing, she told her everything.
The wine, the conversation and the offer to leave Harlan including the moment she raised her top. The way she pressed her thigh between his legs, the grind against his door and the sound of his groan.
Penina’s mouth dropped open.
"You did what?" Penina’s voice came out as a squeak.
"I showed him my tits, Penina. I took off my top and showed him my tits."
"And then you—"
"And then I dry-humped him against his door like a—" Vanessa buried her face in her hands. "Like a complete lunatic."
Penina stared at her for a long moment, then she burst out laughing.
"Oh my God, Vanessa. Oh my God. You? The woman who never even flirts with clients unless it’s strategic? You did that?"
"I know," Vanessa moaned into her hands. "I know."
Penina leaned forward, still giggling. "But wait. Wait. Did he—I mean, was he—"
Vanessa looked up. "He was hard... very hard. I felt it. Against my thigh and ass. He was so hard I could practically feel his heartbeat through his shorts."
Penina fanned herself with her hand. "Jesus. That’s... that’s something."
Vanessa’s cheeks flushed. "I have no idea what came over me. I went in there with a plan. And that was to get him to say yes to the New York offer. That’s it. And then he made me this offer to leave Harlan and join his startup and he was so... composed despite how I was dressed. And I wanted to—"
"Wanted to what?"
"I wanted to break that composure," Vanessa admitted. "I wanted to see him lose control. And I did. For a second, I heard him groan and I felt his body tense. And then he grabbed my wrist and pinned me to the door and—"
"And?" Penina leaned in.
"And then I stopped. I pulled back. I left."
Penina sat back, shaking her head. "You are actually insane. Do you know that?"
"I’m not insane. I was in control. I set the terms. I asked for a proposal and I left."
Penina tilted her head, a knowing smile on her lips. "You know what I think? I think you sound proud."
Vanessa opened her mouth to deny it but no words came out.
Because Penina was right.
She was proud.
The adrenaline rush had been unlike anything she had ever experienced. The thrill of making a man like Liam—composed, calculating, unshakable—react the way he had... it was intoxicating.
"Okay," Vanessa admitted. "Maybe a little proud."
Penina laughed and shook her head. Then she asked the question Vanessa had been dreading.
"Why didn’t you just fuck him?"
Vanessa blinked. "What?"
"I’m serious. You were that close. He was hard and you were wet so why didn’t you just—"
"Because I’m not cheap." Vanessa’s voice was sharper than she intended. "I nearly lost control. But I don’t plan to fuck anyone I might work with. That’s messy and unprofessional."
Penina giggled. "No, you didn’t. Because he didn’t pin you to the wall and fuck the shit out of you."
Penina stood up and demonstrated with exaggerated hip thrusts, her petite body swaying in a ridiculous imitation of passion.
"Stop!" Vanessa giggled, pushing her friend away. "You’re terrible."
"That is exactly what happened." Penina flopped back onto the couch. "Look, I get it. You’re being careful and all that. But Vanessa..." She paused, her expression softening. "When was the last time you actually wanted someone?"
"I don’t know," she admitted.
"Exactly." Penina pointed at her. "You’ve been so focused on your career, on climbing the ladder, on using your body as a tool—that you forgot you’re allowed to actually enjoy it."
Vanessa was quiet for a moment.
Then she said, "I never said I didn’t want to. I just said I couldn’t."
Penina grinned. "Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that."
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
"It means," Penina said, standing up and heading toward the kitchen, "that all Liam has to do to get between those legs of yours is apply a little pressure. And based on what you just told me, he knows exactly how to do that."
Vanessa stared at her friend’s back.
Penina turned around with a glass of water in her hand. "You’re in trouble, Vanessa. Deep trouble. And I can’t wait to see how this plays out."
Vanessa threw a pillow at her. Penina caught it and laughed.
But deep down, Vanessa knew her friend was right.
