Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 279

"You actually have the nerve to ask me that?" Vivienne's tone turned venomous in an instant. "You completely botched the operation and nearly dragged me down with you, and now you have the audacity to make demands?"

Sensing the shift, panic bled into Clarence's voice. "You were there. You saw exactly how it went down. I laid everything on the line to protect your interests! And I didn't make a single move without getting your explicit approval first!"

"So, you're blaming me now?"

"I'm not blaming you, I'm just stating the facts." Though still denying it, Clarence's tone had hardened, losing the pathetic, groveling edge from earlier. This was a business transaction, and now that he realized Vivienne was preparing to burn him and walk away, he had to pivot to self-preservation.

"And what exactly do you want me to do?"

"I'm not asking for the moon. You know the situation I'm in. With a termination like that on my record, finding another job in this industry is going to be near impossible. All I'm asking is that you honor our original agreement and secure me a position."

"Secure you a position," Vivienne mocked coldly. "What exactly are you even qualified to do?"

"I think you know exactly what I'm capable of," Clarence fired back, refusing to back down. "Besides, wasn't my unique 'skill set' the reason you approached me in the first place? It's a little late to play dumb now. Do you want me to dig up our old message logs to refresh your memory on exactly what I bring to the table?"

His words were sharp and direct, serving a dual purpose: forcefully stating his demands while subtly hanging a massive threat over her head.

"Why would I lie to you?" Vivienne sneered. "If you don't trust me, you're more than welcome to take the nuclear option. Go ahead, leak those supposed chat logs and see how far that gets you."

"That won't be necessary. I was just speaking hypothetically. Please, don't take it personally." Clarence wasn't stupid. He was in this for the money, not a suicide mission against a Sinclair. Leaking the evidence wouldn't benefit him at all. But holding it over her head? That was his golden ticket.

"But let me make one thing crystal clear," Vivienne warned, her voice dropping to a lethal octave. "Until this is resolved, you keep your mouth shut. Don't mention this to anyone. And do not call this number again. When the arrangements are made, I will contact you."

"Understood. Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. I promise I won't call again. I'll wait to hear from you."