Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 514

Norman wasn't going to stick around to test Adrian’s wrath.

He sped away from the estate, running red lights and driving recklessly through the empty streets.

He rushed home, grabbed his packed bags, and bolted with his wife.

En route, he called his two sons who were away on summer vacation, ordering them to stay far away from Melvion City.

They checked into a rundown motel far from their neighborhood. Sweating bullets, Norman dialed Shane Porter. He needed a lifeline.

"I appreciate your service over the years, and I’ll wire you a generous severance package. But with this PR nightmare blowing up online, there is absolutely zero chance I can hire you at Porter Entertainment."

The implication was clear: *You got caught, you’re a liability, and you’re on your own.*

If Shane brought Norman onto the payroll now, it would be a public admission of corporate espionage.

By cutting him loose, Shane maintained total plausible deniability. The internet could rage all it wanted, but without hard proof, Porter Entertainment was legally untouchable.

Norman had spent years risking his neck for the Porter family, terrified of getting caught.

He thought he had earned a cushy executive spot once the Mercer Group fell. Instead, he was being discarded.

Hearing the heavy silence on the line, Shane offered a cold slice of reality.

"Two pieces of advice, Norman. One, you’re flushed with cash. Sell your house, take your family to a new city, and live a quiet life. Why overcomplicate things?

Two, if you want to ensure Adrian never finds you, leave the country. His reach doesn't extend past the border anymore."

Norman gripped the phone. Shane was a shark, and arguing would only get him killed.

Better to take the severance and disappear. He hated the idea of fleeing Mavaria—struggling with a foreign language and leaving his home behind.

Shane’s arrogant focus was entirely consumed by picking off the Mercer Group’s rotting assets.

Back at the Mercer estate, Adrian was out for blood. Norman had slipped through his fingers, but the traitor living under his own roof was entirely trapped.

Throwing on a robe, Adrian stormed down the hallway toward Mara’s bedroom.

"Adrian, what are you doing?"

Fiona rushed after him, having seen the devastating news alerts herself.

Adrian ignored her. He marched straight to Mara’s door.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

"Mara, get out here right now!"