Mira left Owen in charge of treating the team to dinner, transferring twenty thousand dollars directly to him.
However, he immediately sent two thousand back to her.
“I can handle it for you, but I won’t take any payment for it.”
As the senior member of the group, he had his principles.
“Alright. If you ever need anything in the future, you can come to me.”
It would be rude to insist further.
Mira drove Owen and Ms. Brooks to the designated restaurant.
“Thank you all for your support and hard work over this time. I’d like to raise a glass to you all. You’ve worked hard! I have something urgent to attend to, so I have to leave first. See you later.”
Mira bowed her head slightly in apology, then she and Kieran drove away.
“Kieran, we should buy an SUV. It’ll make getting around easier, and we won’t have to rent one when we need it.”
Kieran nodded. “If you’re tight on funds, we can wait on the car.”
“It’s fine. We can buy one.”
They drove directly to the nearest car dealership, but they didn’t get far before they were stopped at a corner.
The man who approached them was dressed in a shirt and tie, looking like an assistant or secretary.
“Miss Mercer, excuse me. Our boss would like to see you.”
Kieran glanced at Mira and whispered, “You’re famous now. You shouldn’t just meet with anyone. Be careful.”
The man looked vaguely familiar, but Mira couldn’t place him. She had a gut feeling that something was up.
Friend or foe, she needed to find out.
Mira looked at the man. “Where is your boss?”
“In the coffee shop across the street.”
In fact, he was the one backing Mara.
Mara’s appearance, her reunion with the family, and the trouble she stirred up at home—he had orchestrated most of it.
Otherwise, how could a young girl who grew up in the countryside be so calculating?
In her past life, as a lingering spirit, Mira had personally heard Mara admit that her fall down the stairs to frame Mira was also his idea.
He had even forced her to do it. As a young girl, Mara was afraid of the pain and worried she might cripple herself.
But she had no choice. If she disobeyed, Shane threatened to expose her true intentions.
Shane’s ultimate goal was to swallow the Mercer Group whole.
Mira looked at Shane, who was also observing her.
It was his first time seeing the Mercer family’s young lady, the one who had thwarted his plans more than once, up close.
His initial impression was that she was composed and reserved, far more intelligent and capable than her twin sister, Mara.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Too Late to Hold Me Back