Chapter 14

Samantha stared at the message, then glanced down at the cash tips in her hand and the balance on her phone. She pondered for a moment. Why did she suddenly feel a little guilty? Hesitating slightly, she typed out a reply. "He gave me a two grand tip, and I got nearly ten grand in liquor sales commission." She confessed every last cent of her "ill-gotten gains" without holding anything back. Layla quickly responded, "Nice job!" Samantha never expected praise. The unexpected compliment actually made her feel a little embarrassed. Then Layle typed out a really long message. "Mr. Garrett is filthy rich, richer than we can even imagine. Since he's interested in you right now, you should take advantage of it and get as much as you can. Right now, I'm his favorite, and you're second in line. "Before long, there'll probably be a third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. If you don't cash in while you have the chance, you'll miss out once the new women show up." Although her reply was blunt and straightforward, it completely made sense. The only problem was that Samantha still wasn't quite sure how to scam Leonardo's money. Based on the last two times, did it just mean hanging around Leonardo more? … A few days later, the club was suddenly thrown into chaos around 12:30 am. A group of men in black stormed in, clearing the place out. Someone had booked the entire venue. The place was in chaos, with people shouting, arguing, and buzzing with confusion. In just ten minutes, the entire club fell silent, leaving only the staff behind. Everyone was curious about what had just happened. As Samantha was making her way through the club, a security guard stopped her. His expression was serious as he ordered, "Head to Room One. Now!" Hearing that room number, Samantha couldn't help but feel her palms start to sweat. Room One had always been empty, as if reserved for someone of extraordinary status. Samantha had rarely been near that room, except for when Leonardo came… "Do you know what's going on?" "It's urgent. Management ordered all the female staff to head there immediately. A big shot just arrived, and it looks like they're looking for someone. Someone's in trouble, that's for sure." Samantha bit her lip as a sense of unease crept over her. She followed the other waitstaff into Room One. The space was massive and could accommodate around 50 waitresses without feeling crowded. They stood in five neat rows at the center of the room. Around them, men in black suits lined the walls, forming a dark, oppressive perimeter. The air was heavy with tension, and no one dared to speak. Standing in the last row, Samantha's gaze instinctively landed on the large couch at the center of the room. She saw that strikingly handsome face, but… somehow, it felt unfamiliar. His expression was cold and dark, filled with an unsettling hostility. With a cold expression, Leonardo sat there, radiating an air of authority. Layla was sprawled on the plush carpet, her face drained of color. Tear tracks lined her cheeks, and her vacant eyes stared into nothing. Xenia was next to her. A red handprint marked her face. Whether it was from an earlier slap that hadn't faded or a fresh one, no one could tell. She groveled to Leonardo's feet, desperately trying to defend herself. "Mr. Garrett, I swear, all I know is that Layla was napping in the break room that night. I had nothing to do with anything else! I swear to god, I'm innocent! She was the one trying to scam you. "She threatened me and even tried to bribe me. I had no idea what was going on! It was all Layla's idea! I had nothing to do with it, I swear! Please, you have to believe me! I'm telling the truth!" The moment Leonardo uncovered the two-million-dollar scheme, Xenia was found immediately. The second she laid eyes on his men, she spilled everything. That was how Leonardo learned the woman from that night wasn't Layla. Irritation flashed across his face before he kicked Xenia aside. "Get out of my sight!" he ordered. A nearby bodyguard quickly caught on, grabbing Xenia and pinning her down to keep her from scrambling back toward Leonardo. Even his assistant, Simon, looked shaken as he cautiously stepped forward. "Mr. Garrett, this was my mistake. I should have confirmed everything properly, but I'm sure that the woman that night was a waitress from this club. There's no doubt about that!" Searching for a needle in a haystack was no easy task, but picking one person out of 50? For Leonardo, that was nothing. Hearing the conversation, Samantha instinctively lowered her head even further. He really was looking for her. If Leonardo found out she was the one from that night, she had no idea what would happen. Would she end up like the others? The words she had heard that day echoed in her mind. "Women who've tried seducing Mr. Garrett… Well, let's just say it didn't end well for them." At that moment, her face went ghostly pale. Leonardo parted his lips as he asked indifferently, "Who was it that Wednesday night?" His icy tone sent a chill through the room. The question was so brief and vague that most of the women were clueless about what he meant. However, for Samantha, it felt like the ground had been ripped out from under her. The silence dragged on, and no one dared to speak. Leonardo moved his foot, pressing down on Layla's delicate fingers. Her fingers quickly swelled and turned red as blood rushed to the surface. Layla’s face flushed with pain. "Tell me, who was the woman that night?" "I don't know! I was drunk and fell asleep by accident. The next morning, I was going to apologize, but before I could, Mr. Moore handed me money and said I did well. I was greedy, so I took it… but I swear I have no idea who that woman was!" "So she wasn't someone you arranged?" Leonardo's expression remained indifferent, but he pressed down a little harder with his foot. Layla bit back a cry, letting out only a faint whimper. Pain twisted her features, and for a moment, she genuinely feared her fingers might snap under the pressure. "It wasn't me. I just happened to go back for the money. I have nothing to do with that person. I swear, I don't know… Please, Mr. Garrett, let me go… I'm begging you…" Leonardo lifted his foot. Layla barely had a moment to catch her breath before he suddenly bent down and choked her by the throat. Red marks bloomed on her pale skin where his grip tightened. Her face flushed deep red from lack of air. Her eyes widened in panic as she struggled to breathe. "Mr. Garrett… I swear, I don't know…" "Are you sure?" "I don't know…" "Good." Leonardo smirked and finally released her. Layla coughed and gasped, sucking in desperate breaths. Before she could catch her breath, his voice sliced through the air, cold and merciless. "Lying deserves punishment. Maybe I should throw you into a crocodile pit and let them have their fill." The temperature in the room seemed to drop to freezing in an instant. Layla gasped for air, her face drained of all color. Fear gripped her so tightly that her body trembled uncontrollably. She groveled to his feet and begged for forgiveness. "Mr. Garrett, I swear I really don't know! I'm not lying. Please, have mercy!" Her desperate pleas echoed through the room. No one dared to speak. They were relieved not to be in her place, yet terrified they might get dragged into the mess. The silence was suffocating, broken only by her frantic begging. Samantha bit her lip so hard it nearly broke the skin. She knew she should keep her head down and stay out of it. As she watched her best friend who had been kind to her, she couldn't hold back any longer. She trembled as she raised her hand, both scared and determined. All eyes snapped to her, even Leonardo turned his gaze on her. "It was me," Samantha said. Then she closed her eyes, steeling herself like a prisoner walking to the executioner's block.