CHAPTER TWENTY SIX – ON HER LAST LEGS

The morning sun filtered through the thin curtains of Mara's small apartment, casting a warm glow on the cluttered kitchen counter. She stood there, absentmindedly stirring a bowl of oatmeal that had long since gone cold. Her thoughts wandered to The Keppler Heritage, the prestigious company she'd left behind in a whirlwind of scandal and shame. "Maybe I should just swallow my pride and beg for my job back," Mara muttered to herself, her spoon clinking against the side of the bowl. But as quickly as the thought came, she shook her head, dismissing it. "No, I can't. I won't." She set the bowl down with a sigh and reached for her phone, scrolling through job listings for the hundredth time. Nothing seemed promising, and the few responses she'd received were far from encouraging. A sharp knock at the door made her jump. Mara's heart raced as she approached, already knowing who it was before she even looked through the peephole. "Come on, Mara," a gruff voice called from the other si