Sorry, I Own This Place

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the line. Then an unfamiliar male voice came through.

"Miss Johnson, hello. I'm Mr. Penzo's secretary. Mr. Penzo is currently in a very important meeting and is unable to take your call.

"Moreover, Mr. Penzo previously instructed that during meetings, your calls are not to be forwarded under any circumstances.

"If you have something to discuss, please wait until his meeting concludes."

Without giving me a chance to respond, he hung up cleanly and decisively.

Beep… beep… beep…

Seeing this, Lily immediately convinced herself I had been bluffing, and fury overtook her.

"Still trying to scare me, you bitch?!" She screamed with rage, her face twisted by the force of it.

"Someone get over here! Hold her down! Today, I'll make her lick this whole damn car clean!"

The two bodyguards in black behind her moved at once.

They seized my arms—one on each side—their grips as unyielding as iron clamps, pinning me in place.

"Samantha!" Carmen cried out and tried to rush to me, but another bodyguard who had been standing nearby shoved her hard to the floor.

She gasped, landing heavily, pain beading sweat across her forehead. For a moment, she couldn't even stand.

Just then, hurried footsteps approached.

Shawn Hartman, the manager of the auto shop—a middle-aged man in his forties—jogged toward us.

He took in the tense scene with a quick glance. The second his eyes landed on Lily, his anxious expression melted instantly into a fawning, almost groveling smile.

"Oh! Miss Jenkins! What brings you here?"

He bowed and scraped in greeting, then abruptly spun toward me, barking sharply.

"Who do you think you are, daring to offend Miss Jenkins here? Do you not want to survive in Grebour City?"

At his cue, several security guards rushed over and surrounded us completely, sealing off every escape.

He jabbed a finger at my face and delivered his verdict in a self-righteous roar.

"Girl, I don't care who you are. Right now, you're going to lick Miss Jenkins's car and apologize! Otherwise, believe it or not, I'll have the guards break your legs and throw you out!"

The security guards cracked their knuckles and advanced step by step, eyes filled with menace.